Addendum
In a contract, the rights and obligations are created by the acts of agreement between the parties to the contract. English law does not require a particular form to contracts, and so the terms and ultimately the risk allocation are the choice of the parties involved.
Standard Form Contracts (SFC) aim to minimise the time and cost of creating contracts, but modifications may still be required. These provisions generally come in the form of amendments, but they can also come as an addendum. These two vehicles are similar, but they are structured differently and are used in different situations.
In its simplest form, an amendment is a change to an existing contract. In some cases, it may become necessary to amend a contract due to unforeseen circumstances. For instance, if certain clauses become obsolete or the industry changes and requires the inclusion of new terms, amendments may be required.
An addendum (or the plural, addenda) is written information that has been added to the original agreement. The information in an addendum is usually incorporated into the contract when the contract is executed.
Examples of addenda in construction contracts include:
- Acceleration agreements. It is common for acceleration agreements or costs to be treated as an addendum to the building contract. Sometimes acceleration agreements can be negotiated as an addendum to the contract in lieu of extensions of time caused by elements constituting client’s risk.
- BIM addendum. This addendum may provide for an information management structure, an information manager, a BIM execution plan and BIM protocols. There may also be a risk allocation and insurance provisions in relation to infringement of copyright and data loss.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.