Change orders: why unapproved extras cost homeowners the mostA change order is how the contract price changes. Get them in writing before the work happens and the final bill holds no surprises. Skip them and it will.
Draw schedules and progress payments, explainedHow construction payments are structured, what a schedule of values is, and how to check a draw request before you pay it.
How to hold a contractor to a schedule without a fightMost schedule disputes are really record disputes. Keep the right records and the conversation becomes short and factual.
How to tell if your contractor is overbillingNot every uncomfortable invoice is dishonest. Here is how to check a payment request against the contract, the schedule of values and the work actually done.
Lien waivers: what to collect and whenYou can pay your contractor in full and still face a lien from a sub who was never paid. Lien waivers are how you stop that.
What is a punch list, and how do you run one properly?A punch list is the record of everything still unfinished or wrong at the end of a job. Here is how to build one that actually gets the work finished.
What to check before you make the final paymentFinal payment is the last moment you have any leverage. Here is the checklist to work through before the money leaves.
Drawing revisions: how building from the wrong sheet costs a fortuneSuperseded drawings are one of the most expensive mistakes in construction, and one of the easiest to prevent.
Photographs: the difference between "I told you" and proofOn a construction job or an insurance claim, the photograph is the argument. Here is what to take, when, and how to keep it findable.
The paper trail that wins construction disputesDisputes are decided by records, not by who is right. Here are the seven documents that settle almost every argument.
What is a daily log, and why does it decide arguments?The daily log records who was on site, what got done and what stopped work. It is the first document anyone asks for in a dispute.
What is a submittal, and why does it hold up your job?Submittals are how what gets installed is approved before it is ordered. A slow submittal log is one of the most common hidden causes of delay.
What is an RFI in construction, and how do you run them well?A request for information turns a question into a tracked, dated obligation with somebody's name on it. Here is how to write one that gets answered.Stop keeping this in four places
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