Dive Brief:

• The vast majority of the industry is above board and serves clients' interests as well as their own, but bad news travels, and Chuck Taylor, operations director at Englewood Construction and Management in Illinois, has some red flags that should tip customers off when they're dealing with one of the few bad apples.
• His advice is good for contractors to review, too, in case they find themselves bidding against someone who the client should know is too good to be true.
• Among the items on his checklist is being wary of a contractor who says he will cut fees needed to cover overhead – that money will have to come from somewhere further down the line.

Dive Insight:

Taylor's basic premise is that it is the bad news that makes general publications. Certain contractors, like several recently accused of an array of fiscal shenanigans, cast a shadow over everyone.