01/03/2016
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1127092347302586&id=100000054954771
Front page in the Dec. 30th Dallas Morning News....
I have been in the building industry for over 30 years and this is just appalling and reprehensible! People, this is why we have Building codes. To provide a minimum level of quality and assure the preservation of life, property and avoid unnecessary economic loss. That having been said, it does little good to have these legally binding measures in place if those in the field blatantly ignore them either out of ignorance and/ or in favor of a healthier bottom line. Townships and their building officials have apparently also shared in this lackadaisical and irresponsible attitude toward the public's welfare, as demonstrated in this article. This shoddy workmanship supposedly passed the inspection of the local building officials as well. One example here was even a public school no less!
This should be a wake-up call folks! From a professional perspective, it's time we step up and be the building professionals we claim to be. Get and continue to be educated, be conscientious and take pride in what we do for our clients and neighbors. Not only to build, but to build responsibly to protect and preserve our communities in property, financially and most importantly, in lives.
Now in all fairness, it's not just all us builders. The owner/ clients often field a good share of the blame here. As a businessman, I get there are budgetary considerations and no one wants to spend more than they have to. That having been said though, always choosing the lowest bidder is often just inviting disaster over to the house and then wondering why he cleaned you out. Remember the old adage you get what you pay for? Well, there are few areas where that is more apparent than in the building industry.
In business if it costs less, it's coming out of somewhere. It's just common sense right? Whether it's inferior materials or less experienced / inexperienced cheap labor, there is a reason why it can cost less than the next guy. Usually, it's a combination of both. Sometimes illegal labor is also employed by some, taking jobs away from the legal citizen work force and making it virtually impossible for legitimate, qualified businesses to compete. Just remember, all Contractors are not equal. 99.9% of the time, you will get what you pay for.
It's up to all of us to improve and make our communities a better and safer place to live and work. Let's all do our part!
“We saw a tremendous number of improper attachment of the walls to the foundations, which just made walls fall either in or out."
