The Never-Ending Design Circus

Published 4 days ago • 1 min read

I once had a client that thought they were running a design-build project.
Except they weren’t.
They were in a PPP.

But nobody told them.
Or worse… they didn’t want to know.

Their consultants kept “refining the design.”
Week after week.
Change after change.
Every corridor got moved.
Every façade got re-imagined.
Every mechanical room had a “better idea.”

They thought this was free.
Like playing with Lego.

Except…
In PPP, every “little tweak” costs millions.
Every delay hits financing.
Every change ripples through 25 years of lifecycle.

The private sector kept warning:
“This is not design-build. This is a concession. If you don’t stop, you’re burning your own money.”

The answer?
“Just one more change…”

By the time they realized the mess, the project was late, the lenders were furious, and the contractor was sharpening their claims.

All because the consultants didn’t understand the game they were in.
And the client let them drive.

They did the same when they needed their lawyers, but that’s another story.

For more laughs… check this out.

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