I agree that it can be tough sometimes to find quality subs. I think the best tool is word of mouth, find out who people like, and then make sure to check out their work. What I find more difficult is justifying to the client to use the best. On jobs that I work on, we often have several subs bid on a job to give the client options, unfortunately, this could often put us in a tough position because the contractor we want will come in above the others. You get what you pay for though…and truthfully, I often find that the low bidder ends up cost the client just as much due to the amount of attention they need to build our projects to the level we expect. This process I feel is necessary though, because it keeps the contractor that you like honest and makes sure they they still keep their prices competitive for the clients sake. It is important for us as advisers to the clients to convince them that quality of construction is almost as important as the quality of the design.
I think keeping the subs is the easy part….just keep doing great designs, and keep letting them bid on them (even if you know that the client might not pay for the quality). And, build relationships.
I find having good relationships with contractors is one of the best resources I have in the office. When I need advice when it comes to detailing something that I am not quite sure about, I will often go to the phone before going to a book or the internet.
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