Business Forum: To Avoid Disputes Put It In Writing

As a practicing attorney who also manages a residential construction business, I know from experience that disputes can arise when clients and contractors have different sets of expectations about how specific parts of the job will be handled. Very often, the disagreements are minor at first, but small problems have a way of turning into big ones. Letting your clients’ pet get loose or ruining their new $2,500 computer with fine plaster dust cost time and money. But more important, they weaken whatever trust there is between you and your client, creating a fertile atmosphere for future disputes and lawsuits. Fortunately, you can avoid most of these problems if you have a system for documenting and clarifying everyone’s responsibilities and expectations. We’ve developed a