JLC ??JANUARY 1990
"Get it in writing" is a pretty good rule
of business. For a variety of reasons,
however, contractors often ignore this
adage. The job is too small, or you know
the client; or, maybe you think it's not
worth the time or money to pay an
attorney to draft a proper contract. But
informal documents, verbal agreements,
and handshakes can break down and
lead to conflicts or courtroom battles.
A written contract that anticipates
potential areas of conflict helps prevent
later misunderstandings. On smaller
jobs, the contract needn't be pages
think with dense legal lingo. A simple,
"plain-language" contract will serve
just as well. In fact, the clearer the
terms are, the more likely it