We hold these [construction] truths to be self-evident. Or....

Myths in the construction world

Construction myths are all over the place. But the thing is, construction is a highly variable thing....there are very few things that are *always* true. The longer you’re in the industry, the more you understand how infuriatingly often you are faced with the answer “it depends.”

Hephaestus, Greek god of blacksmithing, craft, and construction, forging the Shield of Achilles, Greco-Roman bas relief, date unknown.

Here are a few of my favorite "truths" that aren't always completely true:

1. Plumbing always has to be all on one wall or it's very expensive.

Grain of truth: keeping plumbing runs efficient saves money

The whole story: sacrificing everything (including good layout) to save a few bucks on the plumber is shortsighted. Balance this by making sure you’re not just listening to the opinions of the GC, the plumber, and engineers, who are naturally inclined to think about what’s easiest for them and/or most efficient. Owners need to be thinking about long term usability, cleaning, tenant turnover, repair, aesthetics, etc.

2. More square footage is better.

Grain of truth: it's important to have enough space for realistic storage, furniture, etc.