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
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.
The emancipation of women in art.
CIOB Construction Manager of the Year 2025
Just one of the winners at the CIOB Awards 2025.
Call for independent National Grenfell oversight mechanism
MHCLG share findings of Building Safety Inquiry in letter to Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety.
The Architectural Technology Awards
AT Awards now open for this the sixth decade of CIAT.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson awards
Deadline for submissions Friday 30 May 2025.
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Mental health awareness week 13-18 May
The theme is communities, they can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and a sense purpose.
Mental health support on the rise but workers still struggling
CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 shows.
Design and construction material libraries
Material, sample, product or detail libraries a key component of any architectural design practice.
Construction Products Reform Green Paper and Consultation
Still time to respond as consultation closes on 21 May 2025.
Resilient façade systems for smog reduction in Shanghai
A technical approach using computer simulation and analysis of solar radiation, wind patterns, and ventilation.