Construction contract basics for contractors

Short answer

A contractor contract should define the parties and licence details, the scope and exclusions, price and payment schedule, change order procedure, schedule and delay terms, hidden condition handling, warranty, insurance, termination rights and dispute resolution. Have a local attorney review your template once; use it every time.

Clauses that earn their keep

These are the ones contractors most often wish they had included.

• Scope by reference to the signed estimate, with exclusions listed
• Payment schedule with due dates, late fees and suspension rights
• Change order procedure requiring written approval before work
• Hidden condition clause with stated unit rates
• Delay clause covering weather, client decisions and material lead times
• Material price escalation for long-lead or volatile items
• Warranty scope and duration, and what voids it
• Insurance responsibilities for both parties
• Termination for convenience and for cause, with payment for work done
• Dispute resolution and governing jurisdiction

Attach the estimate, do not retype it

Reference the signed estimate as an exhibit so the scope in the contract and the scope you priced cannot drift apart.

Client-caused delay

Selections made late, access refused and decisions deferred all cost you money. A clause that grants schedule extension and, where appropriate, standby cost turns a silent loss into a documented one.

How WinkScope handles it

WinkScope stores your company default terms, allows project-specific terms to override them on a single estimate, attaches terms to the client-facing document, and records e-signature with a timestamped audit trail of who accepted and when.

Frequently asked questions