Content Is King: The Terror of Other Trades

Installing a roof on a new construction project has its share of challenges, but it never ceases to amaze me how many problems are caused by members of other trades. Two contractors I spoke to recently shared a couple of horror stories.

Matt Meyer, project manager for Tecta Zero in Cincinnati, filled me in on his company’s work at Northern Kentucky University’s Griffin Hall in Highland Heights, Ky. The project won a 2011 Contractor Project of the Year award from Sika Sarnafil — no thanks to members of other trades who did their best to turn his membrane into Swiss cheese. After the waterproof membrane was put in place for the green roof, the workers installing the wall panels created numerous tears. Others ground off metal fittings that fell to the roof below, creating numerous burns.

During the LegoLand Florida project, Springer-Peterson Roofing & Sheet Metal of Lakeland, Fla., company fought a very tight schedule and host of other contractors on the site of the 150-acre theme park. Logistics were a nightmare, as all of the underground electrical, water and sewer lines were dug up and replaced during the project. Roads and walkways were demolished and trucks couldn’t get material to the jobsite. When they did get material to the site, it wasn’t safe. Once workers returned to install a load of materials only to find an electrical contractor had dug trenches it. They had to wait until they were filled in to continue the installation.

“You’d think you had a good spot to load materials or park your truck, and 10 minutes later another contractor would be there saying they needed the space,” said Eric Wanner, the estimator on the project.

 Let me know if you can top those tales. Maybe we can develop the next new horror movie: “Attack of the Zombie Contractors.”