You know I'm reading this thread and seeing guys that I respect say that it doesn't matter how late it is as long as it is right. I am blown away that this type of thing is so widely accepted in this industry/hobby. My company builds 500,000 dollar and up custom equipment and if we were as late as some of these guys I'm reading about, we would be out of business. Plain and simple! If you are a "Pro" builder and you commit to a deadline, than you should meet it. The "Pro" part means you know and understand what it takes to build what it is you are promising. My Dad built custom homes for people. He would not have had business if he told them It will be right, but I have no idea when you will move in? If you are in this business and you cannot accurately predict what it is going to take to complete a project then DON'T COMMIT TO IT IN WRITING! If you are up front with the customer and you both agree that this is a process that will be fluid and the end date can not be fixed, I find that to be perfectly fine. Everyone is on the same page. Getting back to what I do for a living. We have to quote jobs competitively priced as well as delivery. If we are late we most likely will not get another order. If we pad the delivery to be "safe" we will loose the job to our competition who will get it done. Maybe that is the problem here, if everyone thinks like this than there is no other options for people which means nothing will change. That is sad if it is true. If you say you have to cut corners to meet deadlines, that is sad as well. Any build that involves contracts and progress payments should also include either regular inspections during the progress or very detailed pictures of all aspects during the build. With today's technology you can take and save 1000's of pictures very easily. I am really taken back here. If a customer demands unrealistic deliveries it is the responsibility of the shop to set it straight and not commit to something they know they can't meet. If that means losing the job than so be it! Committing to unachievable deadlines just to get the job is unethical. Again, plain and simple! I apologize, I am not normally this opinionated, but I really think that this very subject could spell the demise of this hobby in the long run. If enough people get disgusted with the process, guess what they find something else to spend money on. We should be spending time figuring out how to get something done than explaining all the reasons you can't. JMO Hopefully I didn't lose any friends over this one!
