Just though I would put this out there guys as it's a common occurrence we are seeing and it is often awkward.

As drafters for millwork manufacturers across North America, here are the top five problems we encounter when you "tell" your Architects or GC's that you have hired us .. 

#1 - They end up calling us directly "trying" to update us - mostly  items that have nothing to do with your jobs. 
#2 - They call us "trying" to make changes ( that you may not even know about)" 
#3 - They want to be cc'ed on drafts and updated on progress ( good luck is all we all we say to them - but in a more diplomatic way )
#4 - They think that if they "mention" something to us - then its binding on your end.
#5 - If you have included us in your emails with them - well now it's a sh!t show. The plethora of emails is hard to control and I we need a legal team between us just to determine what is their instructions, suggestions, random comment and irrelevant banter. 

My point is fellas (and galls) - while we can have as many internal policies and NDA's between us - when these people start calling us directly - it mostly ends up being a little harder to manage the job on your end. 

My advice to you is don't disclose your contracted drafting source.  ​

If it's not in the signed contract or the signed and paid change order it's nothing to you.

And that is all you have to say to them. Get me a signature on a change order and it'll be implemented right away. Otherwise the original contract stands.

There is no need to get lawyers involved as long as your contract is good. They won't have a case.

No arguing that point.
The problem is that even after we typically state that - or something similar, there is almost always an email down the road saying : "But we cc'ed your drafter".

Its good advice to stay away from conflicts and legal entanglements - just tricky when you have a pushy GC or Architect.

Nothing tricky about it. It's common in every industry, every business. Set the rules, stick by them. I worked in a model shop of a giant construction machinery company. Handling this kind of communication came up every day. Our daughter writes owner's manuals for a street sweeper manufacturer. She gets this multiple times a day between departments until the second a machine is shipped. Sometimes ever after. It's up to management of every group to set the rules, give everyone a set of these rules, and no one wavers. It's gone on since the first time someone traded a hide for an arrowhead. Everyone has to communicate and stick to the rules.

Kostas:

I agree with Leo, and would add that as a matter of protocol, the architect's or GC's contract is with the cabinet shop, and the cabinet shop's contract is with you, making you a sub-contractor to the shop, and not to anyone else.

You can inform the architect or GC of that fact, and that in that spirit, you do not answer to them, and that since you work for the cabinet shop, there will be no changes made until the cabinet shop asks you to make them. Any communication between the architect or GC needs to be with the cabinet shop, who will then communicate with you if it is required.

In business management they call this unity of command. Everyone needs to understand the limits of their involvement in any project, and some of them need to be made aware of that fact in no uncertain terms. It all seems so simple.

Stand your ground.
TonyF

Interesting and well articulated note.

It is simple, all communications have to go through the GC, (or who ever you have a signed contract with). Simple state in their first communication that any changes weather they result in additional cost (CO's) or are simple changes to the contract documents can only come from the ones you have an actual contract with. Beware that if you make changes at the direction of an arch. or his rep it could not influence your scope of work but could greatly impact the work of other subcontractors. It is the responsibility of the GC to coordinate the work of ALL subcontractors under their direction and if you change something in the contract documents you could be possible be held responsible for costs that others may incurr. Just my two cents (which I mean to keep in my pocket)