FIDIC Contract

Our experienced team regularly advises on the drafting and negotiating of, and disputes that relate to, FIDIC contracts.  FIDIC (Fédération Internationale des Ingénieurs-Conseils) is a French acronym for the International Federation of Consulting Engineers. The Federation was originally founded in 1913 by France, Belgium and Switzerland.  The UK joined in 1949. The first edition of the FIDIC suite of contracts was introduced in 1957. They have since become the most widely used standard form of construction contract in the world.

There are several types of FIDIC contracts, each designed for different types of construction projects.

The most commonly used types are:

1. FIDIC (new) Red Book/Conditions of Contract for Construction for Building and Engineering 3: This is the standard form of contract for construction projects involving the design and build of buildings and other structures. It is used for projects where the contractor is responsible for the design and construction of the project.
2. FIDIC Yellow Book/Conditions of Contract for Plant and Design-Build for Electrical and Mechanical Plant and for Building and Engineering Works, Designed by the Contractor: The standard form of contract for construction projects involving the supply and installation of plant and machinery. It is used for projects where the contractor is responsible for the design, manufacture and installation of the plant and machinery.
3. FIDIC Silver Book/Conditions of Contract for EPC/Turnkey Projects: A standard form of contract for turnkey projects, where the contractor is responsible for the design, construction and commissioning of the project. It is used for projects where the client wants a single point of responsibility for the entire project.
4. FIDIC Gold Book/Contractor’s Design: This is a contract where the design is undertaken by the Contractor, who also assumes responsibility for the construction and operation of the Works.
5. FIDIC Green Book/Short Form of Contract: The Green Book is intended for low-risk projects where a simple to use contract is appropriate and where there is no significant contract administration. This form of contract may be appropriate for repetitive works of a short duration and where the value of the works does not exceed $500,000.

FIDIC contracts are recognised and used internationally, making them ideal for projects that involve parties from different countries.

Ridgemont has extensive experience in drafting and negotiating FIDIC contracts. Our team of construction law experts provide expert advice on all aspects of FIDIC contracts. We pride ourselves on our ability to provide practical and commercially sound advice, helping our clients to achieve their objectives in a cost-effective and timely manner.

Get in touch

Get in touch using the contact form below, calling us on 0204 579 8686 or emailing us at contactus@ridgemont.co. 

Why Ridgemont?

Ridgemont’s team is made up of expert senior solicitors, all of whom previously worked in “Big Law” (i.e. the top 50 law firms in the UK).

We provide bespoke advice tailored to your needs.  Our advice is commercial and pragmatic, enabling you to use it effectively to make business decisions.

We have an expert understanding of construction law. We can guide you through the maze of FIDIC contracts. 

We are user-friendly.  Our lawyers speak in plain English, providing service levels akin to “Big Law”. We have built our processes to make onboarding as pain-free as possible. Our fee earner structure means that you have access to a partner-level solicitor at all times and they will always be on top of your matter.

We operate our business in an ethical way.  That means we think about what the “right thing to do” is when making a business decision.  As an example, we do not charge a default unit of time for incoming emails or letters as we think we ought to be paid for work done, not for merely receiving correspondence. We are also open and transparent on what we charge, meaning our clients never receive a surprising invoice.

We provide “Big Law” service levels and quality of advice, with expert senior solicitors providing commercial, pragmatic advice. Necessarily, that does not come cheap as we have to invest in great lawyers and everything they need to do their job. However, due to us having comparatively lower overheads to “Big Law” firms, we are able to charge less than they would for providing the same service levels and advice.

We are proactive in finding innovative ways to advise our clients in a cost proportionate way.

Who we act for?

We act for developers, contractors, sub-contractors, professionals and investors across a range of sectors from residential to retail.

Your journey with us

1. Get in touch using the contact form below, calling us on 0203 909 9590 or emailing us at contactus@ridgemont.co
2. We guarantee that we will be in touch with you the same day to listen to your needs and to explain how we can help and the likely cost.
3. Assuming you wish to engage us, we will then onboard you as a client, which normally takes a matter of hours.
4. From there, you will be assigned an experienced solicitor who will have conduct of your matter from cradle to grave and be available to speak to you and responsive to emails at every juncture.

You can learn more about our journey by watching these videos.