Rework Has a Triple Cost: The $20K Door Nobody Caught
Rework doesn't cost double. It costs triple.
- Paid to do it
- Paid to undo it
- Paid to redo it
3× the money for 1× the output.
The $20K Door
$4M house. Architect specified a door colour. Client signed off. Supplier changed their website. Same colour name. Different actual colour.
Nobody caught it. 40+ hours to untangle. $10–20K total cost by the time it was resolved. One process gap. Tens of thousands gone.
The Fix: Hard Stops
Hard stops are checklists that physically prevent the next stage from starting until everything's verified. Not "tick and move on" checklists — genuine verification gates.
- Before paint → checklist
- Before fixer → checklist
- Before handover → checklist
We've dropped our rework dramatically since implementing these. Not by working harder — by building smarter systems that catch problems before they become expensive.
Calculate Your Rework Cost
Think about the last mistake on your project. What did it cost to do, undo, and redo? Now multiply that across every project, every year. That's the number that should keep you up at night — and the number that hard stops can eliminate.
About the Author
Luke Davies
Luke is the founder of Davies Design & Construction and author of Dream Home. He writes about home design philosophy, lean construction, and building businesses that put people first.
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