You can spot it before you even get out of the truck. 

Ducts through beams. Sprinklers fighting light fixtures. Conduit running wherever it feels like. 

In this Redlines & Regrets minisode, Brian and Alex break down what happens when coordination drawings exist… but nobody actually uses them—and why the field ends up solving problems that should’ve been caught months earlier. 

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Show Notes 

Classic signs coordination didn’t happen: 

• Ductwork running straight through structure 

• Sprinkler heads perfectly aligned with light fixtures 

• Conduit routed diagonally across everything 

• Soffits that magically appear to hide mistakes 

Why it keeps happening: 

• The model exists—but no one references it 

• Trades only review their own sheets 

• Coordination meetings get cut or rushed 

• Schedules prioritize speed over planning 

• Everyone assumes someone else handled it 

What it turns into in the field: 

• Emergency huddles around problems that shouldn’t exist 

• Field sketches on drywall scraps and pizza boxes 

• Creative reroutes that wreck performance and clearances 

• Weekend site visits to “approve” what’s already built 

• Change orders for “unforeseen” issues that weren’t actually unforeseen 

How to prevent it next time: 

• Make coordination part of the contract—not a suggestion 

• Require composite/overlay drawings before install 

• Get trades involved early in preconstruction 

• Define no-fly zones for each discipline 

• Tie coordination to pay apps and accountability 

• Perform QA/QC before anything gets concealed 

Takeaways: 

• Coordination is not optional 

• If no one uses the model, it might as well not exist 

• Field fixes are just expensive versions of missed coordination 

“Ignore the model, and you’re building fan fiction—not a building.” 

This episode is part of our Redlines & Regrets series—short dives into the mistakes we’ve all seen (and hopefully won’t repeat).