Rich, I appreciate your passion. My own posts on this topic have had a fair amount of 'feeling' behind them as well.
Watt Work didn't start this thread - I did. He just brought it back to life.
As far as attitudes go, he just affirmed what another poster, in another forum, asserted. It was from this other forum that I copied, and pasted, the paragraphs that started the thread.
Oddly enough, the attitude isn't limited to GC's alone. For years I have worked together with a plumbing contractor, and it has been a relationship that has benefited us both.
Yet, his guys bungled a job - it happens to us all - and the customer called in another plumber .... who, in turn, called me. Now Plumber #1 is all upset that I was there helping Plumber #2.
This revealed two separate issues:
First of all, you have to be able to trust your fellows. Plumber #1 was afraid that, somehow, I was undermining our relationship. There were the usual suspicions of going behind his back, dealing direct with the customer, making the other guy look good at his expense, etc.
The second issue, of course, was: WHO is the customer?
You over-think this stuff, you'll drive yourself crazy. As for my passing out cards to the final customers ... it's their property, and they have every right to know who I am, who sent me, and why I am there. To expect otherwise is simply improper.
Now ... to carry this a bit further .... what if this customer wants his lights worked on? Going through his desk, he sees my card, and gives me a call. I think we can all agree that the lighting has nothing to do with the water heater that first brought me there. Why on earth would I call either of these plumbers, to 'clear' my going to work on the lights?
Yet, that is what the GC's are asserting.
One more point ....
EC's are often in a position to act in the place of a GC. I've often had to bring in other trades, and see that they get scheduled, paid, etc. Sometimes I've even brought in a GC.
Oddly enough, GC's can serve a useful purpose.
Likewise, it has always been my assumption that every journeyman, of any trade, is a skilled professional ... and I try to treat them as such.
Therefore, let's not get into personal attacks or name calling, please.
The situation can get really goofy when a GC has his cast of 'pet' subs, and - for whatever reason - you get the job, rather than 'his' guy. I've even had (a very few) of these other subs try to disrupt my work, just to try to make 'their' guy shine.
Such behavior is both unprofessional and futile.
