Construction and Engineering projects

Building contracts

We advise building contractors on all forms of building contracts – JCT, NEC3, ICC, PPC etc - and ancillary documents including performance bonds, guarantees, escrow security deeds and warranties / third party rights notices. Whether it’s partnering, full risk transfer, design control or commissioning a series of works under a framework, we know what to do. 

Managing contract risk

If you are involved in public sector tendering, our experience in waste, leisure, defence, schools and hospitals will help you to bid for projects. Whether it is a single review for a restricted procedure bid, or an ongoing competitive dialogue, we can help you manage contract risk in a way that helps win the job.    

We advise subcontractors in the supply chain on contractual risk, often created by a chain of contracts being passed down by reference to each other, with a series of additional terms appended that can repeat or conflict. We can write those contracts, review them or challenge them.

Construction and Engineering Disputes

Our Construction and Engineering specialists are the preferred choice for many purchasers of legal services involved with construction and engineering projects.

We are well-versed in dealing with all manner of disputes that can arise, whether that be challenging or defending disputes relating to the construction of terms, interim and final accounts, extensions of time, loss and expense, termination scenarios, defects, professional negligence claims and enforcing those decisions. We are also often instructed to provide early guidance with potential disputes, to ensure that necessary steps have been followed to help ensure a successful outcome with any later construction and engineering dispute. 

We are specialists in all construction and engineering dispute resolution processes including adjudication, arbitration, claims in the Technology and Construction Courts, expert determination, negotiation and mediation, with team members being qualified adjudicators, arbitrators, and accredited mediators. Knowing when to settle and move on is part of our remit.

Party wall knowledge

We have specialist party wall knowledge, being members of the industry steering group.

Ultimately if you need to go to court, which is rare but sometimes important to protect your business, we will know when to start that process and how to handle it to facilitate a successful conclusion. 

Engineering contracts

Contract for systems and plant require detailed on the job testing pre and post completion, with KPIs and damages linked to the results of that testing. We advise on engineering contracts and any associated disputes – particularly civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, chemical, highways and infrastructure engineering – under NEC3, MF/1, ICC contracts etc. Statutory adjudication does not just apply to buildings – we can obtain quick decisions for seemingly intractable disputes.

Industry experience

We work closely with professionals in the industry so that we know the latest news and can recommend technical advisors. In fact we offer a fixed price service for advising surveyors, architects and engineers on proposed professional appointment agreements, whether you have received a bespoke agreement from another lawyer or the standard RIBA / RICS / ACE / NEC3 PSC documents have been amended. That advice exceeds standard “free” insurance bolt-ons offered to professionals, thereby giving you the tools to protect your business from a commercial, legal and insurance perspective.