Nick is a great client — an energetic contractor who always brings fresh ideas to his work. With Nick, there are always new things to try and new ways to do things. His current project is a spec design-build, a group of duplexes in a small infill subdivision in a high-density suburb. Each half-duplex has about 1,800 square feet and costs just above $100 grand. The price includes site development, so cost control is pretty critical — especially on the early units that float the job until the real profit can be made on the final few houses. Mucking Around Geotechnically, though, the site is a mess. It appears to be on an ancient bog, where the soft
