Cost of E & O insurance

[WendyWelton]

In the meantime - if you don't have and/or can't find insurance:

- Only accept work that's well within your competency.

- Be scrupulously honest in all your dealings.

- Do absolutely nothing to do with condos - period. They're the single highest liability type project.

- Don't be afraid to interview your clients and turn down the ones that are a bad idea.

Wendy's top 10 list of bad signs:

1 - Client has unrealistic expectations of what you should provide, how quickly, and for how much. The words "all I need is..." should at least make you ask more questions. It often means "all I want to pay for is..."

2 - Client has already been through 2 or more designers. One is a bad sign - proceed with caution. Two or more - show them the door.

3 - Client has a history of withholding payment for perceived problems with construction. You are no different than a builder. If they'll short him, they'll short you. You don't need a client who considers the final payment optional. (If interviewed correctly, they really will tell you all the gory details - and you want to know).

4 - Owner will be own GC, has a full time job, but only wants a "builder's set". Who do think will be blamed when the trim carpenter fails to exhibit psychic powers?