Prevention is always the most cost-effective cure. Disgruntled customers sometimes call long after a job is complete. Complaints about misaligned wood moldings, roof leaks, floor squeaks and plaster cracks are common in wood frame construction. Customer dissatisfaction can threaten a builder's reputation and settling claims requires delicate negotiation.
Prevention is always the least expensive and strongest remedy.
It is easy for a builder to become defensive when his or her level of workmanship is called into question. When the builder leaves a job things may be in showroom condition. Materials were carefully selected. And the customer probably spoke volumes about the quality of the crew's workmanship during the walk-through. But the way materials and products perform can change over time.