Building and Construction Law
Building and Construction Law is a wide-ranging area of the law that deals with new builds, renovations of existing properties, home improvements and property maintenance.
The process involved in building work usually involves a number of building industry professionals or tradespeople.
Our experienced legal team has extensive practical and legal knowledge to assist you. There are often complex issues surrounding the processes, and we can assist you whether you are a builder, designer or sub-trade, or are an owner having building work carried out for you.
There are three broad elements in the building process:
- building contracts between the various parties
- design
- construction and completion
There is often a crossover between the legal obligations of contract, tort and statutory controls (such as the Building Act). Regardless of whether the building work involves large scale projects or relatively minor maintenance work, it is important that the legal aspects are covered and remedies are pursued if there are any issues.
We can assist with:
- Drafting and advising on building contracts
- Claims under the parties’ contract (eg price, time for completion or variations)
- Claims arising from breach of contract (eg performance or defective work, non-payment by owners or head contractors)
- Claims involving professionals or trades arising from breach of duty of care or breach of statute
- Weathertightness issues
- Claims and issues arising under the Construction Contracts Act (including adjudication)
- Claims and issues arising under relevant building statutes
