The Players' Roles

In a nutshell- fairness and consistency. A contractor's worst fear is the owner who changes his mind. The better a contractor is, the more s/he plans ahead. Each change in plans has a ripple effect that can throw off the entire project. Sometimes the worst contractors are the most easy-going; since they haven't planned ahead anyway, they don't mind changes! Contractors hate to rip out work they just did, whether they are being paid for it or not. And despite their often tarnished image in the public's mind (or because of it), they also like to be treated with respect, trusted, and occasionally praised.

But most importantly, they like to be paid. Many owners, concerned when the contractor doesn't show up, or unhappy about a perceived mistake, withhold payment to get his attention and force him to deal with the problem. This tactic is almost always a mistake, as the bad feelings it engenders diminish the contractor's enthusiasm for the project, which can translate into a less desirable finished product. Owners sometimes have the false impression that the construction documents specify the work completely, so the contractor has no choice but to build it as specified. In fact, even in the most tightly-spec'd job, there is tremendous room for interpretation. You want the contractor to generously interpret the drawings, and spend extra effort to make each joint fit perfectly- which he's not likely to do if s/he's seething in anger over waiting for a payment.

Does that mean you're at the contractor's mercy, and you have to pay him no matter how bad a job s/he's doing? Not at all- it just means that you shouldn't use money to express dissatisfaction. If you have a problem, communicate it to the contractor. If s/he can't or won't fix it, then maybe payment should be withheld, but at least get it out in the open.