Contract Administration
Good contract administration is not paperwork for the sake of it. It is the mechanism that protects your commercial position, ensures you get paid for what you do, and prevents disputes from developing.
What We Cover
- Notices and Contractual Correspondence: Every required notice issued correctly and on time, under JCT, NEC, FIDIC, or bespoke terms (early warnings, relevant events, determinations).
- Variation Management: We identify, record, price, and submit variations tracking the instruction, impact, and valuation.
- Interim Valuations: We prepare and manage interim payment applications to maximise cash flow.
- Programme and Progress Monitoring: We track progress against milestones, flag delays, and ensure time entitlements are notified.
- Record Keeping: Establishing records that support your position (diaries, allocations, photos).
When to Bring Us In
At the start (ideally before signing), during the project if stretched, or when something goes wrong to prepare strong records.
Project Management
Delivering a project on time/budget requires coordination, early problem ID, and ground-level understanding in London, Dubai, or remote East Africa. We manage from your perspective.
What We Cover
- Pre-construction: Establish brief, appoint design team, develop programme, and set budget.
- Procurement: Manage strategy through to award for right team at the right price.
- Construction Phase: Chair meetings, monitor programme, manage risk, and coordinate stakeholders.
- Handover and Close-out: Snagging, practical completion, and final account agreement.
Dispute Resolution
Construction disputes are expensive and disruptive, but mostly avoidable or manageable. We help resolve disputes through negotiation, mediation, and adjudication.
What We Cover
- Negotiation Support: Prepare positions and quantify claims for commercial settlements.
- Adjudication: Prepare referring and responding submissions and manage the process under the Construction Act.
- Mediation & Expert Reports: Preparation for mediation sessions and robust reports for proceedings.
EOT Claims & Delay Analysis
EOT claims require proper delay analysis supported by site data. We use recognised methodologies to present claims that stand up to scrutiny.
Methodologies & Services
- Claim Prep & Defence: Identifying delay events, establishing causation, quantifying time.
- As-planned vs as-built: Compares baseline with actual progress.
- Time impact analysis: Inserts delay events into programme to measure impact.
- Windows analysis: Divides project into time windows for detailed tracking.
Payment Recovery & Statutory Demands
Late payments and withheld retention threaten businesses. We help recover money through contractual mechanisms and statutory procedures.
What We Cover
- Smash and Grab Adjudications: Where a valid payless notice wasn't served, we enforce payment quickly.
- Statutory Demands: A powerful tool compelling payment for undisputed debts.
- Retention Recovery: Tracking and pursuing retention held beyond contractual release.
When to Act: Do not wait. The longer a debt remains unpaid, the harder it becomes to recover. We can advise within 24 hours.
Final Accounts & Valuations
We ensure that every item is properly valued, every variation substantiated, and the final figure reflects the true value of the work.
What We Cover
- Preparation & Defence: Compiling/pricing from first principles, or reviewing claims to identify over-valuations.
- Variation Valuation: Valuing using contract rules, fair rates, and prices.
- Loss and Expense: Quantifying additional cost from disruption, prolongation, and acceleration.
Procurement Support
How you procure impacts cost, programme, and risk. We advise on JCT, NEC, and FIDIC procurement across UK and international markets.
What We Cover
- Procurement Strategy: Advising on traditional, design and build, or management contracting routes.
- Tender Documentation & Evaluation: Prepping ERs, conditions, pricing docs, and assessing returns like-for-like.
- Contract Negotiation: Pre-contract negotiations agreeing fair terms protecting your position.
Building Services Coordination
M&E installations cause a disproportionate number of failures. We ensure works are integrated into the programme and design sequence.
What We Cover
- Design & Trade Coordination: Clashing IDs before site, managing M&E interfaces to prevent access conflicts.
- Programme Integration: Logical dependencies for installation sequences.
- Commissioning & Defects: Structured testing handovers and rectification period management.
Training & Workshops
Knowledge gaps on site lead to missed notices and lost entitlement. We deliver hands-on training using real scenarios, not just textbook theory.
What We Cover
- Contract Awareness: JCT, NEC, and FIDIC provisions for site/commercial teams.
- Procedures Workshops: Application of early warnings, relevant events, or FIDIC sub-clause claims.
- Payment & Dispute Avoidance: Payment rights under Construction Act and record-keeping best practices.
