re: Why are Louisiana road contractors so terrible?

quote:

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Some of the strictest guidelines you can imagine, sometimes to the point of obstruction.
And it’s not always because the contractor is dragging. Ever heard of Liquidated Damages?

Most people bitching don’t have a clue.

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Smart and financially successful contractors THRIVE on liquidated damage clauses in contracts. I seek them out and make a fricking killing on them because they cost the customer a fortune up front and no contractor worth his hard hat ever gets caught up paying them....because the customer is ALWAYS the reason for delays. Any contractor who is competent can point out 100 ways the customer is to blame for any and all delays and the customer, especially in the case of a government agency, has a person making about $70K a year keeping up with their records and that person hasn't documented a fricking thing, but you can bet the contractor has. The government agency also has lawyers who or on salary (low salaries) who must make their case for them, meanwhile the contractor's lawyer's pay is going to be based in part on how much money he beats the low wage government lawyer and his underpaid project manager who failed to document anything at all out of. It is ALWAYS a blood bath in favor of the contractor. Even when it is not the contractor rarely comes out with anything less than more money than they contracted for....


Its almost as bad in the private sector by the way....most customers have no clue what they want or need and change their minds constantly. Conditions change constantly. Customers fail to keep records. Good contractors seek out liquid damage clause contracts and get wealthy beating the customer up over customer caused delays....it is a damned good business model and one a PM for a any competent contractor is well versed in playing and winning....