Where GC-client trust breaks down in the project lifecycle: quote acceptance, change orders, payment milestones, deficiency walkthroughs

Four failure points where trust breaks down:

1. Quote acceptance — vague scopes, no breakdown, no exclusions list.
2. Change orders — verbal additions never documented, surfacing at final invoice.
3. Payment milestones — draws requested before visible progress.
4. Deficiency walkthroughs — the Tarion PDI (Tarion 1-2-7 new-home warranty + Pre-Delivery Inspection — Ontario new-home builders must enroll homes) is the regulated version; in renovation it is informal and frequently disputed.

Confidence: Industry-consensus. Recurring themes in BBB complaint data (BBB 2022: General Contractor was the 3rd-highest US inquiry category — 4,084 complaints, ~53% "unable to pursue" / "not settled") and contractor-marketing trade press.

Use: site copy should pre-empt these — published draw schedules, change-order policy, exclusions list templates, sample deficiency-tracking process. Foregrounding process beats foregrounding credentials.