When a client asks to skip safety checks in my drafts

I was working on a house plan and the client wanted me to drop some key support notes to speed things up. On one side, it makes the job faster and keeps them happy, but on the other, it feels wrong and might cause issues later. Where do you draw the line between pleasing a client and sticking to proper drafting standards?

3 comments

3 Comments

gavinh582mo ago

Never cut corners on safety. What's the worst that could happen if you skip those support notes? A beam fails, the roof sags, someone gets hurt. You'd be on the hook for that mess. I know people who lost their licenses over similar choices. A happy client doesn't matter if you're facing a lawsuit. Always follow the rules, even if it means losing the work.

the_ryan2mo ago

We see this everywhere, from dodgy DIY projects to rushed software updates. Skipping basics for speed just builds future trouble.

jamie7941mo ago

@gavinh58 I get the "someone gets hurt" worry, but come on, how often does a missing note on a house plan actually cause a roof to fall down? Most of the time it's just extra paperwork that slows the job. The real risk is getting sued, not the beam failing.