Making good
The term ‘making good’ or ‘to make good’ is used in construction to refer to the process of repairing or bringing something up to a finished standard, or restoring it to its previous condition.
It is a term which is often used in relation to defects which must be ‘made good’ through remedial works before a specified date after practical completion has been certified. When the contract administrator considers that all defects been made good they issue a certificate of making good. This has the effect of releasing the remainder of any retention and brings about issuing of the final certificate.
For more information, see Certificate of making good.
The term can also be included as a standard clause in the transfer of freehold or leasehold property, where the departing owner or tenant covenants to make good any damage.
This is often described as ‘make good any damage caused by the removal of items’. This could be interpreted as meaning that any holes in walls left by picture hooks, curtain rails, nails, and so on, should be filled in and repainted, or it can be interpreted as meaning any damage that is caused while moving items out of the property should be repaired (e.g. paintwork scraped when moving furniture).
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Recognising culture as key to sustainable economic growth
Creative UK Provocation paper: Culture as Growth Infrastructure.
Futurebuild and UK Construction Week London Unite
Creating the UK’s Built Environment Super Event and over 25 other key partnerships.
Welsh and Scottish 2026 elections
Manifestos for the built environment for upcoming same May day elections.
Advancing BIM education with a competency framework
“We don’t need people who can just draw in 3D. We need people who can think in data.”
Guidance notes to prepare for April ERA changes
From the Electrical Contractors' Association Employee Relations team.
Significant changes to be seen from the new ERA in 2026 and 2027, starting on 6 April 2026.
First aid in the modern workplace with St John Ambulance.
Ireland's National Residential Retrofit Plan
Staged initiatives introduced step by step.
Solar panels, pitched roofs and risk of fire spread
60% increase in solar panel fires prompts tests and installation warnings.
Modernising heat networks with Heat interface unit
Why HIUs hold the key to efficiency upgrades.
Reflecting on the work of the CIOB Academy
Looking back on 2025 and where it's going next.
Procurement in construction: Knowledge hub
Brief, overview, key articles and over 1000 more covering procurement.
Sir John Betjeman’s love of Victorian church architecture.
Exchange for Change for UK deposit return scheme
The UK Deposit Management Organisation established to deliver Deposit Return Scheme unveils trading name.
A guide to integrating heat pumps
As the Future Homes Standard approaches Future Homes Hub publishes hints and tips for Architects and Architectural Technologists.