Blog

JCT Interviews…Carys Rowlands

In this series we shed some light on some of the key people who are involved with or give their time to support JCT, to ensure that all areas of the construction industry are represented and can contribute to the development of our contracts. We will look at how our interviewees contribute to JCT specifically, and gain their views on JCT’s wider role within the industry. Head of Professional Standards, RIBA Member, JCT Council, RIBA Representative Alternate, JCT Board Carys Rowlands is Head of Professional…

Chair’s Letter: Might Building Performance Become Contractual?

Blog Author: Richard Saxon, CBE At present, building contracts are designed to manage the completion of a capital project on budget, on time and without defects, dealing with failures should they arise. The new situation, driven by concern for climate change and for occupant safety, is that buildings must also perform as promised, over time. The reality today is that buildings are designed only to meet capital budgets, with little concern shown for the lifecycle costs which usually exceed capital costs. They are also designed…

Build and Create Your JCT Contracts Online with JCT Construct

Out now, JCT’s new digital service, JCT Construct, is a contract drafting system with advanced editing features, enabling you to create and amend your JCT contracts in a secure, flexible, and easy to use online environment. The system enables the editing of the JCT contract text itself, so that you can add your own amendments, clauses, or other customised text. This works alongside an intuitive Q&A process so that you can be guided through filling in your contract easily and comprehensively. Each time progress is…

St George’s College, Weybridge

The activity centre at St George’s College, Weybridge, was built to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the 1,000-pupil co-ed school. It places the needs of its students and the local community at its heart, with strong sustainable credentials and a number of modern features. Extensive use of VR in the design provided vital stakeholder engagement. A JCT Design and Build Contract was the contract solution. Design by Scott Brownrigg, with Blenheim House Construction as the main contractor, the new activity centre at St George’s college,…

Are Milestone Payments an Adequate Payment Mechanism in Construction Contracts?

Blog Author: Martin Ewen – Fenwick Elliott In the recent case of Bennett (Construction) Limited v CIMC MBS Limited (formerly Verbus Systems Limited)¹ Court of Appeal considered whether milestone payments in a construction contract constituted an adequate mechanism for payment in terms of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, as amended (“the Act”). Martin Ewen explains more. Facts Bennett contracted to Verbus the design, supply and installation of 78 prefabricated modular bedroom units for a new hotel in London. The units were to…

Contracting for Offsite Construction

Blog Author: Peter Hibberd Offsite construction of buildings is the future but then it has been for over 70 years. It has provided a solution to a problem ever since the first major offsite construction programme involving prefabricated public housing following the 1944 Housing Act. Thereafter, many different types of offsite production, especially for public housing, were developed. Offsite construction is not new or modern, it simply experiences continuous refinement and recurring times of high importance. To manufacture, design, fabricate, and assemble building elements at…

New ‘Coronavirus and JCT Contracts’ article available

JCT has released an article, authored by Peter Hibberd, past-chair, JCT, aimed at contractors, clients and contract administrators to provide information on understanding how the effects of coronavirus impact JCT contracts, what the contracts provide for to deal with such events, and how parties can ensure compliance. With the coronavirus having such an unprecedented impact on construction projects, it is important that all parties to the contract are able to understand the key areas of the contract that come into play, and what action may…

JCT Construct. Learn more about building and creating your JCT contracts online

JCT launches JCT Construct – a new digital contract drafting service

JCT has launched the latest in its range of digital contract services, JCT Construct. JCT Construct is a subscription-based contract drafting system with advanced editing features, enabling users to create and amend JCT contracts in a secure, flexible, and easy to use online environment. With JCT Construct’s powerful tools the JCT contract text itself can be edited, enabling users to add their own amendments, clauses, or other customised text. This is alongside being able to use the same intuitive Q&A process as the JCT On Demand service to fill in contracts comprehensively. The system…

JCT Prime Cost Contract among new digital products on JCT On Demand

JCT has added more contracts from its current 2016 Edition to its On Demand digital service, increasing the range of JCT contracts available to purchase and fill in online. The latest release of new products includes the JCT Prime Cost Contract (PCC), JCT Measured Term Contract (MTC), JCT Repair and Maintenance Contract (RM), and their associated guides. Recently the service was updated to include the full range of JCT Sub-Contracts, which added to the range of best-selling JCT contracts that have been available for some…

JCT Chair to take part in Construction Blockchain Session at Futurebuild 2020

JCT Chair, Richard Saxon CBE, will be participating in the “Construction Blockchain: BIM and Smart Contracts” session at Futurebuild on Wednesday 04 March 2020. The session, hosted by the Construction Blockchain Consortium (CBC), outlines the emerging applications of distributed ledger technology, and includes the presentation of a white paper from the CBC, for which Richard wrote the forword. Delegates will be updated on developments in technologies such as Blockchain, DApps, and smart legal contracts, and why they need to be considered in order to fully…