HOME RENOVATION AND BUILDING WORKS CONTRACT
Important jurisdiction and formalities warning
This fictional contract is an educational example, not legal advice and not a universally valid building agreement. In England and Wales, consumer rights, planning permission, building regulations, party-wall obligations, construction health and safety, insurance, payment rules and any lender or freeholder consent may apply. The scope, price and risk should be reviewed by an appropriate professional, and specialist work must be performed by competent and properly registered contractors where required. A written contract cannot remove rights that the law makes mandatory.
1. Parties and project
This Contract is made on 3 November 2026 between Clara Josephine Morris, of 16 Beechcroft Road, Harpenden AL5 2RN (the Homeowner), and Oakline Renovations Limited, a company registered in England and Wales with its office at 4 Forge Street, Luton LU1 2QF, company number 12864017 (the Contractor).
The works concern 16 Beechcroft Road, Harpenden AL5 2RN. The Contractor supplies labour, tools and specified materials; the Homeowner supplies listed appliances. The specification dated 28 October 2026, quotation dated 30 October 2026 and drawings by Mara Ellison RIBA form part of this Contract.
2. Works and standard
The works are a rear single-storey kitchen extension, removal of the existing lean-to, renewal of kitchen plumbing and electrics, installation of roof lights, insulation, plastering, flooring and internal decoration. The Contractor will cooperate with the Homeowner’s planning adviser. No work requiring planning permission, listed-building consent, building-control approval or party-wall agreement may start until the responsible person confirms that the required approval or notice is in place.
The Contractor will carry out the works with reasonable care and skill, in accordance with the specification, approved drawings, manufacturer instructions and applicable law. It will protect the occupied house, keep the site reasonably tidy, remove waste lawfully and reduce dust, noise and damage. Sub-contractors for gas, electrical installation, asbestos-related work or other regulated activity must be competent and appropriately qualified.
3. Price and payment
The contract price is £86,400, inclusive of described materials, labour and VAT at the quotation’s rate. It excludes only written variations, statutory fees allocated to the Homeowner and approved hazardous-material removal under clause 5.
The Homeowner will pay £8,640 on signing, £17,280 after foundations pass inspection, £21,600 when weather-tight, £21,600 after first-fix services and plastering, and £17,280 after practical completion and clause 8 documents. The Contractor must issue an itemised invoice; genuinely disputed sums may be withheld while undisputed sums are paid. Payment is not acceptance of defective work.
4. Programme and access
The Contractor will start on 16 November 2026 and aims for practical completion by 26 February 2027, subject to agreed variations, severe weather, delayed approvals, concealed conditions or another cause beyond reasonable control. It will provide and update a written fortnightly programme.
The Homeowner will provide weekday access between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and reasonable arrangements for water, electricity and secure material storage. The Contractor must not enter outside those hours without consent except to protect the site from an emergency. Neither party guarantees uninterrupted access or utility supply.
5. Variations and concealed conditions
No variation is chargeable unless the parties sign a written description stating the change, price or pricing method and effect on the programme. The Contractor must warn the Homeowner promptly if a proposed instruction appears to affect safety, approval, cost or time. The Homeowner must not instruct a sub-contractor directly about the Contractor’s work.
If the Contractor discovers asbestos, unstable ground, an unrecorded service, structural movement or another materially different condition, it must stop affected work, make the area safe and provide photographs and a quotation. The parties will agree a variation before proceeding where practicable. The Contractor remains responsible for damage caused by its failure to investigate or protect the site.
6. Insurance, safety and responsibility
The Contractor will maintain public liability insurance of at least £5 million, legally required employers’ liability insurance, and cover for plant and materials until practical completion, providing evidence on request. The Homeowner will maintain buildings insurance and notify the insurer if required.
The Contractor controls site safety, risk assessments, competent supervision and lawful disposal. It must secure the site, keep children and visitors away from hazards and report an incident promptly. Each party is responsible for loss caused by its negligence, breach or unlawful act. Nothing in this Contract excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.
7. Completion and defects
Practical completion occurs when the works are substantially complete and safe for intended use, apart from minor items that do not materially prevent occupation. The parties will list outstanding items for completion within a reasonable period. The Contractor will provide keys, warranties, certificates, manuals, inspection records and relevant waste-transfer information.
The Contractor will investigate notified defects during the twelve-month defects period and remedy non-compliant work within a reasonable time. This does not limit statutory rights or a longer manufacturer warranty. The Homeowner must give reasonable access and allow inspection before appointing another contractor, except for urgent safety or damage prevention.
8. Suspension, termination and disputes
Either party may give written notice requiring remedy of a material breach. The Homeowner may terminate for abandonment, loss of required insurance, insolvency or failure to remedy; the Contractor may suspend or terminate for persistent non-payment of an undisputed amount after notice. On termination, the Contractor must secure the site and provide paid-for materials and documents; the parties will value work and losses under applicable law.
The parties will meet within seven days of a written dispute notice and then consider an independent surveyor or mediation. Nothing prevents urgent relief, preservation of evidence or a claim subject to a legal time limit. The intended governing law is the law of England and Wales, subject to mandatory consumer and construction law and the jurisdiction of the competent court or tribunal.
Signatures
Clara Josephine Morris, Homeowner
Signature: ____________________ Date: 3 November 2026
For Oakline Renovations Limited
Name: Harvey Daniel Price, Director
Signature: ____________________ Date: 3 November 2026
Witness to the Homeowner’s signature: Iris Naomi Kent, 9 Willowbank Close, Harpenden AL5 2RT
Signature: ____________________ Date: 3 November 2026