We’ve been catching up on a bit of TV this month in our household. One of the shows we watched was Reacher. Combine that with a new book I’m reading, “Bigger Than You” by Kelly Roach, and some phrases/quotes have popped out at me as they relate to the building restoration niche.
Inspect what you expect
I hadn’t heard that before reading Kelly Roach’s book but it reminds me of the Ronald Reagan quote “Trust but verify”. I love both phrases and they are particularly applicable to Construction Administration in our industry. This is the phase that Owner’s often push back on, particularly if they are using a contractor that they trust and has done right by them in the past. I will be the first to say that projects run so much smoother when the right contractor is chosen. They are an invaluable resource and team member during a project, but they do not take the place of a consultant conducting regular site visits. During the design phase, drawings and specifications are put together as a roadmap for the contractor. They outline the areas of work, and the details for conducting that work. However, contractors are human, and mistakes are made in the field. Most of the time, they aren’t done out of negligence, just human error. Weekly or biweekly (or in some cases more frequent) site visits can help guide the contractor and ensure that the work is being conducted properly. The project manager for the contractor may know how the work is supposed to be done, but perhaps it’s a material that the foreman has never used before, or they had a fight with their spouse the day before that is affecting their thought process on the site. We live in an imperfect world, so an extra set of eyes that is looking out for the Owner’s interest is never a bad thing! The goal throughout the construction administration process is to ensure that expectations align with execution.
In an investigation, assumptions kill
Now in the construction industry, perhaps assumptions don’t kill, but they do cost a lot of money. We get asked all the time, is it necessary to conduct probes during the design process? The answer is almost always yes. The more information the designer can have up front, the better off the project will be. I know they are expensive, but if there are no existing drawings of the building and no other way of finding out the information required for a quality design, they are absolutely essential. Otherwise, we would be making assumptions about issues based on past projects. While there are some architectural details that are consistent from building to building, not everything is the same, and dealing with those changes can add up to significant change orders once the Contractor is onsite.
Another way this reminds me of our industry is water testing. Yes, again, it is often expensive. However, in order to find the exact location of water infiltration, it is often a good idea. We can make assumptions about where the water is coming in, but without confirmation, we are making assumptions. In this case, assumptions may lead to the water still coming in!
In an investigation, details matter
As it relates to our investigations, such as leak investigations or the investigation portion of designs, the existing details of how the building was constructed absolutely matter. They will inform us of how to fix the issue and what went wrong in the first place. That is why the first step is to always ask for existing drawings. Those are critical in determining how buildings were constructed and how they act. As a building owner, please compile all your existing drawings, reports, and other information in one place and provide it to consultants who are trying to help you fix your building. If you can, go to the local building department to request whatever plans they have for your building. Do that before a problem arises, that way you have them when you need them!
In both Reacher’s world and Kelly Roach’s insights, there’s a shared theme that resonates strongly with building restoration: precision, accountability, and the refusal to make assumptions. Whether we’re conducting leak investigations or overseeing a contractor’s workmanship during construction, the importance of confirming conditions, inspecting work regularly, and documenting the facts cannot be overstated. As building envelope consultants, our role is to ensure that expectations are met with evidence, not assumptions—and that every detail, drawing, and site visit helps bridge the gap between design intent and built reality. In the restoration world, much like in storytelling or leadership, success lies not in trusting blindly, but in verifying diligently.
Kevin M. Duffy
Principal
Duffy Engineering
