Non-contentious construction law

Building sites are a permanent fixture on the British landscape and behind the scenes on every project, construction solicitors carry out the necessary work to ensure the building project is completed with all the essential due diligence, conditions and funding correctly in place.

Michael Gerard Solicitors work with developers, funders, contractors and sub-contractors to ensure all aspects of the legalities are adhered to on projects including:

  • Housing developments
  • Retail and housing developments
  • Mixed-use developments
  • Energy and renewables
  • Infrastructure

Some of the areas we can help with include:

Contract drafting and contract review

Ensuring there is a fit-for-purpose contract at the outset lays the foundations for a smooth process and offers protection should another party raise an issue further along the process. Furthermore, as the contract is the foundation of a successful building project, we will review all contracts that our clients are required to sign and identify any problems, and negotiating to resolve any potential issues before the client makes a commitment in writing. As contractual relationships can be complex within the construction industry, this is a crucially important part of the process.

Risk assessment

All building projects have important obligations to those who work on them. These are set out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Many building projects also fall under the remit of the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015 (CDM). We can help you with the following aspects of ensuring full compliance with CDM:

  • Notifications – F10s
  • Maintenance
  • Principal designer (PD)
  • Small builder
  • Construction phase plan (CPP)
  • Self-build
  • Miscellaneous

Corporate and commercial support

By their nature, building projects involve complex contractual arrangements between large numbers of stakeholders. For this reason, issues during the process are often a fact of life. As well as advising on the routine requirements, Michael Gerard Solicitors can also provide expert support with any business or trading issues that may crop up, such as:

  • Mitigation of risk.
  • Identification of onerous terms.
  • Contract assessment.
  • Trading stabilisation.
  • Cash flow improvement.
  • Debt collection.

Procurement advice

Agreeing who is responsible for various aspects of a construction project and then formalising this in a contract is a key part of any construction project. We can advise clients on the appropriate procurement routes for the project they are involved with, ensuring they undertake due diligence for parts of the project they are responsible for sourcing resources and materials for – and  that they are not made liable for any areas they should not be responsible for.

Non-contentious construction solicitors

Michael Gerard Solicitors can support clients in every aspect of their contractual obligations in order to facilitate a smooth and successful building project. In situations where issues do arise, we are also highly experienced in all aspects of contentious construction law.

For more information, please call us on 01858 414 290 or alternatively, send us a message.