SRV-07 · SERVICES / JCT CONTRACT ADVICE
JCT contract advice for developers, contractors and private clients
The building contract decides who carries which risk and what happens when something goes wrong. We advise on choosing the right JCT form or bespoke developer agreement, completing it properly, and administering it once work starts. This is practical quantity surveying advice, not legal advice.
What the service involves
Minor Works, Intermediate, Standard Building Contract or Design and Build, matched to the size, complexity and procurement route.
Completing the particulars: dates, damages, retention, insurances, payment terms and sectional completion.
Reviewing developer and subcontract forms so the commercial terms are understood before signing.
Setting up payment cycles and notices that comply with the Construction Act.
Ongoing advice during the build on instructions, extensions of time, claims and termination.
Who it is for
Developers signing contracts with main contractors; contractors and subcontractors reviewing terms before tendering; and private clients who have been handed a contract by their builder and want it explained.
What you get
- ▸A recommendation on the right form and why
- ▸Particulars completed so there are no blanks to argue over later
- ▸Plain explanation of the risks you are taking on
- ▸Someone to call when the contract is tested on site
Typical contracts
JCT Minor Works, Intermediate, Standard Building Contract and Design and Build, JCT subcontracts, and bespoke agreements used by regional and national housebuilders and developers.
Local and national
Contract advice is mostly desk-based and available to clients across the UK. Where we also administer the contract, we work across Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Surrey.
Frequently asked questions
Which JCT contract should I use?
It depends on value, complexity and who designs. Minor Works suits simple, smaller jobs; Intermediate suits mid-size work with some specialist design; the Standard Building Contract suits larger or more complex schemes; Design and Build suits a fixed brief where the contractor takes design risk.
Do I need a solicitor as well?
For amendments to standard forms and for bespoke agreements, yes. We provide the commercial and practical advice a quantity surveyor is qualified to give and work alongside your solicitor on the legal drafting.
What are the most common mistakes in JCT contracts?
Leaving the particulars incomplete, unrealistic liquidated damages, no defined information release schedule, and payment terms that do not comply with the Construction Act. Each of them becomes expensive when tested.
Can you review a bespoke developer contract before I sign?
Yes. We review the commercial terms, flag where risk sits and suggest changes, then hand legal drafting points to your solicitor.
Can you administer the contract as well as advise on it?
Yes. On most projects we advise on the form and then act as contract administrator or employer’s agent, so the advice and the administration are consistent.