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I own a video production company and I hire a lot of contractors to shoot, edit and make graphics. Yes, some contractors do a crappy job, some don't even do the job or do it in a way that I have to hire someone to redo the project. I don't whine when these contractors are worthless, I just fix the problem and move on. I could take them to small claims court and win hands down, but the cost and time of court to win a judgement that will probably be impossible to collect is not worth it.
So some rules:
1. Only give the big jobs to those you have experience with.
2. For new contractors, check them out completely. Talk to more than one contractor about the project.
3. Set realistic milestones and payment schedules. If there looks like there is going to be a problem you will know really quick and can find someone else to take the project.
4. Never put your eggs in one basket. A contractor can hold your project hostage and demand outrageous fees.
5. Always get a second opinion. If a contractor tells you something and it does not sound right or you think you are getting the run-a-round then talk to someone who can look at the situation and give you an educated opinion.
6. This is business! never forget that.
My rules as a contractor:
1. understand the project completely.
2. set realist milestones and payment schedules
3. point out high risk milestones that could delay or kill the project.
4. make sure your client completely understands all cost of the project. Nobody likes to get hit with unexpected charges.
5. use an escrow system like elance to handle payments.
7. Document everything!
8. Never work on spec projects. This is a disaster waiting to happen.
9. never work for free.
10. Charge market rates, even to your friends. If they can get you to cutthroat yourself, then you will be their little bitch for everything.
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