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BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION SOLICITORS

Legal support that keeps the project on programme

We act for contractors, subcontractors, developers and trades across the UK, keeping your contracts, payments and people in order so the work on site is not held up by the paperwork behind it. A fixed monthly fee, with no hourly billing.

Assess your legal risk
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COMMON PROBLEMS IN CONSTRUCTION

The problems that bring construction businesses to us

Construction disputes are rarely about whether the work was done. They are about what the contract said, what was recorded at the time, and who carried the risk of the thing that changed. These are the six situations we are asked about most, and what each one turns on.

The site diary decides more construction disputes than the contract does. By the time we are instructed the question is usually what can be evidenced rather than what was agreed.

James Conning

Commercial Solicitor, Lawyerly

Portrait photo

James Conning

Commercial Solicitor, Lawyerly

Work started on a letter of intent Letters of intent are meant to be short-lived and to cap the spend. Work that runs past the cap leaves both parties without agreed terms on delay, defects, variations or payment, at precisely the point they are needed.
A payment application was not paid or not answered The Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 sets the payment and pay-less notice regime. A notice missed or served late can make the sum applied for the notified sum, so the timetable matters more than the merits.
The programme slipped and both sides blame the other Extensions of time, concurrent delay and liquidated damages. What can be recovered depends heavily on the notices given at the time rather than the arguments assembled afterwards.
Retention has not come back Release on practical completion and at the end of the defects liability period, and what becomes of retention held further up the chain if a party there becomes insolvent.
The building is higher risk than the team assumed Buildings of at least eighteen metres or seven storeys with two or more residential units fall inside the Building Safety Act 2022 gateway regime, with dutyholder and competence duties that sit alongside the CDM Regulations 2015. The Building Safety Regulator has been a standalone body since January 2026.
A subcontractor turns out not to be self-employed Status is judged on how the work is actually run rather than the label in the contract, and it drives tax, holiday pay and who carries liability. The decisions that get tested were usually made on site.
OUR LEGAL EXPERTISE

We understand the business behind the build

A main contractor, a specialist subcontractor and a small developer face different legal questions. We act across the construction sector and shape our advice to the way you win work, deliver it and are paid for it.

  • Main contractors and builders

    General contractors, house builders, refurbishment and fit-out specialists working under JCT, NEC and bespoke forms.

  • Specialist subcontractors and trades

    Mechanical and electrical, groundworks, roofing, joinery, glazing and the trades that make up the supply chain.

  • Developers and property investors

    Residential and commercial developers, self-build clients and investors procuring works on their own sites.

  • Consultants and design professionals

    Architects, engineers, surveyors and project managers appointed on professional terms.

  • Suppliers and plant hire

    Merchants, manufacturers, plant and equipment hire and the supply agreements that sit behind every programme.

LEGAL SERVICES FOR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESSES

Take care of the legal side of every project

From day-to-day contract work to the questions particular to construction, our solicitors work alongside you so that your business is protected, your payments arrive and your projects finish without a dispute.

  • Construction contracts

    JCT and NEC reviews and amendments, bespoke building contracts, subcontracts, appointments, letters of intent and collateral warranties.

  • Payment and the Construction Act

    Payment mechanisms, applications, payment and pay less notices, retentions, final accounts and statutory interest on late payment.

  • Variations, delay and extensions of time

    Variation procedures, delay notices, extension of time claims, liquidated damages and the records that support each of them.

  • Workforce, subcontractors and CIS

    Employment contracts, labour-only subcontractor terms, agency arrangements, employment status, the Construction Industry Scheme and site policies.

  • Health, safety and building safety

    CDM 2015 appointments and duties, Building Safety Act obligations, method statements, risk assessment frameworks and HSE correspondence.

  • Supply and plant hire agreements

    Merchant terms, supply agreements, plant and equipment hire, retention of title and delivery and defects provisions.

  • Debt recovery and dispute resolution

    Unpaid applications and final accounts, defects and workmanship disputes and disagreements with clients, subcontractors and suppliers, resolved directly with the other party rather than through the courts.

  • Business structure and growth

    Company structure, shareholders' agreements, joint ventures on larger schemes, acquisitions of trade businesses and succession planning.

Legal risk check

Is your construction business legally protected?

Our solicitors built this check around what a solid legal setup looks like for a construction business: the foundations they put in place and the gaps they fix. Answer honestly and you will see where yours stands and where it needs strengthening.

About 3 minutes · Confidential

Your result

Where you are exposed

    The full report shows your score in each area, every gap with why it matters, and what to fix first.

    Your full report

    Unlock your full report

    A few details about the business and the report opens here, with every area scored and what to fix first.

    Preparing your full report

    Your full report

    Breakdown by area

    Next step

    Ready to act on this?

    A focused conversation with one of our founders about your priority gaps, a remediation plan you can act on, and fixed fees agreed up front.

    Where to focus first

    From your answers, these are the highest-impact gaps to address. Items tagged critical are the ones most likely to turn into a claim, a penalty or a lost customer.

      Section by section

      Your answers, your score, and why each area matters. Items with a marker are gaps worth attention.

      Now that you have the full picture, the next step is a short call to agree what to fix first.

      This report is generated from your self-reported answers and provides general information only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. The regulatory landscape in this area is evolving rapidly. For advice specific to your circumstances, please speak with a qualified solicitor. © Lawyerly Ltd.

      CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

      What our clients say about working with us

      4.8 on Google

      A fresh approach. Exceptional value.

      A fresh approach to legal services. They've guided us through multiple planned and reactive cases for our business. Exceptional turnaround times and great value for money.

      Kerry Power Client Relations, Pantheon Property Services
      CONTACT US

      Talk to us about your construction business

      Book a complimentary consultation with our team. We will take the time to understand how you win work, deliver it and are paid, and explain how we can support you.

      Willem van der Merwe

      Co-Founder

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