Contract Administration has a crucial role to play when we consider the quality of delivery on any project. We undertake this role on the majority of our projects, giving both the client and contractor a genuine guarantee and a level of comfort in knowing that any issues that may arise will be handled by a knowledgeable practice, capable of swift decision-making and settlement. We are regarded as a Contract Administration specialist, a reputation established over years of providing uncompromising attention to detail, combined with honesty, integrity, and transparency in our approach to project delivery.

Our dedicated team of fully trained administrators acts as the fulcrum of the relationship between client and contractor. The role we play is one of assurance, as both parties are assured the highest level of professional service, expansive technical knowledge, and in-depth project understanding from the outset.

The particular conditions of contracts used in the construction industry are often subject to change, and this can lead to ambiguities on which party a particular risk has been allocated to. This can, in turn, lead to disputes between parties, resulting in claims for time and cost, and ultimately avoidable delays in project completion.  

We make it our business to be aware of the latest edition of each form of contract and to be well-positioned to provide professional advice on which form is best suited to the preferred procurement strategy. 

Our understanding of contracts extends to ensuring any proposed clause amendments do not have a knock-on effect resulting in ambiguities, contradictions in the allocation of risk and disputes further down the line. We ensure the terms of engagement and the allocation of risk and responsibilities are clearly defined, fair and reasonable for all parties.  

Ultimately, our involvement in an administration capacity provides project clarity and understanding across the board. In our experience, one of the most common issues arising relating to contracts is when one of the concerned parties believes a provision is accounted for within the contract when this is, in fact, not the case. Other common problems can include material/construction delays caused by weather, cost issues or disputes on the provisions of the contract. We pride ourselves on ensuring all contractual obligations are met, and resolving contractual disputes quickly to ensure no delay to programme. 

As the contract administrator, our in-house legal team takes involvement in some key areas of the construction phases, all of which are related to contracts. Some of these include: assisting with tender process, preparation of all contracts and ensuring all documents are signed and agreed prior to construction, reviewing all documentation, review of claims, resolving disputes, advising on applications with local authorities, tracking progress of construction, and monitoring the building during the defects liability period to ensure that corrective actions are taken.

We have previously performed the contract administration role on a selection of some of the most complex and involved projects in architecture, and our ability to resolve with transparency any contractual issues that may arise continues to benefit projects today.