WHEN YOU THINK YOU KNOW BETTER THAN YOUR LAWYER
- Been there. Renovated my kitchen last year and my lawyer sent me a 12-page contract draft for a job that was supposed to take six weeks. Half of it was stuff like “acts of God,” “civil unrest,” and even “alien invasion” (not kidding—he used the phrase ‘extraterrestrial activity’).
- I get why they do it, but honestly, sometimes you just need to weigh the real risks. For a small project, if the contractor bails because of a tornado, insurance is probably going to be more relevant than a contract clause.
- I’ve learned it’s worth reading every line, even if your eyes glaze over. I once missed a clause about who pays for dumpster rental—ended up footing an extra $800 because I assumed it was standard.
- Lawyers are great at protecting you from worst-case scenarios, but they don’t always understand how much hassle all these clauses add for smaller jobs. Sometimes you have to push back or ask them to explain in plain English what you’re actually being protected from.
- Compromise is key. I usually ask: “What’s the worst thing that’s actually happened on a job like this? How likely is it?” If their answer sounds like something out of a disaster movie, I’ll push for something simpler or just skip it.
- One thing though—if there’s any chance your project could drag on or involve multiple trades, some of those ‘overkill’ clauses can save your skin. Had a friend whose bathroom reno got delayed six months because of supply chain issues during COVID. No force majeure clause meant she had no leverage with the contractor.
- At the end of the day, trust your gut but don’t ignore their advice completely. It’s your house and your money on the line.
It’s always a balance between covering yourself and not making things so complicated nobody wants to sign.
WHEN YOU THINK YOU KNOW BETTER THAN YOUR LAWYER
I’ve had contracts come back from legal that read like they’re prepping for the apocalypse—one even mentioned “meteor strikes.” I get the need for protection, but sometimes it just feels like overkill. That said, I once thought a payment schedule was “just paperwork” and ended up chasing a client for months. Now I skim for the weird stuff but never skip the basics. It’s a pain, but those little details can make or break a project.
WHEN YOU THINK YOU KNOW BETTER THAN YOUR LAWYER
I totally get the “overkill” feeling—my last contract had a whole section about acts of God, and I remember thinking, “If a tornado takes out the client’s living room, I guess we’re both out of luck.” But honestly, I learned the hard way that those details matter. Years ago, I skipped over a clause about who handles moving existing furniture. Figured it was obvious. Turns out, it wasn’t. Showed up on install day and nothing was cleared out. Ended up hauling a sectional down three flights of stairs myself (never again).
Now, I’m the person who reads every line—even the meteor strike stuff. It’s tedious, but it saves so much hassle later. Still, sometimes I wish lawyers would just use plain English instead of legal riddles... but maybe that’s wishful thinking.
WHEN YOU THINK YOU KNOW BETTER THAN YOUR LAWYER
I hear you on the legal jargon—it’s like they’re writing for other lawyers, not real people. I’ve had to double back on contracts too, especially after a flooring job where “site ready” meant something totally different to the client. Now I keep a checklist and spell out every detail, even if it feels nitpicky. Saves a lot of headaches, but yeah, wish it was all in plain English sometimes...
WHEN YOU THINK YOU KNOW BETTER THAN YOUR LAWYER
I totally get this. I had a contractor try to charge me for “site prep” when I thought that was already included. Now, before I sign anything, I grab a pen and literally underline every weird phrase, then ask what it means in normal language. Might feel awkward, but it’s saved me cash and confusion more than once. Sometimes lawyers roll their eyes, but hey, I’m the one paying, right?