Agreements, payment terms and project tracking

01 · Agreement set

The signature page is not the whole contract.

Keep the commercial and technical documents aligned. State which document governs when two requirements conflict.

• Scope and exclusions
• Drawings, specifications and priced schedule
• Responsibility and consultant matrix
• Baseline programme and milestones
• Payment, retention and security terms
• Insurance, safety and statutory responsibility
• Change, delay, suspension and termination
• Testing, handover and defects

02 · Payments

Connect money to verified progress.

Design payments can follow accepted deliverables. Construction payments can follow jointly recorded measurements or objectively complete milestones. Avoid unsupported percentage demands and a front-loaded schedule that removes leverage before critical work is verified.

• Invoice reference and covered period
• Measurement or milestone evidence
• Approved material and work status
• Deductions, retention and previous payments
• Tax and statutory records
• Certification and payment dates

03 · Variations

Approve the effect before the work.

Number every proposed change. Record who requested it, why, drawings or specification affected, price, tax, programme impact and status. Keep proposed and approved variation registers separate so an idea does not become an accidental instruction.

04 · Tracking and handover

Track decisions, not just photographs.

A homeowner record should show planned versus actual progress, decisions due, material approvals, inspections, tests, payments, delays, changes and unresolved defects. Handover should include as-built information, warranties, manuals, test records, statutory documents, keys and a dated snag close-out.

• Baseline and look-ahead programme
• Drawing and decision register
• Site diary and progress photographs
• Material, test and inspection records
• Payment and variation register
• Snag, defects and handover register