Question about the real cost of a drafting error

I was going through some old project files from a job in Phoenix. Found a mistake I made on a foundation plan. Just a wrong dimension, seemed small. Looked up the change order from back then. That one line cost the client over $2,500 in rework and material. I found the paper in a box of old invoices. It was a concrete pour that had to be patched. I always heard mistakes were expensive, but seeing that number on paper hit different. It was from a job three years ago. How do you guys handle double-checking your own work on tight deadlines?

3 comments

3 Comments

claire_walker1mo ago

I mean, I still get a pit in my stomach remembering the time I swapped two fixture numbers on a tiny bathroom plan.

the_margaret29d agoMost Upvoted

Did that client ever walk into the bathroom and point at the wrong light fixture? You're probably still losing sleep over it. I'd be buying the homeowner a beer just to smooth it over.

danielr941mo ago

Ever try making a checklist for the small stuff? I started double checking just the numbers and labels before anything else. It's boring but it catches those little swaps.