That time I cut a huge hole in the wrong wall

I was on a job in a new build in Springfield, the kind where all the rooms look the same. The plans called for a chase to be cut in the laundry room wall for plumbing. I measured twice, marked it up, and went at it with my rotozip. About three minutes in, I realized the sound was wrong, way too hollow. I'd cut a perfect 4x2 foot rectangle into the wall of the master bedroom closet next door. My heart just sank. I had to stop, go find the foreman, and admit I messed up. We had to patch that closet wall from scratch, reframe the opening, and redo the drywall, which set us back half a day. I learned to always knock on the wall and listen before cutting, and to triple-check which side of the stud bay I'm on. Has anyone else ever cut into a completely wrong room?

3 comments

3 Comments

brookerobinson5mo ago

Reminds me of the time my buddy was trimming out a house and spent an hour cutting crown molding for what he thought was the living room. He was so proud of his miter joints. Then the homeowner walked in and said 'that's the dining room, the living room is the next room over.' He had to cut all new pieces because the angles were different for the two rooms. He still checks the blueprints every ten minutes now.

the_elizabeth6mo ago

Yeah, I always snap a quick photo of the room number with my phone first.

avery_roberts6mo ago

You said you learned to knock on the wall and listen, but isn't the real lesson to verify the room itself first? A hollow sound just tells you it's not an exterior wall. I've seen guys knock, hear it's hollow, and still cut into the wrong room because they were in the wrong unit. Always check the room number or a permanent landmark, like which way the hallway runs, before you even pull out a tape.