Building Contract Questions

Most homeowners aren’t expecting to become contract experts. They simply want the work they agreed, at a price they understand, with fewer nasty surprises along the way. A clear written agreement gives you and the contractor something concrete to work from when questions come up.

This is a practical checklist, not a contract template or personal legal advice. Citizens Advice recommends getting the agreement in writing before work starts. Remember that accepting a quotation may create an agreement even without a signed document. If any wording or financial commitment is unclear, get suitable advice before you agree.

A quotation, a set of drawings and a specification might all describe your project, but they need to describe the same project. Check the latest drawing dates, what’s included in the written price and which document takes priority if something doesn’t match. That matters when a sketch changes after you’ve already asked for a quote.

Look closely at what isn’t included too. Who pays for kitchen units or bathroom fittings? Does the price include clearing rubbish, decorating affected rooms and making good around new openings? ‘Complete extension’ can mean different things to different contractors. Clear boundaries now help prevent arguments later.

A building job may involve design work, structural information, planning, building control and inspections. Rather than assume the contractor will handle everything, ask who is actually appointed to prepare documents, submit applications and coordinate the relevant stages. Planning permission and building regulations are separate matters.

If your designer and builder are separate businesses, find out how they’ll communicate changes and who will answer technical questions during the work. The duties that apply depend on the job and appointments; this guide doesn’t assign them. For domestic projects, HSE guidance explains how the relevant construction-management duties normally operate.

You should know what you’ll be paying for before the first invoice arrives. Check whether the price is fixed or estimated, whether VAT is included and which items remain provisional. If you’re supplying products yourself, make sure the agreement says who orders, receives and installs them.

Don’t just look at the total. Ask when payments fall due, what work or materials each stage covers, and how you’ll be able to check what’s been done. Be clear about deposits and money needed for advance orders. If the payment terms feel uncertain or you’re under pressure to agree quickly, get independent advice first.

Even a well-planned build can change. You might choose different doors, discover a problem when work is opened up, or decide to add something. Agree beforehand who can approve changes and how the extra cost and any effect on the programme will be confirmed. A casual conversation on site shouldn’t leave you guessing what you’ve agreed to pay.

Ask for changes to be recorded with the relevant drawings, specification and revised price. That way you’re not trying to piece together an agreement from texts and half-remembered conversations months later. The point isn’t paperwork for its own sake. It’s knowing what’s been agreed before the changed work goes ahead.

A start date matters, but so does knowing what needs to happen before and during the job. Ask how design approvals, materials and decisions affect the proposed timetable. Discuss what the agreement says about delays, how you’ll be kept informed and what happens when an important date slips.

Think about day-to-day life while the builders are there. Will the kitchen or bathroom be out of action? Where will materials be stored, and who removes waste? If you’re staying in the house, agree access, protection and any arrangements you’ll need for children, pets or working from home. Having those conversations early makes the disruption easier to plan for.

Make sure you know who to contact when you have a question, who makes decisions on site and how you’ll get progress updates. If an architect or other adviser is involved, check whether they have any contract-administration role rather than assuming they’ll oversee everything.

It’s easier to raise a concern when the process has already been agreed. Ask how issues are recorded, who responds and what the contract says about unresolved disagreements. Keep emails, dates and agreed decisions together. This guide isn’t a dispute procedure or a substitute for legal advice, but clear records can prevent unnecessary confusion.

Before work begins, agree what ‘finished’ means. Does it include decorating, cleaning, testing and making good? How will you record any remaining items, and when are they expected to be dealt with? A room can look complete while paperwork or agreed details are still outstanding.

Ask which approval, inspection, product and maintenance documents should be handed over, and who provides them. If a guarantee or warranty forms part of the offer, ask for its actual written terms rather than relying on a general promise. Make sure the documents you’ll need later don’t get forgotten at handover.

Before you say yes, sit down with the quotation, drawings and agreement side by side. Can you recognise the same job in all three? Are the price, payment stages, responsibilities, exclusions and finish level understandable? If something needs explaining, ask for a written answer before committing.

You choose the contractor and agree the work directly with them. Take the time to make an informed decision, and use independent advice when the scale or complexity of the project calls for it. Once agreed, keep the signed documents and later authorised changes together where you can find them.