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An interior decorator serves as the prime consultant for a very disorganized building project. Although he referred to himself as the “Captain of the Ship,” he abandoned ship and blamed the disaster on his “crew”—including, of course, the Architect. Even Walt Whitman would be amused.

In architecture, the downhill flow of water forms the basis for the design of plumbing and drainage systems. It’s such a universal rule that it’s more than a little surprising when it’s been ignored.

How can a simple typographical error in a millwork order lead to a financial and logistical nightmare, not to mention the heartbreak of trashing 180 custom-made cabinets? 

When experts with questionable incentives make a simple problem worse by recommending drastic solutions, who is responsible for picking up the tab?

When a major building component, such as an external wall, fails during construction, who was supposed to check the shop drawings?

If an Architect provides better quality cladding materials than those the client requested, can the Client order those materials to be replaced at the Architect’s expense? 

Fire experts may have trouble pinpointing the cause of a fire, but if the architects are contracted to perform site reviews, they will be in the “line of fire,” regardless of the actual source of the original spark.

Get the best advice, not the quickest advice. Avoid embracing hasty solutions to complex problems, even when there is enormous pressure to solve them as quickly as possible.

Agreeing to build a high-quality neoclassical masterpiece in the Ontario hinterlands, without the appropriately extravagant budget required, can only result in a deteriorating client relationship, and a dilapidated building.

Attempting to create a high-end look with subpar materials is likely to result in significant structural issues, costly repairs, and potential legal troubles.