Contractual documents
This article lists the documents that are commonly required by or referred to in a construction contract. See also Contract documents for a list of the documents setting out the obligations and responsibilities of the parties to the contract on a traditionally-procured, fully-designed construction project,
In some cases, different contracts may use different names for the same document. Where this is the case, alternative names are shown.
- Application for payment (see Fair payment practices)
- Architect's instruction / contract administrator's instruction
- Bill of quantities
- Building log book
- Building owner's manual / operation and maintenance manual (O&M manual)
- Building users guide
- Certificate of making good defects / certificate of making good
- Collateral warranty
- Construction phase plan
- Contract sum analysis
- Contractors master programme
- Contractors proposals
- Default payment notice (see Fair payment practices)
- Contract drawings
- Design documents
- Employers requirements
- Final account
- Final certificate
- Health and safety file
- Information release schedule
- Insurance
- Interim certificate
- Joint fire code
- Method statement
- Pay less notice (see Fair payment practices)
- Payment notice (see Fair payment practices)
- Practical completion certificate / substantial completion certificate
- Preliminaries
- Risk assessment
- Schedule of defects
- Schedule of work
- Site waste management plan
- Specification
NB: A pre-contract meeting is likely to take place after the contractor has been appointed but before work commences on site. This is an opportunity to for the project team to meet (perhaps for the first time) and to plan the construction stage. The minutes of the pre-contract meeting may form part of contract documents (for all procurement routes) subject to the agreement of both parties.
See Pre-contract meeting for more information.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Bills of quantities.
- Construction contract.
- Contract conditions.
- Contract documents.
- Contractors proposals.
- Contract sum analysis.
- Employers requirements.
- Form of tender.
- Information release schedule.
- Performance bond.
- Pre-contract meeting.
- Procurement route.
- Schedules of work.
- Specifications.
- Tender.
- Tender documents.
Featured articles and news
HSE simplified advice for installers of stone worktops
After company fined for repeatedly failing to protect workers.
Co-located with 10th year of UK Construction Week.
How orchards can influence planning and development.
Time for knapping, no time for napping
Decorative split stone square patterns in facades.
A practical guide to the use of flint in design and architecture.
Designing for neurodiversity: driving change for the better
Accessible inclusive design translated into reality.
RIBA detailed response to Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 report
Briefing notes following its initial 4 September response.
Approved Document B: Fire Safety from March
Current and future changes with historical documentation.
A New Year, a new look for BSRIA
As phase 1 of the BSRIA Living Laboratory is completed.
A must-attend event for the architecture industry.
Caroline Gumble to step down as CIOB CEO in 2025
After transformative tenure take on a leadership role within the engineering sector.
RIDDOR and the provisional statistics for 2023 / 2024
Work related deaths; over 50 percent from construction and 50 percent recorded as fall from height.
Solar PV company fined for health and safety failure
Work at height not properly planned and failure to take suitable steps to prevent a fall.
The term value when assessing the viability of developments
Consultation on the compulsory purchase process, compensation reforms and potential removal of hope value.
Trees are part of the history of how places have developed.