Some construction work deserves an award for… the worst job ever seen. But it would be difficult to choose the grand prize winner. No matter how many uneven walls or doors leading to nowhere one has seen, there always seems to be more.
Quite a few of them end up on Reddit as phenomenal examples of how not to build things. As a matter of fact, an entire subreddit, called r/ConstructionFailsis dedicated to such “marvels” of ingenuity. It’s hard to say if it’s lack of skill, negligence of safety protocols, or other reasons that lead to such results. But one thing is clear—a wolf would be able to huff and puff his way through most of the structures in the pictures, whether they’re built of straw, sticks, bricks, or any other material, for that matter.
Enjoy browsing this collection of exceptional work and make sure to check out We’s previous compilation of construction fails.
#1 Every Angle Is Just Slightly Off
Some people develop a love-hate relationship with construction work. It’s a process that requires lots of time and effort, which might be tiresome. It also takes patience (and at least a bit of skill), whether it’s Lego blocks or home renovation.
The love part is the urge to build something nice or bring something back to life. Yet even with the best of intentions, some projects are not meant to be fulfilled. Research shows that only 39% of projects succeed in meeting all the requirements for deadlines, budgets, and required features or functions. That leaves over 60% of them either late, over budget, or boasting quality similar to what you can see in these pictures.
#2 Kitchen Counter/Stairs Hybrid
#3 Truck Crash Shifted The Bridge 6 Feet
Construction fails happen for all kinds of reasons. Some might be related to poor planning, others fall fully on the shoulders of the construction workers. Be that as it may, it proves how important every detail is in this hazardous industry.
Building Research & Information determined four factors most structural failures can be traced to. The first two relate to errors in the design of permanent structures and the design of falsework. The third refers to the lack of communication between the designer and the builder. The final one indicates poor construction practices.
#4 Looks Great Guys, Keep Up The Good Work!
#5 Bathroom Door — Peekaboo
When it comes to construction work, you might want to double check everything. And by everything, we mean everything, starting with who’s responsible for overlooking it. Hiring a reliable crew is crucial no matter the project, as the consequences might be pretty unfortunate. Or absolutely hilarious.
Finding the right people for the job might not be an easy task to do, though. Data shows that skilled labor shortage is the main challenge of the global construction industry. It is followed closely by labor disputes and a lack of confidence.
#6 Owner Has One Leg?
#7 I Wonder At What Point They Realised
#8 Hydraulics Go Boom
Despite the difficulties in trying to find the right crew, construction workers comprise the largest segment of professionals in the field (17.3%), based on reviews by Finances Online. Carpenters take second place on the list (9.23%).
The number of professionals is likely to be on the rise with the growth of the industry. According to the aforementioned data, the annual growth of the US construction industry in the years from 2014 to 2019 reached 8.3%. Statista indicated that the number of production workers in construction increased in 2021 compared to 2020.
#9 Saw This While Doing An Inventory At A Rental Property Today
#10 Must’ve Been Blindfolded While Caulking This
#11 That’s A Nice Peaceful Dam You Got There
Employment data shows noticeable gender inequality in the construction industry. According to Statista, women comprised only around 11% of workers in 2021. That might be one of the reasons why female construction workers are still viewed as something rather unusual. As a consequence, they tend to receive commentary while working in this industry.
A survey conducted in the UK in 2019 showed that over 40% of women in construction received inappropriate comments from their male colleagues. In addition to that, as much as 72% of them experienced gender discrimination in the workplace.
#12 My Old House Bathroom Cabinets
#13 The Curb On This Straight Road Being Built
#14 So Much Wasted Material And Manpower
As seen in some of these pictures, some construction projects happen to be a do-it-yourself kind of endeavor. People with different skill sets try their hand at fixing or building something, which happens more often than one might think. According to Comfy Living, 36% of Americans start a DIY project to make their home a nicer place to live. Moreover, 57% of homeowners feel their house is still in a “work-in-progress” stage, whether it’s decorating or things in need of repair.
#15 The Installation Of This Door Under My Sink Always Bugs Me
#16 Transporting A Big Glass Panel By Helicopter
#17 Is This A Normal Practice
Whether it’s a DIY project or a problem that needs fixing around the house, people often turn to the internet for help. And to be fair, the online world can be a great source of information on how to repair or build things.
You can find all sorts of material, from instructions and manuals to people sharing their insights and advice from their own experience. However, it is important to properly evaluate your capabilities and leave certain things to the professionals. Or some projects might end up being as useful as stairs leading straight into a wall.
#18 I Get That It’s Important To Keep Your Ppe Good As New, But This Is Ridiculous
#19 Plumbers
#20 There Was An Attempt To Build A Deck
Construction work is one of the places where you really want to avoid any mess-ups. Work of poor quality might result in a disaster or harm your reputation at best. In some cases, however, people responsible for the mishaps manage to avoid any bigger misfortunes.
Their main worry in these situations is usually ending up online as an example of how not to do your job. And that’s what makes the internet not only a great source of information on how to fix things but a bottomless pit of documented attempts that have gone wrong as well.
#21 When You Think You Can Get Away With A Lower Weight Limit… But You Can’t
#22 Be Sure Not To Swing The Door Too Hard
#23 He Kicked The Wall And It Came Down On Him
#24 Let’s Do Brainstorming, Let’s Bring Different Ideas To The Table: What Is The Cause Of The Accident? Who Is One To Blame?
#25 Brooklyn Super Special Part 2
#26 Brooklyn Super Special
#27 I Don’t Think They’ve Got Subgrade Problems. Do You?
#28 Their Boss Won’t Even Pony Up For Matching Ladders
#29 I’m Sure These Deck Posts Won’t Be An Issue Down The Road
#30 How Does A Roof With Only A Powdered Sugar Amount Of Snow Look Like That
#31 Brick Laying On Top Of What? How Is It Staying Put?
#32 I Think The Roofers Got My Siding A Little Too Hot When Torching Down A New Roof
#33 A Normal Door In Ohio
#34 The Water Pipe In My Appartment That Just Finished Construction
#35 Had To Post These Amazing Steps Someone Pimped Out
#36 The Floor Of Sibling’s New Apartment Is Just A Tiny Bit Uneven
#37 Highway Pillar Hanging Out On Its Own
#38 Good Luck With That Guys
#39 Is It Petty To Judge Ugly Plumbing If They Reversed The Feeds?
#40 Well, At Least It Has A Gap
#41 Found A Love Outlet In The Wall
#42 In A Working Day, Building Inspection. I Found This Art (This Work Of A Lazy Person)
#43 Some “Professional” Framer Gore For You
#44 Something Is Out Of Place. If You Don’t Know What’s Wrong With This Picture, Please Don’t Install A Dryer At My Mother’s House Again. Thank You
#45 Oh&s Would Like A Word
