RIBA concise building contract

In November 2014, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) launched two building contracts, in both print and online formats:

• RIBA Concise Building Contract.
• RIBA Domestic Building Contract.

The Domestic Building Contract is for non-commercial projects. The Concise Building Contract is for small commercial projects.

They were developed by a member group (set up by the Practice and Profession Committee) and by RIBA Enterprises. They have been created in particular for use by home owners and builders of small projects and can be used alongside the RIBA’s Domestic Agreement and Concise Agreement for the appointment of an architect.

Dale Sinclair, RIBA Vice President of Practice and Profession said, ‘The contracts have been developed to be much simpler, much more straightforward and certainly easier for a contract administrator to sit down with a client and explain’.

The RIBA Concise Building Contract is a contract for construction works between an employer (the construction client) and a contractor. The RIBA suggest that it offers ‘Fair and equitable terms for all parties’. It is written in plain English and is intended for use on small-scale commercial construction projects that are considered to be straight forward. It is not suitable for domestic projects.

The RIBA Concise Building Contract is intended to be administrated by an architect or contract administrator (not by the client).

It includes provisions for:

• Flexible payment modes.
• Proposing suppliers and sub-contractors.
• Project changes.
• Completion in stages.
• Contractor design of parts of the building.
• Collaboration between the employer and contractor over events that might cause delays or extra costs.
• Insurance provisions for both parties.
• Certifying completion.
• Managing defects.
• Collateral warranties for funders and future purchasers or tenants.
• Public sector employers.

A revised version of the contract was published in 2018. The main changes are:

• Amendments to fully comply with the CDM Regulations.
• Guidance on insurance has been expanded.
• The consents, fees and charges item have been expanded.
• Guidance on dispute resolution has been expanded and simplified.
• The optional programme item has been simplified.
• The optional contractor design item allows a level of professional indemnity insurance to be specified.
• The optional required specialists item has been amended.
• A contract checklist has been included.

For more information about the domestic contract see RIBA Domestic Building Contract.

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[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Appointing consultants.
• Breach of contract.
• Contract administrator.
• Contract conditions.
• Contract v tort.
• Construction contracts.
• Contracts under seal v under hand.
• Essentials of a contract.
• Minor works.
• Modifying clauses in standard forms of contract.
• NEC3.
• Procurement route.
• RIBA.
• RIBA Domestic Building Contract.
• Sub-contract.