The Players' Roles

Construction is complicated, both structurally and interpersonally. It is a volatile mix of people, money, and time, with a host of uncontrollable variables like weather thrown in. Many people don't know where to start, or what to do when the first problem hits. Owners are often forced into a decision-making role that they do not feel qualified for. Some issues are construction-specific:

• Your contractor discovers a rotten foundation sill. You are given a choice whether to replace all the sills at a cost of five thousand dollars, or just patch the rotten one for five hundred. Of course, if some of the other sills are rotten and you don't replace them, it could cost far more later on. It's an important decision, but one that you don't have sufficient knowledge to make.

• Your architect wants the contractor to prepare "shop drawings" of all the cabinetwork. Your contractor says the cabinet drawings are the architect's responsibility, and s/he can't afford to draw out all the details. Plus, s/he says you don't need shop drawings anyway. What do you do?

• The contractor claims s/he lost a fortune on your project, because the architect did not provide information ahead of time, preventing him from effectively planning. You know that at least in a few cases, the contractor is right. Should you pay him any additional money? Should you ask the architect to contribute?

• You love your house but your growing family has made it feel cramped. You hate to leave the garden you've nurtured for years, but the realtor tells you you'll never get the money back that you'd have to spend to enlarge it. Renovate, or move?

In cases like these, it's helpful to have someone who knows the business help you understand the issues fully to make the best decision. A little bit of timely advice can save you a lot of money and stress.