About Construction Law
In construction, knowing the law is only part of the challenge. It’s also important to see things from a commercial perspective and understand the connection between the agreements you’re advising on and what happens on the ground – knowing when to push a point or let it go and enabling you to give your clients advice that they can work with. From design to build and beyond.
Issues in construction contracts
Applying statutory requirements when drafting and negotiating construction contracts throws up common problems and disputes. We cover HGCRA 1996 requirements plus other issues lke retention, set off, and escrow.
Construction disputes
In-depth guidance and precedent documents for enforcing and challenging the adjudicator’s decision. From correcting errors under the slip rule, to grounds for a jurisdictional challenge, this is the place to go.
Standard form construction contracts
We publish JCT 2016 contracts and FIDIC contracts, and have related schedules of amendments for key forms. See other schedules of amendments, practice notes, and checklists for forms including NEC, MF/1, ICC.
Commercial perspective
Understand the connection between the agreements you’re advising on and what happens on the ground. Know when to push a point or let it go, and give your clients advice they can work with from design to build and beyond.
Topics We Cover
Latest Construction News
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced a package of reforms to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), aimed at...
The Single Source Regulations Office (SSRO) has launched a consultation on proposed updates to the baseline profit rate (BPR) methodology for...
Construction analysis: The Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) released its much anticipated Target Cost Contract 2024 family on 25 June 2025. This is the...
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has published a blog post on the four new guides to the Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) 2024 contract...
This week's edition of Construction weekly highlights includes the release of the Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) Target Cost Contract family, a House...
Latest Construction Practice Notes
Contractual implications of BIMOn 4 April 2016, building information modelling (BIM) level 2 became mandatory on all centrally-procured UK government...
Limitations and exclusions of liability—consultant appointmentsThis Practice Note provides specific guidance on exclusions and limits of liability...
Assignment of a collateral warrantyThis Practice Note focuses on the assignment of collateral warranties (see Practice Note: What are collateral...
JCT contracts—price and paymentThis Practice Note provides an overview as to how the contract price is calculated in JCT contracts and how it may be...
Brexit timelineOn 23 June 2016, the UK held a referendum on its membership of the EU, with a majority voting in favour of the UK leaving the EU. On 29...
Latest Construction Precedents
Precedent instructions or brief to counsel[IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE[BUSINESS AND PROPERTY COURTS [OF ENGLAND AND WALES OR IN [insert...
Schedule of Amendments to JCT Standard Building Contract Without Quantities 2024The Contract comprises the completed Standard Building Contract...
Schedule of Amendments to JCT Standard Building Contract With Approximate Quantities 2024The Contract comprises the completed Standard Building...
Schedule of Amendments to JCT Intermediate Building Contract 2024Schedule of amendments to the jct intermediate building contract 2024The Contract...
Schedule of Amendments to JCT Intermediate Building Contract with contractor’s design 2024Schedule of amendments to the jct intermediate building...
Latest Construction Q&As
Featured Construction content
What are preliminaries in a construction contract?
What is a variation on a construction project?
What is a variation on a construction project?A variation (sometimes referred to as a change) is an alteration to the scope of work originally...
Time of the essence—construction contracts
Time of the essence—construction contractsWhat does time of the essence mean?Where time is 'of the essence' it means that the stated time for...
Product liability insurance for the construction industry
Product liability insurance for the construction industryThis Practice Note looks at product liability insurance from the perspective of those engaged...
What is the difference between termination, determination and a voided contract?
Escrow accounts and escrow agreements
Escrow accounts and escrow agreementsThis Practice Note examines why parties involved in a construction project may enter into an escrow agreement (or...
Scott Schedules in construction disputes
Scott Schedules in construction disputesScott Schedules are often very useful in construction disputes. They help to identify the key issues between...
Differences between adjudication and other forms of dispute resolution
Differences between adjudication and other forms of dispute resolutionThis Practice Note identifies some of the key differences between adjudication...
Concession contracts—materials and resources
Concession contracts—materials and resourcesA concession is a form of public private partnership (PPP). It is a long term contractual arrangement...
Professional indemnity insurance in construction projects
Professional indemnity insurance in construction projectsThis Practice Note looks at professional indemnity (PI) insurance in the context of...
What is the difference between joint insured, co-insured and composite insured?
Target cost contracts on construction projects
Target cost contracts on construction projectsWhat is a target cost contract?A target cost contract is a type of cost reimbursable contract under...
Defects liability period and rectification of defects
Defects liability period and rectification of defectsIt is common in construction projects for defects to manifest or appear in the works. Most...
Retention of payment in construction contracts
Retention of payment in construction contractsThe concept of a retention from interim payments is commonplace in commercial construction contracts,...
What is practical completion?
What is practical completion?Practical completion marks the end of the construction period of a project, when the works are 'finished' and the...
Quantum in construction claims
Quantum in construction claimsThis Practice Note looks at some of the key considerations that may need to be taken into account when a party to a...
Time at large in construction contracts
Time at large in construction contractsThis Practice Note examines the concept of ‘time at large’ in relation to the completion of works under a...
Sub-contractors' insurance
Sub-contractors' insuranceThis Practice Note looks at how sub-contractors’ liability is typically covered by insurance and considers:•difficulties...
Associated legal terms
Concurrent expert evidence
Also known as 'hot-tubbing'. This is where both parties’ experts give their evidence together in the form of a discussion chaired by the judge. The judge puts the same questions to each expert in turn, rather than each expert being examined and cross-examined sequentially. Counsel can ask questions as well as the judge and experts can also challenge one another on their views.
Construction Pre-Action Protocol
The “Pre-action protocol for construction and engineering disputes” is a series of steps which should be undertaken when a dispute arises before litigation is commenced, unless agreed otherwise. Applies to all construction and engineering disputes (including professional negligence claims against architects, engineers and quantity surveyors).
Fitness for purpose
Unless the contract provides otherwise, the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 imposes an implied term on a contractor, as supplier of goods, that, if a particular purpose for which goods are being supplied is made known to it, they must be reasonably fit for that purpose.
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