History of JCT Construction Contracts

We are specialist construction lawyers that regularly provide advice in relation to standard form construction contracts.  A common type of standard form construction contract is the JCT suite of contracts.  JCT means “Joint Contracts Tribunal”.  The suite was first developed in the 1930s by a leading group of industry bodies.  Since then, the suite has been regularly updated and expanded.

JCT contracts attempt to provide a comprehensive framework for construction projects.  However, often they need amending to fit with a specific project or to ensure that an Employer’s or Contractor’s interests are protected.  Relying on the bare JCT contract can often be a mistake.

There are many different forms of JCT contract.  The most commonly used are:

1. JCT Standard Building Contract – this is the most widely used form of JCT contract, intended to be used for construction of a new build or the refurbishment of an existing property.
2. JCT Design & Build Contract – this contract is intended to be used where the Contractor is responsible for both the design and implementation of the works. It is often used for complex or bespoke projects.
3. JCT Minor Works Contract – this contract is intended for minor construction works and refurbishments.
4. JCT Construction Management Contract – Intended for larger, more complex construction projects, where the Employer instructs a Construction Manager to manage the project on their behalf.
5. JCT Framework Agreement – this is an agreement that sets out the terms and conditions for a series of individual construction contracts.

Each form of JCT contract has distinct clauses and provisions that are intended to cover the issues that would arise on the type of works anticipated by the contract.

Get in touch

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

If you are an Employer, Contractor or Sub-Contractor, and considering using a JCT contract, then it is important to take specialist legal advice from experienced construction lawyers.  We can guide you through the process of identifying the most suitable form of contract and tailoring it to your needs.

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 JCT 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.