there are any number of correct ways. I make my recommendation and let the customer decide which one they can/want to afford based on it.

it'd be rare I be so 'invested' in a solution that I'd only have one possible solution.

come to think of it, I'd be somewhat suspicious of a contractor like that

Yeah, his code is OK, but not as good as he thinks. To much focus on object structure and not enough on get it done and tested...

it is doing Delphi, so my options are limited...