{"id":55758,"date":"2025-09-20T23:00:41","date_gmt":"2025-09-20T14:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/norimen.net\/wordpress\/%e7%99%ba%e6%b3%a8%e8%80%85%e3%81%a8%e5%8f%97%e6%b3%a8%e8%80%85%e3%81%af%e5%af%be%e7%ad%89%e3%81%a7%e3%81%af%e3%81%aa%e3%81%84%e3%80%80%ef%bc%88%e3%82%ab%e3%83%9f%e3%83%8e%e3%83%96%e3%83%ad%e3%82%b0\/"},"modified":"2026-05-16T17:53:43","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T08:53:43","slug":"client-contractor-not-equal-to-kamino","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/norimen.net\/en\/client-contractor-not-equal-kamino\/","title":{"rendered":"The Client and the Contractor Are Not on Equal Footing (From the Kamino Blog)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hello, I'm Kamino, a civil engineer and government employee who writes a blog.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s quite a provocative title, isn\u2019t it? \ud83d\ude05 Just to be clear, contractually speaking, the client and the contractor are, of course, equals. However, when it comes to actually getting the work done, I don\u2019t think they\u2019re on equal footing\u2014or rather, I don\u2019t think they should be. In this post, I\u2019d like to talk about the right mindset for this situation.<\/p>\n
I'll write this with civil engineering in mind.<\/p>\n
The client is in a supervisory role.<\/span><\/h2>\n
First, the client is in a position to supervise the contractor. What does \u201csupervise\u201d mean? The goo dictionary defines it as follows:<\/p>\n
\u30fbThe act of enforcing rules or giving orders; also, a person or organization that does so.<\/p>\n
\u30fbTo monitor, in accordance with the law, whether the actions of individuals or organizations violate their obligations or are appropriate for achieving their objectives, and to issue instructions or orders as necessary.<\/p>\n
From the goo Dictionary<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
It\u2019s just as it says here. As part of the client\u2019s supervisory duties, the client must monitor the contractor. Furthermore, if the contractor is acting improperly, the client has a duty to issue instructions or orders, and has been granted the authority to do so.<\/p>\n
\"Monitoring\" might sound like a big word, but it simply means checking the construction progress and the quality of the work on-site, as well as reviewing the documentation. If there are any errors, we first request corrections verbally or via email; if the issue isn\u2019t resolved, we issue instructions through a construction agreement.<\/p>\n
The reason such authority is granted is that you are paying someone to build what you want. For example, when you sign a contract for the construction of a new private home, if the finished product differs from the blueprints, specifications, or on-site explanations, I believe the client can issue correction instructions by saying, \u201cThis isn\u2019t right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Furthermore, particularly in the case of public works projects carried out by government agencies\u2014which are funded by taxpayers\u2019 money\u2014the contracting authority bears a heavy responsibility and is granted broad authority.<\/p>\n
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Kamino<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Contractors don't really have that kind of authority, do they?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
If we're going to be on as equal a footing as possible,<\/span><\/h2>\n
Under the contract, the client and the contractor are on equal footing. That\u2019s the nature of a contract, but that simply means that both parties can exercise their respective rights and fulfill their obligations\u2014in reality, however, the scope of those rights and obligations differs, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a growing perception in society that \u201cequality and parity = what\u2019s right,\u201d and that\u2019s precisely why I think this mindset harbors a certain danger.<\/p>\n
What would happen if, when carrying out civil engineering projects, the client and the contractor viewed each other as equals?<\/p>\n
This makes it impossible for the person in charge to provide proper guidance. In business, relationships are rarely completely equal. Detailed interactions take place solely between the people involved, and the balance of power can easily shift depending on their age, gender, job title, industry experience, professional network, communication skills, and the situation at hand.<\/p>\n
The reason I\u2019m taking the time to write this article is that I feel the balance of power is becoming less favorable. I think there are fewer overbearing supervisors and inspectors these days\u2014which is a good thing\u2014but, conversely, I get the sense that supervisors\u2019 authority is waning.<\/p>\n
Just as the aging workforce in the construction industry is currently a concern, the site representatives and chief engineers on the contractor side are almost all in their 40s or older, and many are in their 50s or 60s. In contrast, I believe that the representatives on the client side are almost exclusively in their 20s or 30s, ranging from new hires to mid-level staff. Might they not feel intimidated when pressured aggressively by veteran contractors or company presidents in their 50s? Might they find themselves unable to voice requests for corrections?<\/p>\n
That must not happen. That is why I believe it is dangerous to blindly assume that \u201cthe client and the contractor are on equal footing.\u201d The client must be prepared to take strict action against wrongdoing and, if necessary, issue instructions or orders.<\/p>\n
Because our goals are different\u2026<\/span><\/h2>\n
By the way, the reason the client is granted authority in the first place is that the two parties have different objectives. The client\u2019s objective is to have the infrastructure built correctly and handed over. For the contractor, however, profit is just as important as the quality of the infrastructure. Since they need to make a profit to make a living, profit may be the top priority for some contractors. It\u2019s only natural that they wouldn\u2019t take on a job if it meant operating at a loss. Because of this difference in objectives, the system is designed so that the client must supervise the contractor.<\/p>\n
I believe that the conscientious contractors who visit my blog or Twitter account are truly committed to quality. However, there are also many contractors who aren\u2019t like that. You might think the term \u201cmany\u201d is an exaggeration, but the fact is, there are a lot of them. There are cases of shoddy workmanship, and it\u2019s not uncommon to receive proposals that completely disregard quality.<\/p>\n
To Supervise Properly<\/span><\/h2>\n
Although the client must sometimes take a firm stance with the contractor, any statements made in such situations carry weight. If the client issues incorrect instructions, it could cause harm to the contractor. I, too, have seen staff members on several occasions give instructions that were not included in the specifications or were simply incorrect.<\/p>\n
The client and the contractor are not on equal footing. However, this difference in status is necessary for proper oversight, and to sit back and do nothing while relying on that power would constitute dereliction of duty.<\/p>\n
Daily study is essential for providing guidance and instructions based on accurate knowledge. Understanding the contents of specifications, familiarizing yourself with relevant laws and regulations, and acquiring civil engineering skills\u2014let\u2019s maintain that mindset. I hope my blog will be of help to you in your professional development.<\/p>\n
I also think it\u2019s important to maintain a healthy balance of tension with the on-site representatives from the contractor\u2019s side. We shouldn\u2019t get too cozy\u2014we should be on good terms, but when it comes to construction, we should keep things professional. The ideal relationship is one where we can point out issues to each other and make requests.<\/p>\n
With that in mind, I\u2019ll likely have a lot of questions for you as well, so I appreciate your cooperation.<\/p>\n
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