You know someone actually is the owner of that building and it might be these people in the news article but it's just as likely they had a mortgage and the bank is the real owner. If that's the case, that bank's lawyers would be all over this demo company's ass the moment they heard about this. Now the demo company's owner has his attention pretty firmly fixed on the bank and their lawyers, not the people who have a mortgage but not a title.
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Company Tears Down Wrong Home, Blames Google Maps
- Thread starter HardOCP News
- Start date
Oh, I excel at not being popular
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The home owners are victims, so is the Demo Company's owner, the Bank that holds the mortgage if there is one. Somewhere there is a dude that used to work for $8.50 an hour, with a beer and a doobie, still blaming Google Maps for his own stupidity.
The Bank will get theirs, the people might get theirs, the insurance company will probably get over, and the business owner might survive it.
The guy that caused it? Who knows, but it doubt it'll cost him like it will cost the others.
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CaptNumbNutz
Fully [H]
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WTF happened to actually checking a paper map? Better yet, they could have easily checked in with the local government to get a map or even double check the addresses and streets. They probably had to do this anyways to get permits. Since when has Google EVER been the answer 100% of the time?
This sort of activity has been going on since long before the invention of the internet and already has millions of rules and regs about doing this type of work. This demolition company has zero excuses.
This sort of activity has been going on since long before the invention of the internet and already has millions of rules and regs about doing this type of work. This demolition company has zero excuses.
Disposed
Supreme [H]ardness
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Am i the only one reading the story wondering why the homeowner was whining and being melodramatic? The house was unlivable and they where hoping insurance + FEMA would fix it. To me it seems like they just hit the damn jackpot. Good luck finding a court where the judge wont run this demo company through the wringer.
I'd say you are.
Jackpot or not nothing can replace the structure that you've called home. Especially when they clearly weren't going to give up on it.
Sure it might get rebuilt and it may be much nicer and they probably will love it. But the melodrama is coming from the initial shock.
Probably not, but that's what "risk vs reward" is all about, right? Business owner is taking a bigger risk for a bigger reward, bank is taking a bigger risk for a bigger reward, etc. The guy who was supposed to be telling them the right house to tear down might not have been taking much risk, but eight bucks an hour isn't much of a reward either.
It would be a civil case and it won't come to a Judge's decision, a Jury will be determining damages and finding fault if it goes to court.
Exactly.
Those that are trying to make the owner of this business seem like a victim too are not realizing that there clearly was a problem with their company procedure on carrying out demolitions like this. If the company had laid out their procedures such that this would never happen then it never would have happened because there are so many ways to double, triple, and quadruple check their work order before they begin.
Can't get off the blame kick. We all know the Company as a business is responsible. Anyone see a place where someone said that the Demo Company shouldn't be responsible, that someone outside the company was at fault?
Anyone?
No one is trying to paint the business itself as a victim. We are just pointing out that the man at the top is probably going to get hurt by his employee's screw up. That company might have had terrific procedures and claiming they didn't is actually wrong unless you have proof otherwise. It doesn't mean the employee followed them.
Just how big is this company?
How long have they been in business?
Was the boss there with the crew?
Was the foreman out sick?
Yes the company is responsible. You brought up paperwork, was the work order from the Demo Company's customer correct?
As for millions of regs, I'm thinking that's an overstatement. I am sure the procedures and permits etc are all very clear. But I doubt it's a library of regulations.
Stop focusing on blaming someone, no one here seems to be dodging it except the idiot employee who still thinks he was OK with google maps.
They are owed more than market value unless, this is a rental property. But if they are owned by the occupants, the invasion & destruction of one's personal space as well as any financial and the time investment should add a considerable value to the compensation. Maybe they don't deserve to win the lottery but market value isn't sufficient.
The employee didn't use the GPS
They forgot the paperwork but had the address
The GPS was broke
Dead batteries
None of this absolves the company of responsibility. But it knocks the stuffing out of your reasoning. The company's operating procedure could be flawless, their execution of that procedure might be lacking
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Well, the home was damaged by the storm at the time of destruction, perhaps less then market value.
The Insurance Company was already in the process of determining if they would cover the property damage from the storm. Perhaps the answer in this is that the Insurance Company may have to cover the complete destruction and loss of the home. Then the Insurance Company can sue the Demo Company and the couple can take their settlement and rebuild or move on.
What do you make of that?
MavericK
Zero Cool
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I guess they missed the disclaimer about how Google Maps is in BETA (perpetually, I guess) and can't be taken to be 100% accurate.
Why are you trying to debate every user in this thread? It's fine to correct people on the facts but you're overly invested in this discussion for some reason... it's almost as if you own a demolition company that knocked down someone's condo in Dallas, TX
The employee didn't use the GPS
They forgot the paperwork but had the address
The GPS was broke
Dead batteries
None of this absolves the company of responsibility. But it knocks the stuffing out of your reasoning. The company's operating procedure could be flawless, their execution of that procedure might be lacking
Why are you trying to debate every user in this thread? It's fine to correct people on the facts but you're overly invested in this discussion for some reason... it's almost as if you own a demolition company that knocked down someone's condo in Dallas, TX
I was literally about to post the same thing...
Jesus fuck piper...It's the internet...drink a beer and relax..
Why are you trying to debate every user in this thread? It's fine to correct people on the facts but you're overly invested in this discussion for some reason... it's almost as if you own a demolition company that knocked down someone's condo in Dallas, TX
It's probably related to arrogance.
So many problems with this post, not just the portion quoted.
1. Was the owner carrying sufficient insurance?
2. Is the owner liable for the actions of his employees?
3. Is the owner responsible for not hiring complete idiots to work for him?
Explain to me in as many words as necessary why personal responsibility doesn't matter *in this case*. If he goes out of business for this, this is something more of an inevitability than something caused by comments on a public web board. Because this situation is stupidly funny in that someone has to pay for it.
This isn't the first time this has happen, won't be the last.
I actually have to wonder how often it happens. We hear about it every now and then in the news, but how many times does a company tear down the wrong house and we just not hear about it as it doesn't become viral?
I actually have to wonder how often it happens. We hear about it every now and then in the news, but how many times does a company tear down the wrong house and we just not hear about it as it doesn't become viral?
I'm sorry but I don't buy the owner is victim bull. I do field service for my company and guess what my boss tells me every time before I go?
Do I know what I'm doing?
Do I have every thing I need to do my job?
Do I have all the proper documents, info and device locations?
Do I need help with this job? (I can take a helper if needed)
Do I have any questions?
And its not to make me look/feel dumb, he has said straight to me "I ask you these every time because if you screw up major, you may lose you job but I may wind up in court because I'm responsible for EVERYTHING you do". just because the boss/owner isn't on the property doesn't mean he's not responsible for making sure his employee's are capable of doing their fricken jobs.
Yes it sucks for the owner, but at the same time it is 100% his fault. Any fuckup a person does is the responsibility of the boss. He should have a policy in place to make sure he is at the correct address. Even if using GPS or google maps, make sure once you arrive you are on the correct street and at the correct house number. Sure 99% of the time it is not needed, but as I stated above this has happen at least a few times before. Think last time it was something like a family went to the store and came back to a crew 85% done knocking the house down.
Lets look at something different. You go in for surgery and Dr removed the wrong leg. Do you just say oops that is fine shit happens or do you blame the Dr and the hospital for not double checking before they did the work?
As a boss you should be instilling good habits into your workers and making sure they do things correctly. Which doesn't always happen and in some cases is frowned upon as doing work quick is better than the extra 20 minutes something might take. I can tell you around here that is what is put into the heads of people driving dump trucks and garbage trucks. Don't worry about lifting things going down the road just get the job done. Then when they do $75,000 in damage you just fire the person as they didn't do the job quickly and in a hazardous way without breaking something.
GilmourD
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Well, something has to come out of your mouth because so far it's all been coming out of your ass.
swimming pool
Limp Gawd
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A quick Google search (if it gave the right results) shows this is reasonably large demolition company, with Jesus on their side, and has been around for a while. This is probably a $250k mistake at most, nobody was killed, so it's a pretty small problem to correct. There is a chance the house needed to be torn down anyway.
SS_Wehrwolf
Gawd
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I'd love a mistake like this... my mortgage gets paid off, i get a new home which should be pretty much free and clear and all of its contents, and honestly, its a great story to tell people for years!
Unfortunately most of the stories all of us usually end up having involve something like... your surgery is approved....6 months later.... you owe us for the surgery that wasnt approved....and there is zero you can do about it...
Unfortunately most of the stories all of us usually end up having involve something like... your surgery is approved....6 months later.... you owe us for the surgery that wasnt approved....and there is zero you can do about it...
Don't know about Seagoville, but speaking as someone who is involved in NYC real estate, the thing to do for ANY major job is to check up on the address in public records, NOT on Google Maps (they have had plenty of wrong addresses in the past, and still do right now, especially in NYC). This is, IMO, inexcusable, and the company should publicly acknowledge guilt, and then quickly help out the affected homeowners/reach some kind of settlement before it hits the courts.
westrock2000
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I'm sure you can see where the confusion could come into play here. Especially when signs are not where they should be. Is it Cousteau Drive or Calypso Drive?
No, there should be no confusion, you should never start a big demolition/construction job without the interested party being there to sign on the approval of said job.
edit: Also like others pointed out, you do not use google maps, you use the city records.
edit: Also like others pointed out, you do not use google maps, you use the city records.
Red Squirrel
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What the hell, you'd think something as major as a demolition would require the owners signing off on it on site or something. I can't imagine how devastated I'd be if that happened to my house. To think of all the work and money that went into it, gone, just because of some stupid mistake.
Please don't hold back...