Architect Claims Lurking Behind Walls

A surprising number of construction projects are plagued by water leaks, excessive sound transmission and unwanted air infiltration. The usual suspects in these problems are roofs and walls. All too often these "design gremlins" take on lives of their own and may require weeks, months and even years to solve. Unfortunately, the longer these issues go unresolved, the more likely it is that owners will resort to the legal system for satisfaction.

DPIC's study of closed architectural claims indicates that wall problems are not limited to any particular project type. Claims are equally distributed among residential construction, schools, offices and institutional projects. This suggests that exterior wall problems may have less to do with design complexity than with design management issues common to all building types. Fortunately, there are some fundamental steps that can help prevent problems.

Plan for Quality

When developing design budgets and schedules, be certain to allocate appropriate resources for researching building products and materials, performing the nitty-gritty design coordination and construction detail work, and conducting design quality reviews. Once the planning is done, champion the quality initiative by making sure that all activities affecting quality are implemented rigorously and without compromise. One way to keep quality in front of the project team is to make it as important as the budget and schedule.

Coordinate the Design

The coordination of the exterior wall design with the other design components is crucial. Landscaping elevations must be coordinated with building elevations to prevent unwanted water intrusion and expensive corrective construction. Mechanical, electrical and structural designs need to be overlaid so that any conflicts are identified and resolved. Door assemblies require coordination with wall designs. Investigate window systems to see that internal drainage elements are properly integrated into the design. There are also expansion joints to consider, which must be detailed and coordinated with the exterior wall design including windows, doors and mechanical systems.

The Devil's in the Details

Incomplete and faulty details are a major source of wall problems. Poorly designed flashings, inadequate caulking, failed sealants, missing expansion joints and leaky windows appear over and over again, on project after project. Fortunately, these problems are not difficult to avoid. All it takes are a budget and schedule that give professionals with the requisite experience enough time to do their jobs. Employing recent graduates to prepare design details in the belief that it will save money is wishful thinking. And don't make the mistake of using the addenda process to complete construction details so that construction documents can be released on schedule. That's a sure-fire way to end up with a real mess during construction.

The Importance of Construction Phase Services

Projects that exclude the design team during the construction phase are prime candidates for all sorts of problems, including exterior wall defects. Collecting and distributing design and quality information is a formidable task for any construction project. Many quality problems result from misunderstandings caused by poor communications. By being involved in the construction process, you can work closely with the contractor and owner to integrate design intent with the actual products and materials being used in the construction.