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Redlines & Regrets: General Notes Roulette
"It is in the general notes."
Six words that have launched countless RFIs, change orders, and construction arguments.
In this Redlines & Regrets minisode, Brian and Alex tackle one of the construction industry's oldest games: General Notes Roulette. They discuss why critical project requirements should never live only in dense blocks of boilerplate text, how hidden scope creates unnecessary disputes, and why important information isn't truly coordinated if nobody can find it.
From outdated boilerplate language and conflicting contract documents to invisible scope and expensive surprises, they explore why visibility—not just documentation—is the key to successful project coordination.
Leave feedback for Brian and Alex
[email protected]
LINKS:
Website: https://buildableish.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildableish
X: https://x.com/Buildableish
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buildable-ish/
Show Notes:
Signs you're playing General Notes Roulette:
Critical requirements exist only in the general notes.
Boilerplate notes haven't been updated for the current project.
Notes conflict with the drawings or specifications.
Scope changes are buried in dense text instead of shown on the plans.
Why it happens:
General notes become a safety net instead of good design.
Time pressure leads to last-minute note additions.
Drawings, specifications, and notes drift out of coordination.
Everyone assumes someone else read the general notes.
What happens in the field:
RFIs and change orders appear halfway through construction.
Contractors discover hidden scope after work has already started.
Responsibility turns into interpretation.
Relationships suffer while everyone argues over what was "reasonably inferable."
Takeaways:
If it matters, show it.
Boilerplate should be edited—not copied.
Coordinate your drawings, notes, and specifications.
Visibility creates accountability.
If it's important enough to enforce, it's important enough to draw.
Lesson Learned: If it's important enough to enforce, it's important enough to draw.
This episode is part of our Redlines & Regrets series—short stories from the field where small oversights become expensive lessons. Each episode explores real coordination failures, design decisions, and construction missteps so you don't have to learn them the hard way.
View all episodes
By Brian and Alex"It is in the general notes."
Six words that have launched countless RFIs, change orders, and construction arguments.
In this Redlines & Regrets minisode, Brian and Alex tackle one of the construction industry's oldest games: General Notes Roulette. They discuss why critical project requirements should never live only in dense blocks of boilerplate text, how hidden scope creates unnecessary disputes, and why important information isn't truly coordinated if nobody can find it.
From outdated boilerplate language and conflicting contract documents to invisible scope and expensive surprises, they explore why visibility—not just documentation—is the key to successful project coordination.
Leave feedback for Brian and Alex
[email protected]
LINKS:
Website: https://buildableish.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildableish
X: https://x.com/Buildableish
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buildable-ish/
Show Notes:
Signs you're playing General Notes Roulette:
Critical requirements exist only in the general notes.
Boilerplate notes haven't been updated for the current project.
Notes conflict with the drawings or specifications.
Scope changes are buried in dense text instead of shown on the plans.
Why it happens:
General notes become a safety net instead of good design.
Time pressure leads to last-minute note additions.
Drawings, specifications, and notes drift out of coordination.
Everyone assumes someone else read the general notes.
What happens in the field:
RFIs and change orders appear halfway through construction.
Contractors discover hidden scope after work has already started.
Responsibility turns into interpretation.
Relationships suffer while everyone argues over what was "reasonably inferable."
Takeaways:
If it matters, show it.
Boilerplate should be edited—not copied.
Coordinate your drawings, notes, and specifications.
Visibility creates accountability.
If it's important enough to enforce, it's important enough to draw.
Lesson Learned: If it's important enough to enforce, it's important enough to draw.
This episode is part of our Redlines & Regrets series—short stories from the field where small oversights become expensive lessons. Each episode explores real coordination failures, design decisions, and construction missteps so you don't have to learn them the hard way.