Problem guide
Subcontractors don't know what was agreed
Subcontractors don't know what was agreed because the scope, dates and site conditions settled with the customer live in emails, calls and a project manager's memory, and only a summary reaches the sub. Put the agreed scope in one written sheet, send the same sheet every time, and confirm the sub has read it before they show up.
What it usually looks like
A general contractor agrees with a customer that the electrical sub will work only after hours, leave the break room untouched and wait for the new panel delivery. The project manager settles this over three emails and a site walk. He calls the sub and gives him the start date. The sub arrives at seven in the morning, opens up the break room wall, and asks where the panel is. The customer calls the owner. The project manager is sure he mentioned the hours. The sub is sure he did not. Nothing in writing settles it.
Signs you have this problem
- Subs arrive on the wrong day or before the site is ready for them
- Work is done to a different scope than the customer agreed
- Subs call your project manager from site to ask basic questions
- Disputes over extras come down to who said what on the phone
- Each project manager hands off work to subs in a different way
What usually causes it
- Agreements with the customer are spread across emails and calls, and only a summary reaches the subThe handoff gap
- Schedule changes are made in your system but reach the sub only if someone remembers to callThe field-to-office split
- Scope changes wait on sign-off, so subs work from the old version in the meantimeApproval drag
What to try this week
- Collect the last few sub disputesPull the recent jobs where a sub got it wrong. For each, write down what was missing: scope, date, access, a change, or a customer requirement.
- Make a one-page sub handoff sheetList what a sub needs every time: scope, exclusions, dates, site contact, access, and anything promised to the customer. Use the same page on every job.
- Get a read-backAs a temporary habit, have the sub confirm the sheet in writing before they are scheduled. A reply that repeats the date and scope is enough.
- Send every change the same wayWhen scope or dates change, send an updated sheet with the change marked, not a phone call. Keep the history in one place per job.
Where do-it-yourself stops
These steps make handoffs to subs consistent and give you a written record. They still rely on project managers filling in a sheet by hand and remembering to resend it after every change. A lasting fix is a tool built around your own project and scheduling records, so what was agreed and every change reach the sub automatically. That is what a Workflow Spec designs.
Questions people ask
Why don't subcontractors know what was agreed?
Because the details were settled across several conversations, and the sub receives a short summary, often by phone. Anything left out of the summary is lost.
Isn't the subcontract enough?
The contract sets the terms, but the day-to-day scope, dates and site conditions change after it is signed. The sub needs the current version, not the original.
Who should own the handoff to subs?
The person closest to what the customer agreed, usually the project manager. What matters is that one person owns it on each job and uses the same sheet.
How do we handle subs who ignore the sheet?
Make the read-back a condition of scheduling them. A sub who confirmed the scope in writing has much less room to dispute it later.
What do these misunderstandings cost?
Rework, return trips, disputes over extras and strained relationships with customers and subs. Log each incident for a few months and total your own costs.