I work with several builders. They meet prospective clients, want me to do the design, and I like working with them, too. The more we work together as a team, the more comfortable we feel with each other and the easier it is to optimize the design for that builder’s skills and preferences (assuming it’s not something that compromises the client). That said, I learn things from different builders, and new clients see the results of all the things I have a hand in. So, if a client sees something they like that their builder doesn’t know how to do, but I’ve learned how to do it from a different builder, what’s a poor designer to do? Either share that info with the builder of record to benefit the client, or keep it from the builder and client out of respect for the other builder, or just specify the result and let the builder figure it out himself (and say, “I know how, but I can’t tell you), or something else (assuming the builders wouldn’t share the methods amongst themselves)?
I just love these little ethical dilemmas!
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Could you discuss this with said builders over lunch? I'd be perfectly willing to hire another contractor as a consultant on a specialized part of a job, thus paying that person for their expertise. At least that way you wouldn't be "giving" something away (information) that someone might have learned the hard way, and you'd be encouraging professional collaberation.
I'd say you have a rare opportunity to raise the level of professionalism in our trade. I'd say that's a good thing, Cloud.
Kinda hard to say, without knowing what the secrets are and how big/well known. Just share them here and let us decide................(-:
Seriously - Using a made-up example - Maybe it would be better to ask the "idea man" first?
For instance - Say Billy Bob Builders has figured out how to build a dome with purple concrete, which some people like. Then someone from Quick-Sag dome builders asks you how to make a purple dome. (Assuming he knows nothing about Billy Bob Builders)
Seems like it would be best to go back and ask Billy Bob if he considers it "his" idea dn if it's O.K to share it.
Or tell him you've heard that Quick-sag Dome Builders knows how to do it, and suggest that Billy Bob give him a call.
Don't know if that's helpful - It's just what came to mind.
Borrow money from pessimists -- they don't expect it back.
I think that it depends if these builders are direct competitors. If they are, you shouldn't share the ideas without permission. If not, make everybody better. I would personally be flattered if another tradesman thought my ideas good enough to use. Isn't that what we owe the people who taught us?
If I were the builder with the new idea, I would appreciate being called in for advice. I'd probably offer it for free to advance our craft and 'cause we pretty much work to ether around here. But I have had people copy my ideas or things that I have done and not applied them correctly or they copy after I have learned why not to do it that way or learned a better way yet to do it.
So if purple blob builders copies my idea and applies it with incomplete understanding of how it works, or when and why to do it, but tries to borrow my reputation as well, saying, "Piffin does it this way so it must be right..." and then it fails, my rep is tarnished by the fact that I was copied even though I might not have done it that way in that scenario. By consulting me, they get a chance to hear my updated version of it, and it's probably free.
If I were in your shoes, I would probably suggest, "I think Bobby Joe builders solved this problem like so... Maybe you could contact him to see how it works out."
Or you could post the idea here and we could bat it around and beat it up and learn from it oursselves, and then you could link the other customer to the discussion out here in the public domain.
Excellence is its own reward!