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Renegotiating the Price

By Michael Stone

How should you respond when a client wants to change the price AFTER the job has started?


Changing the Terms of the Contract

By Michael Stone

Why do clients enter a contract and then think they can unilaterally change the terms?


In Construction, Communicate the Details

By Michael Stone

Are you giving your clients the information they need to be confident you’re building the job they want?


Residential Construction Quality Standards

By Michael Stone

In residential construction, it’s not unusual for your client to have an unrealistic quality standard. That’s why you need to establish the standard ahead of time.


Liquidated Damages in Construction

By Michael Stone

When customers start talking about liquidated damages in construction, it’s time to ask why.


Contracts Matter; Collecting Final Payment

By Michael Stone

When you provide a dishonest client a cost breakdown of their job, things can go wrong.


Rapidly Increasing Material Costs

By Michael Stone

Quoting a firm fixed price is riskier when material costs are increasing rapidly, which is why your contract needs to address unexpected material cost increases.


Wrapping Up a Difficult Project

By Michael Stone

It can a challenge to finish a project, especially when it was priced too low for a difficult client and with a weak contract.


Why Do You Need a Written Construction Contract?

By Michael Stone

Almost all conflicts contractors face could be avoided or quickly resolved if there is a clear, detailed construction contract between the parties.


The Skinny on Change Work Orders

By Michael Stone

A compendium on change work orders on a new home, remodeling or renovation project; why they matter, how to price them, what to include, and more.


Cost-Plus Contracts

By Michael Stone

Why cost plus and time & material contracts should be avoided, for both contractors and building owners.


Unclear Change Work Orders

By Michael Stone

Pricing changes for a change work order isn’t easy when the scope of work isn’t clear.


Time and Material Woes

By Michael Stone

Time and Material contracts are full of risk, especially on larger jobs.


Business or Charity?

By Michael Stone

If you’re a business owner and take on a project out of the goodness of your heart, recognize you might not get paid and will be funding the project.


Payment Methods

By Michael Stone

I don’t think writing a check is old fashioned, but there are so many advantages to using a credit or debit card that it’s become the preferred payment method for many.


Protect Your Time

By Michael Stone

Some people are used to snapping their fingers and having others jump. It’s irritating, but you have to remember that they’re writing the checks.


Clear Sales Communication; It’s Your Responsibility

By Michael Stone

I want to share a recent phone conversation with a contractor concerning a problem they were having with a client.


Protecting Yourself from the Protector

By Michael Stone

I’m not a fan of working with government agencies, but some situations are unique.


Final Payments and Guarantees

By Michael Stone

When clients try to change the terms of the contract, you don’t have to go along.


Contract Language That Puts You at Risk

By Michael Stone

Over the years, I’ve seen contract language evolve, shifting more and more responsibility to general and specialty contractors.


Handyman vs Service Agreement

By Michael Stone

Is it a good idea to have a service agreement to cover small jobs under a certain amount?


Protect Your Business – Get Paid

By Michael Stone

Avoid losing money by recognizing some of the games that building owners play to avoid paying.


Protect Your Business – Change Work Orders

By Michael Stone

Michael discusses a ploy some building owners use to not pay for all of their change work orders. It happens in both residential and commercial projects.


Overhead and Profit on Change Orders

By Michael Stone

You shouldn’t sign a contract that stipulates what you can charge, even if it’s just on the change orders.


Protecting Design Work

By Michael Stone

A contractor who has designed projects asked how to protect his design work.


Dodging Payment

By Michael Stone

There are things you can and should do when a client tries to dodge making payments.


Pricing Handyman and Service Work

By Michael Stone

There are two schools of thought on pricing handyman projects and service work: T&M or flat rate pricing. They both have advantages and disadvantages.


Dishonest Clients

By Michael Stone

We often hear from contractors dealing with a client who, for whatever reason, has decided to change the terms of their contract. Other professionals have the same problem.


Collecting Payment from a Dishonest Homeowner – Updated

By Michael Stone

Not all of your clients are honest. There are even a few who have no intention of paying you for the work you do.


Cost-Plus with a “Not to Exceed”

By Michael Stone

A contractor asked for my opinion on a request he recently received. It’s not a win-win proposition.


Let Them Know What to Expect

By Michael Stone

If you’re doing service work, make sure your client knows what to expect before you start.


Cancelled Design Agreements

By Michael Stone

A call came in from a friend recently. It seems that a client of his wants to cancel a signed design agreement.


Clients Changing the Contract

By Michael Stone

I’ve written before about clients who decide to make changes to a contract. Last week I heard from two different contractors who had to deal with this, and I want to share their stories.


Mediation or Arbitration?

By Michael Stone

Your contract should call for arbitration, not mediation, to settle disputes.


Client Causing Job Delays

By Michael Stone

If you want to lose money on a job, agree to let your client do part of the job or provide their own materials without setting clear boundaries.


Right of Rescission

By Michael Stone

When I’m working with a group of contractors, I often ask how many are providing a Right of Rescission form with their contracts. Many contractors aren’t even aware of the document or realize its importance.


Construction Allowances: What They Are, How to Use Them

By Michael Stone

A construction allowance is a dollar amount included in the contract for a particular item. There are two types of construction allowances: material and installed.


Clients Wanting Cost-Plus

By Michael Stone

Many building owners want a Cost-Plus contract because they believe they’ll have more control over the total cost of the project. It’s your job to educate them on the downside.


Maintaining Your Right to Lien

By Michael Stone

At least once a week I hear from someone who can’t get paid for work they’ve done.


Documenting Jobs

By Michael Stone

There are two benefits to documenting your jobs. One is protecting yourself in case there is a disagreement about the project. The other is providing information that will help you when you’re promoting your business.


Itemization Woes

By Michael Stone

We’d like to share an email received from an anonymous homeowner. If you believe that it’s smart to provide an itemized invoice, this will make you reconsider.


Payment Schedules on Small Jobs

By Michael Stone

It’s important to manage the payment schedule on your jobs, but not all jobs are the same.


Design Agreement Contract, Letter of Intent

By Michael Stone

A design agreement allows you to get paid for your work. Don’t waste your effort or your time.


A Few More Contract Issues

By Michael Stone

Retainage clauses, removing the finance charge clause on the last payment, “we’ll pay you when we get paid”.  


Contract Language for Client-Caused Damage

By Michael Stone

What do you do when a client calls about a problem they created? Preventative measures make the difference between a profitable job and losses.


Business Protection for Contractors

By Michael Stone

The popular belief is that contractors are the villains and homeowners are the victims.  But if you’ve worked with the public for very long you know there are also dishonest clients.


Final Payments, Emailed Quotes

By Michael Stone

Never let your final payment exceed 2% of the sales price. And your contract should include a finance charge clause for payments not made on time.


Progress Payments: Keeping a Positive Cash Flow

By Michael Stone

We used to get three payments on jobs. 1/3, 1/3, 1/3. That’s not a smart business practice.


Money Changing Hands

By Michael Stone

It's easy to ask someone to do something; it's harder to hand over money. Your client isn't committed until they've written the first check.


Getting Paid

By Michael Stone

If the payment schedule is adjusted after you’ve started a job and they aren’t willing to pay what’s owed, file liens. You must protect your right to be paid.


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