How To Survive As A Trade Partner With A Bad GC​

In this blog, I’m going to share valuable insights on how you, as a trade partner, can navigate the challenges of working with a problematic general contractor (GC). It’s not just about covering your back but delivering value, doing a great job, and surviving the experience while still making a profit. If you’re dealing with a tough situation, this blog is for you.

As trade professionals, do you ever feel that most content out there is targeted at general contractors, leaving us trades out of the picture? Well, that changes today because this blog is curated specifically for you. Let’s dive into how you can create flow, protect your work, and negotiate with bad GCs to survive and even thrive.

Creating Flow in a Construction Project

One of the biggest challenges on any construction project is creating flow. A flow helps you stay on schedule, maximize productivity, and ensure you’re not losing money. Typically, on a project schedule, we want to create a system where trades flow from zone to zone. If you’re a trade partner, you need to be able to work efficiently by moving from one area to another in a smooth, diagonal pattern across the building. This allows for “one-piece flow” where you can complete work in one zone, reflect, make improvements, and then move on to the next.

While it’s true that not all buildings have repetitive structures, a good portion (around 40-60%) does, and you can use this to create a takt plan that guides your work. Even in non-repetitive areas, having a clear plan will help maintain the flow of your work across the project.

Working with a Bad General Contractor

If you’re stuck on a project where the general contractor doesn’t know what they’re doing, you’re likely facing either no schedule or a flawed Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule. The GC’s CPM schedule often leaves your activities disorganized and scattered. This will hurt your flow, extend your work time, and ultimately, lose you money.

So, how do you survive? Here’s what you should do:

1. Pull out the milestone: Identify the key milestone from the GC’s schedule. For example, if the milestone is the interior finish, focus on that.
2. Create your own flow: Using your internal scheduling resources, develop your own takt plan. This will help you organize your work from zone to zone, ensuring you’re prepared for each phase of the project.
3. Send your plan to the GC: Whether it’s during the pre-construction phase or even after you’ve started, submit your schedule and show them how your work needs to flow. Negotiate this plan with them. If they attempt to stack your crews or cut your time, push back and explain why your flow plan is crucial.

Negotiating and Maintaining Flow

Negotiating with a GC is tough, but it’s important to stay smart and ensure that your work isn’t stacked, as this will cost you money. If the GC pushes for more labor, more overtime, or tries to rush the work, remind them of your plan. By maintaining flow, you can meet the schedule without additional stress and cost.

Every week, send a message to the GC, outlining what needs to be ready for your team to work effectively in the next zone. Document everything—this way, if the GC attempts to blame you for delays, you have a record showing that the work wasn’t ready when needed.

The key here is communication and preparation. If the GC insists on rushing or stacking work, keep reminding them to focus on making the work ready instead of throwing more labor at the problem. This will help maintain efficiency and prevent unnecessary overtime or extended durations that eat into your profits.

Protecting Your Trade

It’s essential to stand firm in protecting your trade. When dealing with bad GCs, staying in control of your schedule and documenting everything will help you complete the project on time and without financial loss. This approach also ensures you take care of the GC by finishing the work as early as possible and not extending the project’s duration unnecessarily.

Follow these three steps to navigate a difficult situation:

1. Establish the milestone: Know what the GC’s end goal is and align your work with it.
2. Identify your flow: Break down your work into manageable zones and stick to that plan.
3. Prepare the work ahead: Ensure the GC has everything ready for you to proceed efficiently, and hold the line when necessary.

I hope this blog has provided you with actionable steps for managing tough situations with GCs. We love supporting trade partners, and we’re here to help you navigate these challenges, find solutions, and succeed on your projects.