You know that's what I love...I worked with a Licensed Electrical contractor for a summer or two and boy did I NOT KNOW a whole bunch. I had an humble heart going in so it didn't crush my female ego too bad.
But then when I was in the field, I was able to input to the EC too about how electricity works and did his calcs, so we complimented each other I felt.
I think meeting and talking about the design will solve a whole mess of problems in the field. I usually ask the EC to come meet with me before he/she signs the contracts and give the client the bid. I love that, because they can pick out things he/she would do differently, and also we can come to a consensus leading to little or no RFIs. The problems I run into are public work, which goes to the lowest bidder, because you can't have a one on one meetings, and you don't find how who gets the contract. Once their bid is submitted, it's final and all others will be change orders.
I agree with you...it just makes things easy, and with my private work, I tend to do what you did.
Since I've done my work in the field, I have not had one Change Order! *knock on wood*
Lady