The contract is in front of me and I don't know what I'm agreeing to

The document sets the rules for payment, changes and risk, yet the practical effect of its terms is still unclear.

01The budget set

02The quotes compared

03The team appointed

04The agreements signed

You are here: The contract is ready to sign; its terms need to be understood first.

What's happening?

A building contract connects the quote, drawings, payment arrangements and programme, then sets what happens when those documents or the work change. A short form can still incorporate schedules and standard terms, so reading only the signature page does not show the whole agreement.

Before signing, it helps to identify the documents it relies on, the payment and change process, and the clauses that allocate responsibility. A commercial review can explain those mechanics and identify questions; where wording needs legal interpretation or legal force, a solicitor is the appropriate adviser.

The solution

Read the agreement with its attachments and turn the unclear points into questions before signing.

Contract Selection & Review

Risk mitigationFixed FeeFor Self Builders5 working days

The building contract chosen to fit your build and read properly before you sign it: what you are promising to pay and when, what happens when things change, what cover actually sits behind the builder, and which clauses decide who carries each risk.

See how it works

Contract Review Checklist

Twenty-five questions to answer about a building contract before you sign it, each from the document rather than from what you were told.

See the template

If you would rather it were done for you, Contract Selection & Review is the service that does it.