A few months ago, we put together a list of common acronyms in construction and it was well received. This is a pseudo follow-up to that article. Here is a list of common phrases and metaphors heard on construction sites and design offices that may offer some insight into the lingo.
“Can we value engineer this?”
Usually means can we save money somehow and use lesser materials or not put proper redundancies in place. Value engineering has its place, but it is often overused and misused to mean, let’s reduce the cost.
“He’s all hat and no cattle”
Meaning someone is a lot of talk, but doesn’t have any experience to back it up, or doesn’t really know what is going on.
“It is what it is”
Idiom meaning things can’t be changed so do the best you can.
“It’s construction, not surgery.”
Used to calm someone down who’s being overly picky about small imperfections.
“I’ve done it this way for X years (usually 30, no matter how old the person saying it is)”
My typical response is ‘It doesn’t mean you’ve been doing it right for 30 years’. To be fair, approaches change over time, we learn things as an industry and implement the changes going forward to avoid failures.
“Now you’re picking the fly sh*t out of the pepper”
You’re being too nitpicky. I have to give credit to a former colleague for this one!
“Project success is like a three-legged stool: cost, quality, and schedule…”
You can’t change one without affecting the others. Or more bluntly: You can have it fast, cheap, or good- pick two.
“Tail light warranty”
Usually, something is done with inferior quality, and the contractor doesn’t want to be responsible for it after they leave the jobsite.
“The juice ain’t worth the squeeze.”
The effort, cost, or risk just isn’t justified by the outcome.
“They want champagne finish on a bodega budget.”
The client has taste but no money.
“This isn’t my first rodeo.”
The person has done something similar to this in the past.
“This is why we can’t have nice things.”
Used sarcastically when something gets broken, ignored, or installed wrong again.
“We’re just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.”
Said when you’re making changes that don’t matter because the whole thing’s doomed anyway.
“We’re putting lipstick on a pig”
Trying to make something fundamentally flawed look good.
“We’ll be done in 2 weeks”
For some reason, when it comes down to the end of a project, every contractor says they will be done in two weeks, even if there is 6 weeks left in the project!
“You can’t be all things to all people”
A favorite of mine, meaning some people aren’t going to like your approach and that is ok.
“You can’t swing a cat in this city without hitting a crane.”
There are new buildings going up all over the place, another personal favorite of mine I first heard from a manufacturer representative.
“You either pay now or pay later.”
Used when cutting corners now is guaranteed to cost more down the line.
“You’re robbing Peter to pay Paul.”
Classic for when you’re reallocating budget or labor just to plug holes elsewhere.
Kevin M. Duffy
Principal
Duffy Engineering
