Byron, we run a property services company and work with numerous contrators. Our experience is that both consumers and contractors are guilty of bad behavior. Contractors don't come back and fix their mistakes, customers don't pay when the work is done.

As I write this our neighbor who contracted for a major hardscaping job in his backyard for work that began last November and was promised completion by the end of March is not nearly close to having the job done. Often the contractor does not show up for a week and he has lost use of his backyard for more than half a year. Now if my neighbor were to choose not to pay the whole bill, would that be fair or unfair?

Our contractors prefer to do work through us even when they are approached directly by our customers (it really is a problem business) is they get paid when the work is done whether or not we get paid by the customer. When they get burned and they inevidibly due at some point, they stop taking "direct" jobs.

I suspect there is a story behind the allegations that Trump stuck contractors. Contractors can file liens on property and sue in court if they are owed money, but they also risk losing if the customer has cause not to pay.

Some of our profits go into protecting our repuation with customers and clients by paying to fix work when a contractor takes off or paying contractors when customers stiff us.

Many general contractors stiff their sub-contractors when they don't get paid. Talk to a few contractors. I would like to know the facts and circumstances rather than believe a generalization knowing the construction industry as I do.