Last week, I discussed how some individuals and companies have on occasion conducted themselves in less than a stellar way. But it’s easy to look at others. How do I stand up to such scrutiny? How do I conduct myself in business?

This past week I attended a client’s contractor integration program. It was what I expected, including the firm’s zero tolerance policy for its employees receiving gifts from vendors. They made it very clear: no dinners, no lunches, no hats, not even a cup of coffee. It seemed to me pretty drastic–until I thought more about it.

When I started in the construction industry, I assumed that everyone was working for the company’s best interest. We may not all agree on the idea of ‘best interest,’ but we all were working to help the company succeed.

In last week’s blog I discussed my attending a seminar on Building for the “Church / Religious Market.” The facilitator discussed his belief that contractors who build churches need to be Christian-based firms, meaning firms that have Christ-like values.

Last week I attended a seminar on building for the “Church / Religious Market.” The seminar focused on how to market, design and build for churches and other places of worship. Many of the contractors expressed a belief that to be qualified to build churches, a firm must be Christian-based. This made me wonder: should a Christian-based firm build only Christian churches? Is it important that a contractor mirrors the values of its clients?

Many projects have hidden costs that are not apparent to the contractor, owner, architect or engineer at the design and bidding phase of the project. This is good news for the building owner because these costs are rarely included in the contract amount. However, the bad news is that just because the hidden costs were not included in the contract does not mean the building owners are not impacted.

I have been a contractor for more than 25 years, and not once have I heard a client state they want to purchase the most complex building for their budget. What clients want is a building that meets their needs and reflects their values.

Over the years, I have seen a handful of projects that were needlessly complex. The complexity did not add to the artistic integrity of the project nor did it add to the functionality of the project. The added complexity only increased the difficulty in constructing the building.

Getting a good deal on construction services is not as easy as it might sound. True, it is a buyer’s market for construction services today. Some owners are trying to get the most building for the least money.

Sounds good in principle. But there are definite drawbacks to consider. Here’s a story to illustrate my point.

Several years ago I was asked to provide expert testimony on a project that went terribly wrong.

On occasion, at gatherings of contractors, the discussion drifts to change orders. Someone will say, “I’m glad to see architects and engineers are finally paying for their mistakes.” I have never agreed with that school of thought.

I have been discussing how building owners can protect themselves when their building contractor stumbles. But in some cases, the client is a willing participant.

I have been writing about companies that are at risk of bankruptcy. But the issue is of bankruptcy involves more than just money.

During these times, many companies are battling for their survival. For some companies, ethical values are considered a luxury that is too expensive.

These are signs the company you are working with may have lost its professional ethics: