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
Combating burnout.
The 5 elements of seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke.
Shading for housing, a design guide
A look back at embedding a new culture of shading.
The Architectural Technology Awards
The AT Awards 2025 are open for entries!
ECA Blueprint for Electrification
The 'mosaic of interconnected challenges' and how to deliver the UK’s Transition to Clean Power.
Grenfell Tower Principal Contractor Award notice
Tower repair and maintenance contractor announced as demolition contractor.
Passivhaus social homes benefit from heat pump service
Sixteen new homes designed and built to achieve Passivhaus constructed in Dumfries & Galloway.
CABE Publishes Results of 2025 Building Control Survey
Concern over lack of understanding of how roles have changed since the introduction of the BSA 2022.
British Architectural Sculpture 1851-1951
A rich heritage of decorative and figurative sculpture. Book review.
A programme to tackle the lack of diversity.
Independent Building Control review panel
Five members of the newly established, Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommended, panel appointed.
Welsh Recharging Electrical Skills Charter progresses
ECA progressing on the ‘asks’ of the Recharging Electrical Skills Charter at the Senedd in Wales.
A brief history from 1890s to 2020s.
CIOB and CORBON combine forces
To elevate professional standards in Nigeria’s construction industry.
Amendment to the GB Energy Bill welcomed by ECA
Move prevents nationally-owned energy company from investing in solar panels produced by modern slavery.
Gregor Harvie argues that AI is state-sanctioned theft of IP.
Experimental AI housing target help for councils
Experimental AI could help councils meet housing targets by digitising records.