Episode
TRUST YOUR GUT: Chapter Ten, How a Standards Clause Protects Your Work
- Podcast
- Construction Legal Made Easy
- Published
- May 4, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 582
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
Standards protect you. Karalynn explains how one missing clause cost a deck builder eighteen thousand dollars, then shows how to use clear, written standards and simple links to industry guidelines so your work is judged fairly instead of by random opinions or nitpicky inspections. Learn more about The Cromeens Law Firm here ! Grab Karalynn's new book Trust Your Gut here . Follow Karalynn Cromeens on Facebook here . Follow Karalynn Cromeens on Instagram here . Follow Karalynn Cromeens on LinkedIn here . Watch the show on YouTube here . Key Takeaways 1. Without a written standards clause, your work can be judged by anyone's opinion, which leaves you exposed even when the project is functional and safely built. 2. Defining standards in your contract lets your work be evaluated against specific industry benchmarks or your documented practices instead of a client's shifting expectations. 3. Referencing recognized industry standards, such as trade association guidelines or applicable building codes through a simple URL, keeps the clause powerful but easy to implement. 4. You must read and understand any standards you reference, because once they are in your contract, they become the yardstick a court or arbitrator will use to judge your work. 5. Passing inspection or pulling a permit is not enough, because inspectors assume no liability, so a standards clause is what actually protects you when a dispute reaches arbitration or court. Timestamped Overview 00:00 Show intro and welcome 00:17 Trust Your Gut series and chapter setup 00:40 Ben's deck project in a remote county 01:05 Neighbor's comment about deeper piers 01:30 Arbitration and how the dispute arose 01:55 How the missing standards clause cost Ben 02:20 Why work gets judged by random opinions 02:43 Definition and purp…