Title: When You Think You Know Better Than Your Lawyer
Had a builder try to sneak in a clause about “substantial completion” meaning they could leave a bunch of little stuff unfinished for months. My lawyer brushed it off as standard, but I pushed back and got it changed. Saved me a ton of hassle—otherwise I’d probably still be waiting on cabinet doors. Sometimes you just gotta trust your gut, even if it annoys the pros.
Had a similar run-in during our kitchen remodel a few years back. The contract had this vague bit about “final walkthrough” that, according to the builder, just meant we’d check things over before signing off. My lawyer skimmed it and said it was fine—“industry standard,” he called it. But something about it bugged me. Maybe it was the way the project manager kept saying, “We’ll take care of the details later.” I’ve learned that “later” can mean anything from next week to never.
I ended up making a list of every single thing I wanted finished—down to the last drawer pull—and insisted we add an addendum that spelled out exactly what “final walkthrough” meant. The builder grumbled, my lawyer rolled his eyes, but in the end, they agreed. Sure enough, when we got to that stage, there were still missing shelves and a faucet that hadn’t been installed. If I hadn’t pushed for specifics, I’d probably still be chasing them down.
It’s funny how sometimes you just get this itch that something’s off, even when the experts say otherwise. I get that lawyers see these contracts all day and know what’s typical, but they’re not the ones living with half-finished cabinets or waiting months for someone to show up and fix a crooked door. Sometimes you have to be your own advocate—even if it means being a bit of a pain.
Not saying lawyers don’t know their stuff (mine’s saved me more than once), but there’s value in trusting your own instincts too. Contracts are supposed to protect you, not just keep things moving for everyone else.