We all know of jobs where an earnest
contractor strives to produce a workmanlike
job, and the client, instead of
gratefully accepting his product, tries
to skin him alive. Although such stories
raise a builder's blood pressure, it's
important that he calm down and
rationally assess how things got that
way. Only then can he develop strategies
to avoid such trouble in the future.
Keep in mind that at the signing of
the contract the interest of the owner
and contractor closely coincided. From
that moment, however, they started to
diverge—until they reached a point
where mutual satisfaction was out of
reach. From that point on, only one
side can win—the other loses.
Even that might be acceptable