Project blogs
Developer Sue Everyone!
MCST sues developer, four others over alleged defects after concrete piece from condo balcony fell 20m
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/concrete-fell-20m-from-condo-balcony-mcst-sues-developer-and-four-others-over-alleged-defects
An interesting article that touches on something I’ve seen many times in Singapore’s Built Environment.
Through my years working in the industry, I’ve come to feel that many quality issues are not necessarily caused by people deliberately wanting to do poor work, nor are they always about trying to cheat someone.
More often, it starts with taking a shortcut.
Something that should take time is rushed. A proper method requires more effort, so an easier way is chosen. And when everyone is under pressure to deliver faster and faster, workmanship can slowly become secondary to simply getting the job completed.
Our forefathers learnt their trades differently. They took pride in becoming masters of their craft. Good workmanship took time, patience and experience — and there was pride in doing something properly.
Today, I sometimes feel we are losing a little of that.
What concerns me even more is what happens when something goes wrong. Mistakes will always happen in construction — we are human. But what matters is our attitude after discovering them.
Do we acknowledge the mistake, learn from it and redo the work properly?
Or do we try to patch it up, cover it, and hope it survives until the Defects Liability Period is over?
For me, the answer should be simple.
Be honest with the owner. Be honest with ourselves. If something isn't right, acknowledge it and take proactive steps to rectify it properly.
It may cost us more time and effort today, but our reputation and integrity are worth much more in the long run.
We are not just constructing buildings.
We are building something that carries our name long after we have left the site.