Renovating a home is human work. And humans aren’t perfect.
In Episode 21 of Under Construction: Renovating a Home, Redeeming an Industry, Erik and Tanya tackle a topic most contractors avoid: Mistakes.
Not the polished highlight reel. Not the “everything went perfectly” version. The real stuff.
Because here’s the truth: in construction, things happen. And what defines a company isn’t whether something ever goes wrong.
It’s what they do next.
Yes, Mistakes Happen in Construction
Big Fish operates with a simple philosophy: We strive for perfection — even though we live in an imperfect world.
Perfection is rarely achieved. But that doesn’t mean our standard is lowered.
When you’re coordinating:
- Manufacturers
- Suppliers
- Delivery drivers
- Subcontractors
- Install crews
- Schedules
- Weather
- Homeowners
- Inspectors
…there are a lot of moving pieces.
And sometimes, despite everyone’s best efforts, something goes wrong.
What Kind of Mistakes Are We Talking About?
Sometimes it’s landscaping.
A bush gets damaged. A lawn gets rutted from equipment in early spring. A patio planter gets cracked. In the podcast, Erik shared a story from years ago when a shingle caught the wind at the very end of a job and sliced a homeowner’s beloved tree in half.
So what did the team do?
They replaced the tree. Years later, the replacement is still standing tall.
Other times, it’s something bigger, like installing the wrong color roof.
Yes, that happened too.
The order was correct. The paperwork was correct. The product was loaded incorrectly. It made it all the way to installation before the mistake was realized. So the Big Fish team tore it off and made it right.
Taking Responsibility — Even When It’s Not “Our Fault”
Big Fish sees itself as the point person between the homeowner and everything happening behind the scenes.
Even when:
- A supplier loads the wrong material
- A truck delivery is delayed
- A special-order product doesn’t arrive
- A subcontractor makes an error
Big Fish doesn’t point fingers. We take responsibility.
Building Systems So It Doesn’t Happen Again
After material errors, we added additional checks and balances to confirm product colors before installation. After scheduling issues, communication processes were refined. After damage incidents, clearer pre-project expectations were established with homeowners about protecting landscaping and personal property.
At Big Fish Contracting, every mistake becomes a system improvement. Because redeeming an industry means raising the standard, not hiding from reality.
Why This Conversation Matters
The construction industry doesn’t always have the best reputation. Stories of finger-pointing. Disappearing contractors. Unreturned calls. Half-fixed problems.
Big Fish is trying to redeem that narrative. Not by pretending mistakes never happen, but by showing how they handle them.
Transparency. Accountability. Resolution.
At the end of the day, renovating a home is human work, and trust isn’t built by perfection. It’s built on integrity.
For more transparent, educational conversations like this one, listen to The Under Construction Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
