JCT has issued an update to its practice note, ‘Deciding on the appropriate JCT contract’, to reflect the JCT 2024 Edition, including the forthcoming JCT Target Cost Contract.
The guidance documents, covering main and sub-contracts within the JCT 2024 Edition, as well as an update concerning the use of BIM with JCT contracts, includes:
- Deciding on the appropriate JCT contract 2024
- Guide to selecting the appropriate JCT main contract 2024
- Guide to selecting the appropriate JCT sub-contract 2024
- Practice Note: BIM and JCT Contracts 2024
A key message within the practice note concerns the risks of amending standard form contracts and encourages the avoidance of amendments as far as possible.
The practice note states:
“JCT Contracts are intended to be read as a whole, and amendments can produce unintended results when construed at law.
“Amendments should be avoided as far as practicable, particularly on points on substance. Where an amendment is considered necessary it should only be done with appropriate professional advice.”
The JCT Construct online service in the interest of transparency provides tracked change copies of contracts generated showing all changes from the published standard form text.
The ‘Deciding on the appropriate JCT contract 2024’ practice note is a useful tool for users looking to determine how the JCT 2024 Edition of Contracts maps on to the various procurement routes and risk models used by the construction industry, providing guidance on choosing the correct JCT main and sub-contracts for a particular project.
The BIM and JCT Contracts practice note includes information to further the understanding of BIM related legal and contractual issues and suggests ways of approaching such issues in a collaborative and constructive way. It provides practical, clear guidance to project participants and their professional advisers in relation to using BIM with the JCT Design and Build Contract 2024.
The above documents are available to download from the JCT online store, at www.jctltd.co.uk/useful-documents.