New Case History: “Don’t Drown Your Sorrows … Yet”

GBA Multimedia Delivery Committee

GBA has a long history of sharing the painful and sometimes expensive lessons its Member Firms have learned through its popular GBA Case History series. Member Firms can also learn from one another on projects that turned out successfully.

In this Case History, a GBA-Member Firm was hired to assess whether a proposed facility was “buildable” in a rock quarry with reclaimed fill material, prior to purchase. The project scope did not include final design or construction observation services. The relationship was complicated in its early stages because a third-party acted as an intermediary between the client and Member Firm.

After construction began, the Member Firm was again contracted to assess the exposed subgrade at the project site, where static groundwater was observed, consistent with the Member Firm’s prior report. The client told the firm they didn’t do enough to call out the issues related to the groundwater and that they were reserving the right to hold the firm responsible for the additional costs incurred.

The Member Firm remained involved in the project and took steps to strengthen the client relationship. The team’s suggestions along the way resulted in considerable savings and the project was finished within budget – and without a lawsuit.

GBA Case Histories provide unprecedented real-world learning examples related to project and business management. Learn where others went wrong, how they handled their problems, and how you can learn from their experiences to avoid the same problems in the future.

Case Histories are FREE for all GBA Members.

Download Case History #115 HERE

View the GBA Case History Digest or search the GBA resource library to find other learning opportunities for your firm.