Building and construction disputes

Work that was done badly, left unfinished, or cost far more than you were told.

How we can help

Reviewing the contract, quotation and any variations agreed
Instructing surveyors to evidence defective or incomplete work
Pursuing claims for the cost of putting defects right
Defending claims for payment where the work was not done properly
Advising on retention, final accounts and adjudication
Pursuing builders who have taken payment and disappeared

Your solicitor

Dean Smith

Dean SmithSolicitor

What happens next

Send us the contract or quotation, invoices and photographs of the work.
We advise on liability and arrange an independent survey where needed.
We pursue the claim, using adjudication or court proceedings as appropriate.

Fees for this work

Charged hourly with an estimate. We will always assess whether the likely recovery justifies the cost of pursuing it.

Common questions

There was no written contract. Can I still claim?

Yes. A contract does not have to be in writing, and terms about reasonable care, skill and price are implied by law. Written evidence simply makes proving the terms easier.

The builder wants paying but the work is defective.

You may be entitled to withhold payment or set off the cost of remedial works. Be careful — withholding without a proper basis can put you in breach yourself.

Can I just get someone else to finish it?

Often, but tell the original contractor first and give them the opportunity to put things right. Failing to do so can reduce what you recover.

The builder has dissolved the company.

Pursuing a dissolved company is difficult but not always impossible, and there may be claims against individuals, insurers or under a guarantee scheme. Check whether the work was covered by a warranty.

Tell us what's happened

Confidential, reviewed by a solicitor, answered within one working day.