Updates · Explainers · How-tos
Construction law updates and explainers
New rules, court decisions and contract updates that matter to builders and clients, explained clearly and checked against official sources.
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Latest posts
Are construction retentions being banned? The late payments bill explained
What the proposed ban on cash retentions and new late payment rules would mean, and where the bill stands.
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How to write a valid pay less notice
What a pay less notice must say, when to serve it and the mistakes that make it invalid.
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Payment notice vs pay less notice: what’s the difference?
Who serves each notice, when, what it must say and what happens if one is missed.
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JCT 2024: what changed, and what it means for your next contract
The key changes in the JCT 2024 Edition: building safety, new relevant events, email notices and design liability.
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Smash-and-grab adjudication explained
Why missing a notice can cost a payer the full applied-for sum, and how true value adjudications work.
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How to claim an extension of time
Notices, evidence, programmes and concurrent delay: how to secure an extension of time.
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Liquidated damages in construction contracts
How LDs work, when they can be deducted, the penalty rule, caps and termination.
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Can a court order you to mediate a building dispute?
How Churchill and the October 2024 rule changes let courts order mediation, and what it means for you.
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What is practical completion?
What the courts say practical completion means, and what it triggers for both sides.
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Construction variations: instructing, pricing and getting paid
What counts as a variation, how to instruct and value it, and avoiding disputes over extras.
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The Arbitration Act 2025: what changes for construction disputes
The key changes in the Arbitration Act 2025 for construction contracts and disputes.
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JCT Minor Works vs Intermediate: which should you use?
Size, complexity, design and administration: choosing between Minor Works and Intermediate.
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JCT vs NEC: which construction contract is right for you?
Language, project management, risk, payment and change compared across JCT and NEC4.
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Collateral warranties explained
Who needs collateral warranties, step-in rights, third party rights and the 2024 Supreme Court decision.
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URS v BDW: why defects from decades ago can still cost you
What the Supreme Court decided in URS v BDW and what it means for designers, builders and developers.
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The Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) explained
Registration, deduction rates, monthly returns, gross payment status and reverse charge VAT.
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Builder gone bust? What contractor insolvency means for you
Termination, unpaid sums, retention and adjudication when a contractor or client becomes insolvent.
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How long is a builder liable for defects?
Rectification periods, contract and negligence time limits, and the Defective Premises Act.
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The Party Wall Act: a guide for owners and builders
Which works need notice, notice periods, the 14-day rule, surveyors and awards.
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Building Regulations dutyholders explained
Client, principal designer and principal contractor duties, competence and domestic clients.
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