Some of the entries on this list are wild, to say the least. And surely, you’ve spotted some questionable construction fails yourself, like a streetlight in the middle of a driveway or a door that opens into a wall. So, we’re left wondering: Who even thought this was a good idea? Well, no one, apparently.
According to a study by Autodesk and FMI Corporation, miscommunication between architects, engineers, and construction workers cost the global construction industry $1.8 trillion in 2020 alone. Poor data management and communication will lead to costly mistakes- surprise, surprise.
And if a designer, engineer, or architect doesn’t do their job properly, it shows up in construction. Research from the Berlin School of Technology found that 80% of project cost overruns come from original design flaws and miscommunication in drawings.
This is because subcontractors are legally obligated to follow the blueprints as they’re drawn. So, even if a toilet blocks a door or a tree is placed in the middle of a parking space, unfortunately, that’s how it gets built according to the blueprint.
But this doesn’t just happen on random streets or during DIY home construction. It has also happened in major high-tech projects involving high-stakes buildings. That’s right! A good example is London’s 20 Fenchurch Street, designed by famous architect Rafael Viñoly, and its concave glass façade acted like a massive magnifying glass.
The sunlight reflecting off the building actually melted parts of a parked Jaguar and scorched storefronts. The temperature on the street below even reached 117°C (243°F), and some people could fry eggs on the sidewalk. And to fix it? Well, they installed a massive, permanent sunshade screen.
It also doesn’t help that construction workers and even engineers are often exhausted and burnt out. Studies published by research groups like Tektome have found that human errors can stem from rushed deadlines and extreme fatigue. This can lead to errors like adding an extra decimal in the wrong place or using misleading scale dimensions.
And once a project requires multiple subcontractors, like plumbers, electricians, framers, and HVAC technicians, it creates even more room for error. After all, it can be harder for everyone to communicate efficiently when they’re not working under the same leadership.
