These Contractors Did Such A Terrible Job But You’ll Probably Laugh At The Photos
There's a ton of goofy stuff construction workers do to make the time go by. There are also a bunch of contractor mistakes that are made along the way, and home and business owners just have to live with it. At least we have these hilarious photos to enjoy!
A Bridge To Nowhere
A car lover's dream is to be rich enough to own a two-story garage, but it looks like these people got a little ahead of themselves. Just looking at the shot of the road... there's almost no way this would have ever worked. Where would it have connected? Was the plan to make a spiral staircase-like driveway? This was just doomed from the start.
On the plus side, this kind of looks like it would be a great way to protect your family from a zombie apocalypse, which is always a worry for any forward-thinking millennial. Oh, we know! This garage actually holds a tiny plane, and this homeowner is just very anti-social.
See You Ladder
There are a few rules when it comes to climbing a ladder. Make sure you have a spotter, watch out for slippery surfaces, and when you're screwing in a long metal pipe, make sure you don't start in the middle of the ladder. There's nowhere to go but down after a mistake like this.
We get how easy it is to make this kind of mistake, but how didn't anyone stop him? If they abided by the few rules listed above, there should have been a spotter present, and this looks like an easy problem to spot. Our guess is he was hoping to see his co-worker fired.
The Roof Is On Fire!
The roof is clearly not on fire, but we're pretty sure the renovations are gonna be lit if this sign is to be trusted. When you're about to undergo a bunch of repairs to your roof, the only logical thing to do is flaunt what you got and make sure everyone knows that you've got some serious self-improvements coming your way.
In all honesty, we don't get why people don't go to movies anymore. Although getting the surround sound experience is a huge win, then we think about leaving our houses and spending $12 on a small soda and it all makes sense again.
In Case Santa Needs To Take A Peek
We know he sees you when you're sleeping, but Santa needs to chill. He's only in our chimneys once a year so he should know where he's going by now.
We know that the whole 'fake window' thing can really make a house pop, but if you're trying to improve your house decor, know when to fake it before you make it. This homeowner went for the real thing, and now everyone can see that their upstairs bedroom is nothing but a lie. At least put some curtains up or something!
Water Conservation
It's all pipes! Plumbing is easily the most confusing of the contracted trades, so if you don't know what you're doing, you should probably hire a pro. Even the pros can get it wrong though. They don't understand the appeal of how lovely it is when you can comfortably sit on your throne without a pronounced hunchback and do your business.
They don't understand that sometimes, it actually makes sense to put the toilet seat up. They don't seem to understand why the sink should be more than a foot away. All they see is pipes. It's an epidemic people.
Measure Twice, Cut Once
Every good worker knows this age-old rule that has been passed down from generation to generation. It's pretty easy to just assume you've measured right, only to put up a 2x4 that's a couple of inches too short (we've all been there). After years of measuring, your tape starts to feel like an extension of your body, and you end up using it for almost anything.
Need to change the channel on your TV? How about cleaning those hard-to-reach places in your house? Or maybe, you need to see how far away you are from the drive-thru menu. Once you've mastered this skill, you'll use it literally everywhere you go.
A Point Was Made
If you're reading this and have no idea what any of it means, it's time to crack open a book. Or a Kindle. Or just go to Wikipedia. Whatever you need to do to take in this important history lesson. Not only does this shed light on the importance of patience, but it's also an incredible lesson in finding the right deal. So often, people are worried about getting the job done as quickly as possible, but they don't realize what can happen when you rush things.
So when you're hiring a contractor, make sure to keep an eye out for Trojan horses. They can sneak by in those hidden fees and run up the costs in a hurry. You've been warned. That's more than Ceasar got.
It's Important To Plan Ahead
Being able to see potential hurdles is important in any job, but especially when you're constructing immense structures for years to come. Someone was obviously worried that a mountain would suddenly rise up from the ashes, so they made sure to build the tunnel they'll obviously need down the road to travel through that very same tunnel.
It's perfectly logical science us normal, everyday people could never understand. Maybe this is a place where rocks are regularly falling on passersby and they're looking to help alleviate that kind of destruction, but this would have me looking for another way around the mountain.
A Meeting Of The Minds
"So when I zigged, you should have zagged." We can only imagine this is what the conversation is going to boil down to, because there's really not much to talk about at this point. We mean, didn't you see this coming a few feet before getting to this point?
We're not saying water-bound construction is easy, but unless the waves shifted things over a bit (maybe? It doesn't sound too crazy) someone definitely messed up big time. We don't know how you backtrack from this construction mix-up. We'll take the long way thanks.
I'd Stop For Him
Driving through the construction zone is an obvious pain, but you have no idea what that poor construction worker is going through. We get that it looks easy to just stand there with a stop sign and twirl it all day, but it's really not all that fun. You have to deal with the drivers who just stare at you as if the roadblock is somehow your fault. That's why we're all for adding this guy to do the dirty work.
We're much more likely to slow down if we see this helpful gentleman giving me a heads up, and as an art savant, we're impressed by the work put into making him smile.
Sing It Loud
We'll start off by apologizing for getting that song stuck in your head, but be honest. You don't mind that much. It's a good song, even if it doesn't mean "no worries." You know a sign is doing its job when the local high school hooligans go to the trouble to print out a Scar picture and post it up for the world to see.
What are we supposed to prepare for anyway? Speedbumps? Water buffalo? Eternal sadness and the realization that your childhood as you know it is changed forever? Sorry, The Lion King already prepared me for at least two of those things.
We Can't Handle This
You read that right. We went there. Sometimes the simplest home repair can be the most infuriating. Why do people even invest in these types of door handles? A simple spherical knob works just as well unless you suffer from slippery-handedness like some of us.
The thing with these knobs is that they're pretty easy to get by. They're not the most burglar-proof, and even worse, they get caught on your clothing all the time. They can go through your belt loop, and pretty much trap you. If you're looking to install these handles, just don't. They're nothing but trouble.
Best Seats In The House
Tickets can be insanely expensive. This is why so many of us have given up on going to a game altogether and just invested in a sweet home entertainment center. We get to enjoy the game in the comfort of my own home, we don't have to deal with rowdy fans who are getting a little too into the game, and food doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
It's overall a much better atmosphere, but every now and then we'll try and catch a game. The biggest problem is you don't always know what you're getting, and if these are your seats, you might as well just turn back and head home. You've already invested enough time and money, don't let them suck out a $12 pizza slice from you too!
Class Is Out
You know that feeling when your teacher finally lets you leave before a holiday? The bell rings, everyone storms out, and the world is your oyster? Well, clearly this guy got a little carried away. This must be why they always told us to not run in the hallways. It looks like he's in midstep still, and not ready to let anything hold him back from finally getting out of class.
It takes a lot of force to burst your way through a ceiling (don't ask how we know that), which this guy would have learned if he were paying attention in physics class rather than daydreaming about asking Cindy out to the dance. Lesson learned folks.
No Parking
This is petty, but we approve. Far too often, construction workers take it upon themselves to go wherever they please and cause whatever destruction necessary to complete their job. When you drive around heavy machinery, you start to get a taste of what true power feels like.
Have you ever tried to argue with a backhoe? What about an auger? They have no time for the simple squabbles of everyday life. They have a job to do. So props to this homeowner for going out and proving a point. Hopefully, their property doesn't pay for their little prank. We wonder how much this would go for on eBay anyway?
It's A Tough Job
Honestly, it is. There's a reason you hired them in the first place, and it's because you probably had no idea what you were doing, how to go about it, what supplies to get, or what kind of manpower it took to get the job done. So don't judge. We could all use a nap, and when you have fresh, newly installed carpet to lay down on, sometimes it takes control of you.
Five minutes turns into five hours. Lunch becomes dinner. "Feel free to stay for dinner" becomes "get out of my house!" It's just a simple fact of life. While there's no rest for the weary, sometimes you just need a couple minutes of shut-eye.
Never Have Guests Over Again
It's awkward enough when you have unexpected guests over and your bathroom isn't clean. But what about when your bathroom is in the kitchen? That's just wrong. We're not sure if we should blame the contractor or the homeowner for this design disaster. Whoever decided that this was a good idea clearly doesn't have company over often.
If someone invited you over for a home-cooked meal and you saw that the toilet was located next to the stove... well, it's a little off-putting to say the least!
We Wonder Where This Leads?
This person should probably find a new parking spot. If we pulled in and looked up and saw a phantom door just hovering above our car, we wouldn't trust that nothing could possibly go wrong. Parking doesn't even seem to be that bad there! This is probably a better place to park a dumpster than the boss's son's first car. What's on the other side though?
We have a feeling this is the "emergency" exit that only the select few know about, used religiously for long weekends or spontaneous group meetings. That's probably why they removed the staircase. Still, when there's nowhere else to turn, at least the fall doesn't look all that far.
When the Contractor Decides to Skip the Blueprints
There are many times in life when winging it just seems to work out. This wasn’t one of those times. This is exactly what happens when your contractor decides to skip the blueprints entirely and just go for it. The only problem is when it doesn’t work out and you end up with a large concrete pillar blocking a staircase, rendering it useless.
You know what they say — fail to plan, plan to fail. Someone should tell the contractor this.
The First Time You Play SimCity
This game is shockingly addicting. For all you wannabe architects out there (or city planners for the truly ambitious) it's a great way to get your hands dirty and get a taste of what goes into building a city.
You learn a lot of life lessons like "don't put a nuclear power plant next to a daycare" and "make sure everyone has running water," but what every builder quickly learns is that your first try definitely won't go as planned. You'll want to make some changes, and throwing a building in the middle of the road will suddenly be the best idea to make your city hum.
Some Training Required
I know you came here for some good train wordplay, so hopefully, you aren't disappointed. The workers on this job were right on track (get it?!?) when they decided to fix up this station, but someone probably deserves a swift kick in the caboose (we did it again). Who conducted this madness? Whoever made this mistake is definitely going to hear from the engineer about this. Hopefully, this mistake didn't derail someone's day (ok, we'll stop).
We had a few more train puns but decided to cross them off our list. We figured it would be easier just to trail off instead of minding the gap.
I Can Clean This Up
Mistakes happen. Sometimes you send an email to the wrong coworker. Maybe you spilled coffee all over your bosses desk. These things happen. Mistakes help you grow, both in your professional life and as a person. As easy as it can be to move on and learn from your mistakes, there's not much to learn from this.
Basic science should have alerted this worker that the higher up he goes, the more likely that vehicle is tipping over. I don't know how you come back from this, but at least it looks like they avoided most of the neighborhood cars. That in itself is pretty incredible.
Meet Your Supervisor
The first day on the job is never easy. Being thrust into a new world with new coworkers who do things differently than you're used to can sometimes be overwhelming. There are rules to follow, and sometimes the boss can be a little overbearing. So having someone there to help keep things calm and collected is pretty important in the high-stakes world of roadside construction.
With people driving by, constantly honking and giving you dirty looks, it must be nice to look over your shoulder at your supervisor just completely goofing off. Just don't be the one caught messing around, because the probationary period lasts a couple months.
What Traffic?
If traffic never seems to be getting any better near your neighborhood construction site, this is probably why. Despite all the honking and fist-shaking, routine roadwork takes time, and there's very little anyone can do about it. Even the construction crew needs to let off some stress, and if that means tearing up the road for a quick game of tic-tac-toe, who are we to judge?
From the looks of things, winter is coming, so getting a head start on construction will probably help them out in the long term, but if the ground is already frozen over, what more can you ask?
Same
It takes a strong-will person to enter the construction game. There's a lot of planning involved, and once you start, you really have to see your project through to the end. If you decided to tear out your shower, you might want to have a good strategy to replace it as quick as possible.
Same goes for toilets. Really plumbing in general. Apparently, they were working on this house for three years, until one day the contractor just had it and let their feelings be known to the world. This is why it's important to work in groups. When things start to get tough, you need someone to lean on and pick up the slack.
Thanks For The Warning
These signs seem to get hacked way more often than I would have thought imaginable. Are these things not password protected, or all they are just password? Clearly, someone found a way into the system and made sure the next driver that came by had something to worry about.
So maybe dinosaur was going a bit too far, but I'm sure that's what someone said in Jurassic Park before a T-Rex started rumbling down the side of the road. Even if you think that someone's pulling a prank, it never hurts to be a little extra cautious. It can make the difference.
Hire This Guy
Now that's a catchphrase! I don't always take advice from the back of a trailer, but I have to say, I'm intrigued. Most construction work starts with an over-eager husband thinking he can save a few bucks, and generally, it ends with that same husband having to bite the bullet and accept his mistakes.
If he doesn't bite it, there's a good chance his wife will for everyone's sake. Just jump forward a few weeks and call this guy from the tart. It might sound like you're spending a fortune, but it might keep you from causing more harm than necessary.
Professional Crane Gamer
The crane game is an age-old arcade game that has entertained generations of arcade-goers. It takes extreme hand-eye-crane coordination, a good sense of timing, and all the luck in the world. When you grab your first prise, it's a feeling that you'll never forget.
Some people get so good that they feel the need to challenge themselves to bigger, fancier cranes with equally bigger, fancier prizes. I think it's safe to say when you can haul in a car, you've officially reached the level of professional. It's a long strange journey to reach this level, but once you make it, you make it.
What A Croc
There aren't a lot of rules when it comes to running in with wildlife, both in the construction world and really, the world in general. Do you run? Do you make loud noises to scare them off? I'm pretty sure we've all accepted that if you cross a croc, whatever you think makes sense is probably wrong and won't even matter. It's the crocs world.
We're just living in it. At this point, it looks like the workers are all ready to give up on this job, refill the hole, and get back to their regular lives. No Starbucks (which is what I assume they're building because every corner needs a Starbucks) is worth this amount of trouble.
Be Adaptive
You won't always have every tool for the job. Sometimes, you have to just make things work. No shovel? Use a bucket. Out of hammers? Grab a nice, heavy rock. You don't have a yield sign? Well, who doesn't have a turtle handy? Turtles are the universal sign for slow down, so I think people will understand what's going on.
Even if they don't, if you saw a construction worker dangling a turtle from a pole, wouldn't you slow down? While this worker had all the right ideas, his biggest mistake was wearing the camo jacket. You're supposed to be standing out!
When There's A Will
This is what happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object. Everything was going well until these construction workers realized they couldn't just move the pole out of the way. That probably would have required digging up all the asphalt they just laid down.
Instead, someone had the bright idea to simply build the walkway around the pole, and I'm sure they're already living large with their new promotion. It might not look as pretty as a fresh path might have, but it gets the job done, and that's really what construction is all about.
When You Have A Point to Prove
When you're a professional contractor, you have to stand by your word. So when you say your newly installed shelf can hold the weight of a man, you'd better be ready to climb into that shelf and prove your point.
There's more on the line than just weight though. You have to prove that your shelf is spacious enough for all of you fine dining plates, as well as diverse enough to act as a panic room in case things get crazy and you find yourself in a thriller movie. Very few contractors can pull this off.
Don't Hire This Man
This is a lot to take in. People who have to work in construction generally don't want to be watched because that naturally leads to people nit-picking over every little detail, but charging more for them to watch seems a little... much. It's great to see that this man has passion and a belief in himself that his way is the right way, but anyone can use a little advice from time to time.
It's good that he has a motto he lives by, and there's no doubt that his 'advertising' is more than eye-catching.
This Is Like A Double Reminder
One of the biggest pitfalls of construction is how it can affect your everyday way of life. Suddenly, that road you've taken to work for the past 20 years is out of service, and you have to plan a new route. That might mean leaving a could minutes earlier than usual, which can have a disastrous effect on your day.
Suddenly, you're skipping your morning coffee or taking your breakfast with you on the go. So having a second reminder on that caution sign can really make the difference between a crummy day and an all-out disaster.
That's Not How That Works
No. No it is not. One of the first, most important lessons they teach is to measure twice and cut once, but it's not as easy to measure the size of a hole when you're rolling on by.
Maybe someone bet him to jump the gorge? Based on the elevation of the ground around him, he never stood a chance. It's honestly pretty lucky that the tracks of the wheels got caught up on the ground because this could have been even worse. I just imagine the guy was sitting in there thinking "well, I guess I'm fired." What a way to go out.
It's Pretty Much Done
Apparently, this greenhouse is all ready to house all the fruits and vegetables these people could ever want. I'm not convinced though. Doesn't a greenhouse generally need things like cover, water, some kind of sunlight filter? There are just a few things missing before this can truly be labeled a full on greenhouse.
That didn't seem to stop the owner from getting a head start on planting, and the results do look promising. If you're going to say it's done though, you should really cap it off with a sign that reads "greenhouse" and smash some champagne off the side... carefully.
Already Getting A Review
You want the sausage, but you don't want to see how it's made. Looks like these contractors got a sneak peek at this restaurant's kitchen, and made sure to put their one-star review out on the side for the world to see. It's already tough to make your break in the food business, but all it takes is one bad review to torpedo the whole thing.
Maybe they came in over budget and had to make some cuts, which the contractor clearly didn't agree with. Any publicity is good publicity, but some people are probably going to be skipping over this restaurant for something a little safer.
When The Universe Sends You A Sign
Some people look down at construction workers. Those people are usually college kids who took their parents' money to get themselves a liberal arts degree. Some of those students may have gone and dropped out and ended up working construction. As is life.
For all those construction workers who had college kids turn their noses up at them, you got your chance to crush their dreams in the most real way possible. Now, where will those students find success? The library? The mall? Their parent's basement? It just won't be found, no matter where you look. This is a great recruiting ploy that works best right around exam time.
The Next Generation
The children are the future, and more and more are getting a degree in engineering. Surprisingly, this wasn't even a class project. A few engineering students took it upon themselves to solve the school's flooding problems with a typical grade-three project. Bridge making, everyone's first love.
This is overly simple, yet there are just enough additions to make this totally unique. The class of 2011 got to leave something behind that generations of students will cherish when the winter snows melt and ugg boots once again go back out of style. We salute you, students.
Just In Case It Rains
Nothing says pointless more than a bridge directly next to a sidewalk. If they were worried about flooding they could have at least built it on top of the sidewalk, but that would just make too much sense.
Although this bridge may look like a complete waste of time, effort, and taxpayers money, surely the skateboarders in the area couldn't be more thrilled. This little bridge looks like it was built to be installed in a skatepark, so we can only assume that even more money was spent on security to guard this architectural wonder.
Keep Out Or Else
Clearly, there's something very important about those stairs and walkway that made it essential to build such an effective gate to guard it. Not only is the fence designed to be unclimbable, but they even have spikes out the top to really keep out the unwanted.
With a little bit of brain power, someone might see that you can just walk around the gate if you really wanted to, but it looks like the contractors didn't give us all enough credit. The sad part is, it looks like that person might be about to use the gate, so maybe it is effective.
"I Live On The Second Floor"
Although these stairs more than likely once served a purpose, it appears that the laziness of the contractors just figured they would leave them there and hope that nobody notices. They even built the pipes around them rather than letting someone have a little fun with a jackhammer.
The other questionable thing about this picture is the window. It looks like someone spray painted it so that nobody can see in or out. All in all, this whole situation is suspect and very reminiscent of the Winchester House. In all honesty, those stairs probably are probably a sanctuary and are frequented by teenagers doing what they're not supposed to be.
Going Off The Rails On A Crazy Train
I'm not an engineer, architect, or train conductor, but this entire setup looks pretty questionable. That looks like an awfully small hole and very rapid train track change for any type of train.
I could see this maybe be appropriate for some kind of amusement park ride, but for anything bigger or faster than that I'll take a pass on. Also, the real elephant in the room is why is there a weird tunnel thing in the first place? There can't be a single logical answer for constructing this besides maybe "it looks look". Somebody needs to find a new profession.
Harry And The Purple Crayon
The last time I saw something like this was when I read the picture book Harry and the Purple Crayon. About a boy who could draw random doors and things with a crayon and they would magically become real. I read that when I was around five years old.
This is no picture book, this is real life. Somebody was paid money to design and create this, and for what reason? I have no idea. This would really only make sense in the Moma were people could stand and talk about all of the supposed depth and meaning behind this floating door.
A Day At The Park
Who didn't love going to the park as a kid? You get to play on the monkey bars, bounce around on the weird squishy ground, and then slide right off the side of a building. Although the color arrangement of the playset and the building looks kind of cool, to be honest, there are still so many questions.
How did it get up there, and who would ever let their children play on it? Whoever came up with this one shouldn't just be fired, they should be thrown in jail.
The Thoughtful Designer
Upon constructing this beyond pointless "thing" I guess we'll call it, at least the builders had the common courtesy to add a handicap ramp so nobody misses out wasting their time being on it. However, whoever is using a wheelchair to get up is going to have to make at least a five-point turn in order to get out.
To a young child and their imagination, the opportunities could be endless when playing on this, but to an adult, it's a clear waste of tax-payers money. It's like this was built as a practice run before they actually attached it to a building.
Incredibly Inconvenient
When planning, designing and building a structure, there are a lot of moving pieces that must all come into place in order for everything to work. You have to think about the safety of the structure, the layout, and countless other things.
By the looks of it, this building doesn't look like it's going to collapse anytime soon, they just managed to overlook at the fact that it was built for people to navigate around.Some people come across this and scratch their heads, so you can only imagine what it's like when there's a crowd in that hallway.
4 Wheel Drive Necessary
What a nice new house. looks like it' almost just about finished. Seems like everything is just fine in this picture, right? Wrong. It might take you a second to finally realize what critical error occurred during the construction of the house. See it yet? Let me help you.
The driveway is on the wrong side of the house! Unless these homeowners prefer to park outside, they have a serious problem on their hands, as well as a hole in the bank account. I wonder at one point somebody realized how bad they messed up. I'd like a refund, please.
Wait, What?
This picture is basically one of those games where you see how many wrong things are in one image. Can you find them all? For starters, the one and a half steps leading up to the door is a recipe for a rolled ankle and a broken hip for grandma. The top even has an edge just waiting for somebody to snag their foot on their way in the door.
Speaking of the door, it's been installed upside down, so it must be quite the adventure unlocking it after a few beers at the local bar. This was probably the work of a husband that had too much pride to hire someone for a job that was out of his league.
Keep Your Hands And Feet Inside The Ride At All Times
This looks like someone realized that they forgot to install a handicap accessible way down this flight of stairs. So instead, they did the next best thing and turned it into a flat out rollercoaster.
How anyone is supposed to get down this, I'm not sure, but throw off the wheel breaks and let it fly if you want the rush of a lifetime. If this is meant for specifically pushing someone up the stairs, it's equally as risky and you would really need to phone a friend that has some serious muscles to get the job done.
So Much Class
As if the gaudy architecture and coloring of this bridge and surrounding pools wasn't bad enough, would it have killed them to connect the two pools? It really would have made all of the difference and made the two structure go from bad to at least necessary.
It really makes no sense that they wouldn't have connected the two pools. Then people can swim under it and feel like they're in a really expensive resort even though they aren't. If it was because of a money issue, then they just shouldn't have built the bridge. Simple stuff people, simple stuff.
It's Getting Hot In Here
Nothing quite like almost burning your house down while innocently trying to grab an oven mitt. Consistently checking to make sure that you didn't start the stove after opening a drawer might call for some design adjustments.
This is a drawer in your house that should be child-proof no matter how old your children are. It's a fire hazard in and of itself. Going from off to high at the opening if a drawer should probably have been something that your contractor looked over during his final examination of the house.
How Bad Do You Want It?
This is just flat out cruel. As if going to the bank isn't bad enough, or heartbreaking enough to pull out cash from the ATM, this is just a slap in the face. What was already a chore has turned into an embarrassing act of struggling to reach the dreaded ATM machine. What if you're not tall enough to reach it?
Do you have to ask a stranger for a boost, hoping that they don't catch a glimpse of your bank account balance? How are you even supposed to see the screen to know what you're doing? This is an all-around fail.
Watch Your Head
One would think that out of all of the people that worked to get this escalator working from the architect, the electricians, to the person that owned the building, that someone would have seen this coming.
Now, shoppers can unsuspectingly slam their heads into the ceiling as they make their way on the escalator of their favorite department store. In this sue sappy times that we live in, this is a lawsuit waiting to happen, and I'm sure one did. However, it must be a sight to see people going both up and down frantically ducking their heads to avoid injury.
Totally Necessary
There is just one simple question for this photo. Why? What could have possibly been wrong for this giant, inconvenient slab of concrete to be put directly in front of this door?
On the bright side, at least the door still has the ability to open and close, but still, somebody needs to give me an explanation. Not only is this just uncomfortable to look at, but you can only imagine how many people injured themselves going in and out of this establishment. Maybe that's what they were going for?
