Been there done it all and...
On a 'domestic' project of that magnitude, (or even say from 100K upwards) you will invariably have the client employing an 'interior designer' who the main contractor, when they finally get to the second and finish fix stage, has fallen out with and now hates. They will all talk to you about what you have to do for whatever reason best suits them and have endless meetings mainly about what isn't quite right and who's fault it looks like it is, but not why. Vague is good for them all at this stage, you are still dangling.
The client is often disillusioned and weary with it all and possibly desperate (especially if they have moved out, or even worse, are putting up with all the stress and mess on a daily basis. and feels that they need to side with their best hope of getting the dream they had, eventually realised and completed. They don't like the conflict or confrontation and being unhappy to pay and not knowing who to pay, get all sorts of stress creating advice, from people not involved and therefore full of it.
Poor sods sometimes! But, very occasionally, you come across someone who knows precisely how this all works. They just sit back and cherry pick different things they can condemn or be unhappy with, in order not to pay for the work they have had done. They know the designer, main contractor/builder and tradesman will all be arguing about ...
It all gets savage and
The builder realises he is only as good as his subbies (who he cant now pay) but has to side with himself and retreats into a 'Its not going to cost me anything for this chit, it's someone else's fault' one way or another, NEXT! and retreats into whatever contractual limitations he can use and abuse.
The interior designer has no concept or understanding of the situation other than the importance of his/her view.
The poor ******* that got himself entangled with these idiots is left desperately hoping things will be settled before the end of the project, for after that, he can only phone and write... he is into a right few bob in time and materials,
I could go on and I bet so could many of you guys.
You have to treat everything you do these days as a potential court proceeding and prepare for the worst, its sad but true.
Just because it is someones house does not mean you don't need the protection of an accurate brief to work with.
Unfortunately, the modern worlds emphasis on the cheapest price as opposed to the right price is now biting bums in every aspect of life.
My advice to anyone asked to get involved with one of these multi million pound or any large project is to turn them down. They want it done for nothing and there are too many sphincters involved. It always ends badly for the honest small guy.
Glad I'm out of it.
As a matter of interest, what was the the client a native Anglo Saxon?
