Managing risk through retainage 

Competing interests and the recent economic downturn have led to changes in the retainage rules in every West Coast state (legislatures found that many subcontractors could not survive if traditional retainage percentages were allowed), which has led to confusion among contractors and subcontractors. DJC columnist John Hickey outlines the percentages that may be withheld from subcontractors by contractors in Oregon, Washington and California.