Every general contractor has lived through it: the framing is done, the trades are moving, and then a punch list item stalls the whole job because a partition doesn’t clear code or a commercial signage shipment is still three weeks out. These are Division 10 construction mistakes, and they’re some of the most preventable delays in commercial building.
Holman, Inc. has spent more than 20 years installing the specialty items that fall under Division 10 scopes, and the same handful of errors show up again and again, on projects of every size and budget. None of these mistakes are complicated to fix. They’re just easy to miss when they’re not the thing a project manager thinks about every day. Below are seven of the most common Division 10 mistakes we see, and how a little planning avoids each one.
1. Mis-Measuring ADA Clearance
ADA clearance errors are among the costliest mistakes on a job, because they’re usually caught late, after a partition or grab bar is already installed. Required clearances around toilet stalls, door swings, and accessory placement are exact. A partition installed an inch off can mean taking it back out and re-installing with proper clearance.
How to avoid it: Complete field verification before ordering, not after. Rough-in dimensions from architectural drawings don’t always match what’s actually built. Holman, Inc. field-measures ahead of installation specifically to catch this before it becomes a rework problem.
For more on ADA clearance standards referenced above, the ADA National Network maintains current guidance on accessible design requirements
2. Ordering Long-Lead Items Too Late
Toilet partitions, custom hardware kits, and certain locker finishes often carry longer lead times than the rest of a project’s finish schedule accounts for. When these items are ordered on the same timeline as paint and trim, they arrive after the trades that need them are already gone.
How to avoid it: Order Division 10 items as soon as the project schedule is set, not when the punch list starts. This is one of the more common construction project pitfalls we help general contractors get ahead of early in the process.
It’s also worth knowing that not every Division 10 item requires a long lead. Holman, Inc. keeps a range of commonly needed items in stock at our Jacksonville facility, from restroom accessories to hardware and finishing details. If a project is down to the wire on a punch list item, give us a call. We’ll check what’s stocked and ready for pickup to help you get your project across the finish line.
3. Using Subpar Hardware
Hardware failures don’t show up on day one. They show up six months later, when a partition hinge starts to sag or a latch bracket won’t hold. Cheaper hardware can pass a walkthrough and still cost the owner in service calls within the first year.
How to avoid it: Spec hardware for the amount of traffic the space will get, not just the budget line. A high-traffic school restroom and a low-traffic office restroom don’t need the same grade of hardware, and an expert specialty supplier can walk you through the difference and help you plan for what your space actually needs.
4. Poor Coordination With Other Trades
Division 10 items in scope don’t exist in isolation. Ceiling-hung partition bolts and support brackets have to go in before the ceiling grid or acoustical tile is finished, or the whole system has to be reworked from above.” That reflects the actual exception case you flagged, and the grab bar blocking example stays since that one was already correct.
How to avoid it: Loop your Division 10 supplier into scheduling conversations as early as framing, not after walls are closed. Holman, Inc. functions less like a vendor waiting on a call and more like an embedded part of the project’s coordination, flagging what other trades need to have ready before installation day.
5. Skipping the Fine Print on Custom or Field-Measured Items
Custom items, whether that’s a full-height partition or a specific finish, require manufacturer coordination that a stock item doesn’t. Skipping that step and treating a custom order like a catalog order is one of the more avoidable Division 10 mistakes, and one of the more expensive ones to fix mid-project.
How to avoid it: Confirm manufacturer lead times and coordination requirements before the order goes in, not after a delivery date has already been promised to the owner.
6. Overlooking the Small Stuff
Grab bars. Signage hardware. Corner guards. Wall protection accessories. These items rarely get their own line item in early planning conversations, and they’re exactly the kind of thing that stalls a project two weeks from closeout when someone realizes nobody ordered them.
How to avoid it: Perform a full accessory and hardware review at the start of the project, not the end. This is exactly where a 20-year specialty contractor earns its keep: catching the items that are easy to overlook and expensive to scramble for later.
7. Treating Division 10 as an Afterthought in the Budget
When Division 10 gets budgeted as a placeholder line rather than a scoped-out estimate, the actual cost tends to come in higher than expected, and usually gets discovered partway through construction. That’s when value engineering conversations are forced under pressure rather than conducted with a clear head.
How to avoid it: Get a real Division 10 scope and budget early in preconstruction, based on actual specifications, not a rough percentage of the total build.
The Right Specialty Partner Helps You Avoid Remodel Mistakes
Most Division 10 mistakes come down to the same root cause: specialty items get treated as an afterthought instead of a coordinated part of the build. If the goal is to avoid remodel mistakes on the next project, the fix doesn’t require a bigger budget. It requires a specialty contractor who catches the details before they become someone else’s problem.
Holman, Inc. has spent over 20 years supplying and installing Division 10 specialties across Jacksonville-area commercial projects, from restroom accessories and toilet partitions to commercial signage and wall protection. Whether the goal is avoiding a specific error on the list above or getting ahead of Division 10 construction mistakes before they happen, our team is a phone call away, not a support ticket.
Ready to get ahead of the next punch list surprise? Talk to our Division 10 team about your upcoming project.
