QS support
Contract reviews & notices
Understand the commercial terms before you commit. We highlight the clauses affecting scope, payment, programme, design and notices, with practical actions for your team.
We agree the scope and fee before work starts.
What you get
- Key risks and proposed actions in a readable review
- A clear list of deadlines and notice requirements
- A brief the project team can use during delivery
What to send
Proposed subcontract, amendments, scope, programme and any clarifications. Tell us the acceptance deadline.
Include the project, contract and any approaching deadline.
More about this service and useful working sheets
The cheapest commercial problem is the one removed before order.
Main-contractor amendments can shift design, programme, payment, insurance and loss exposure well beyond the standard form. A review should do more than repeat clauses; it should show what to negotiate and what the project team must manage if the wording remains.
For wider procurement and appointment decisions, explore QSEC procurement and contract strategy.
We produce a concise risk schedule, recommended amendments and a practical project brief after terms are agreed.
Commercial terms viewed as one connected risk.
The contract-review scope is matched to contract value, complexity and deadlines. Common focus areas include:
Scope and design
Document hierarchy, fitness obligations, design development, discrepancies and responsibility gaps.
Programme and delay
Start conditions, completion, notices, extensions of time, acceleration and liquidated damages.
Payment
Applications, notices, set-off, retention, vesting, payment periods and final-date mechanisms.
Change
Instruction authority, notification, valuation, quotation procedures and time-bar exposure.
Liability
Indemnities, caps, consequential loss, warranties, insurance and third-party obligations.
Termination and suspension
Trigger events, notice steps, payment consequences and rights on insolvency or default.
Decision-ready review
- Executive risk summary
- Red / amber / green clause schedule
- Plain-English commercial impact
- Proposed amendment wording or negotiation point
- List of outstanding contract documents
Project control brief
- Payment and notice calendar
- Instruction and change route
- Programme obligations
- Records the team must maintain
- Escalation and approval responsibilities
Say the right thing, through the right route, at the right time.
A notice should preserve the position without unnecessary heat. We help connect the contract requirement to the facts, effect and action requested.
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How quickly can a contract be reviewed?
Timescale depends on length, amendments, project value and urgency. We will confirm the agreed scope and return date before work starts and flag any immediate signature or mobilisation risk.
Do you review purchase orders and framework call-offs?
Yes. The operative terms may sit across a framework, order, task order, scope, amendments and referenced main-contract provisions. The review identifies which documents actually apply and any conflicts between them.
Can you negotiate terms directly?
We can prepare and discuss commercial amendments within the agreed authority. Matters requiring legal advice are referred to your solicitor, with the commercial issue clearly framed.
Can you draft a notice after an event has happened?
Yes, but timing and prior correspondence matter. We first review the clause, chronology and what has already been communicated, then advise on the strongest accurate response still available.
Know which clauses need changing – and which need managing.
Use subcontractor contract reviews before risk becomes a dispute
First, we identify amendments and obligations that change the standard position. Next, we explain the payment process, notice periods, design exposure, programme duties and important exclusions. Therefore, your team can decide what to qualify, negotiate or manage before the order and live records drift apart.
The subcontractor contract reviews service works best when it connects to the wider job records. You can draft and check a notice or request a contract review for the next practical step.
Use The Working Sheet For This Task
Work through scope, payment, change, programme and risk before you sign.
Download the Subcontract Review Checklist (Excel)
Record the notice dates, owner, service route and proof required by your signed subcontract.
Download the Notice & Deadline Register (Excel)
Each Excel link takes you to the matching sheet preview. Enter your work email to download, replace the example entries and start using the file on your job. Marketing is optional.