Pam Scholefield

True confession: year after year, my desk-heavy workload quietly robbed me of strength, mental clarity, and confidence in my own health. I kept telling myself I’d “get back to it” after the next deadline, after the next project, after things slowed down. Spoiler: things never slowed down. What finally changed wasn’t my schedule. It was my mindset about why exercise matters in the first place. If you’re a construction project manager, you already know the daily grind: schedules, RFIs stacking...

Subcontract agreements are rarely “standard,” no matter how often general contractors (GCs) claim they are. In practice, most subcontracts are drafted to greatly favor the GC by shifting risk and payment delays downstream. For subcontractors, understanding and negotiating key provisions can mean the difference between profit and dispute. Below are five of the most heavily negotiated subcontract terms, with examples of typical GC-drafted language and why they should be revised. 1....

Many subcontractors working on California public works projects are familiar with the pressure that sometimes comes after a project is awarded. A prime contractor submits a subcontract agreement filled with tough terms- broad indemnity clauses, one-sided payment provisions, or heavy risk shifting- and suggests that if the subcontractor does not sign it quickly, they may be replaced. On California public projects, however, that threat is often empty. California Public Contract Code section...