Hey All,
I thought there was already a thread started about this topic; however, I could not find it.
Obviously from the title, I would like to know how ya'll deal with difficult owners. I just came from a meeting this morning that made me want to pull my hair out.
A brief set-up: I am a lowly intern and I was just put on this job that is mid-construction. The owner has been changing things and re-changing and adding to the project up until this morning...I'm sure this will continue. The worst part is that he will not listen to us. We have directly explained that that a certain situation will not work (with out losing a parking space which is a no-no), and yet he (and the contractor) continue to push. And this morning he tried to argue with me where the sun is going to shine...I mean literally he would not accept that the sun will be to the south!:bang head:bang head
Ok, i just needed to vent.
Any advice would be great.

Thanks!

provide written memos/confirmations of meetings
keep it all in writing
keep it civil and honest
create a situation where the client or contractor takes responsibility for changes/decisions
make sure changes to construction documents are authorised and accepted by client/contraactor and paid for

If he's a one off client, just go with it and it'll finish soon. If they are a regular client, then good luck!

I'm not sure how long you've been at your firm and your relationship with your bosses, but tell them the guy's a f...wit. See what they say.

Deja vu... try to be as constructive and objective as you can. Don't take their remarks personal. Treat their remarks and suggestions as valuable input but... also confront them with the consequences of their decisions at that moment in a calm and constructive fashion.

Maybe there's an opportunity for another view on aspects of the design you haven't though of. Or maybe they just don't have any taste and 'aren't hampered by any common knowledge' (maybe strange translation, in short: they don't know **** what they are talking about)

After the meeting, make a small resume of the key points of the discussion and mail it to them so you, and they, have a written log of the most important decisions (and your written advise to do something else) which might help when **** hits the fan.
Don't get emo towards them at any point, vent elsewhere (here :-))

Hey Aeronon ...tdmc & kaas have got it right. Listen to what your client and contractor have to say to make absolutely sure you understand what they're saying (suggesting?). Write it up and get them to sign it. What Kaas and tdmc are telling you is document, document, document ... then sketch up the changes and have them both okay the drawings. Our job is to point out the way as best we can - you can't save everyone. Don't take this stuff personally.

Anyway, IMHE they'll come back in a couple of years and tell you they should have listened. Germde

Read this:

http://www.dcd.com/oleary/oleary_ja_2002.html

talk to a senior person in your office about construction administration procedures and the contract with the owner and the contractor.

IMO - keep an open mind and cover your butt (get everything in writing). And - you might discover that the owner and/or the contractor was actually right about something.

-to

the one who pays the money is always right

the one who pays the money is always right

Obviously the one who came up with this and all who believe it, can't differentiate right from wrong!

If this is the mindset of all architects, we shall have to kiss our profession as well as civilization as we know it, goodbye!

It is my strong belief however that there exists still, an army of architects with enough integrity and professional responsibility to take a stand against all who believe in this maxim - whether it comes from those who pay, or those who get paid.

"The client gets the best Architecture he can afford"

Check the amount of money available and not the amount the client thinks is available.

After the contract has been closed, all changes are put on paper and signed by the client.This means extra costs but it also means extra profit.
This should not happen very often and only if you have not taken enough time to listen and "read between the lines" what the client really requires.

Thank you all for your replies.
Very good advice I needed to hear again. I try vigilantly to document everything.
Generally things have become much better in the past couple of weeks. I have found that when I sit down with him one-on-one and explain: "what you are asking for was not in the original program, it will be an add of time and $$$, but here is what I propose" the superfluous addition goes away.

Thanks again!