Main building contracts
Set out the agreed scope and the practical rules for delivering it.
- Work scope and programme dates
- Payment cycles and retention
- Completion, defects and handover
Property, construction and development
Construction contracts in Cork, prepared before work begins
Davitts Solicitors prepares property agreements in Ireland for the people who plan, build, manage and maintain commercial projects. A variation clause can decide the outcome long before a disagreement starts.
Get the paperwork in order early. We focus on scope, payment, change control and notices, so each party can see what must happen next.
Who we prepare documents for
Built around your role on the project
Different parties carry different duties. The documents should reflect that.
Contractors
Developers
Architects and engineers
Quantity surveyors
Property managers
Commercial landlords
Estate agencies
Short-term rental operators
01 / Main contract and supply chain
Building contracts, subcontractor terms and payment mechanics
A contract needs to explain the work, the payment process and the steps each party must take when plans change. Clear timing matters.
Subcontractor terms
Align lower-tier terms with the main contract, so duties do not fall between parties.
- Matching scope and site obligations
- Insurance and programme requirements
- Payment and completion steps
Payment and notices
Make the process clear for applications, certificates and responses to payment claims.
- Application dates and required records
- Certification and pay-less notice wording
- Who issues each notice, and when
Contractor documentation is only useful when the people administering it know which step comes next.
02 / Scope and change control
Consultant appointments, variations and change control
A site instruction can alter cost, time and responsibility. Record the change while the facts are fresh, then follow the contract's notice and valuation steps.
1
Issue the instruction
Identify who authorised the change, what work is affected and the date it was issued.
2
Record time and cost
Set out the valuation method, any programme effect and the records needed to support the assessment.
3
Confirm the agreed position
Keep the instruction, response and decision together with the relevant contract reference.
A written trail is easier to check later.
Appointment documents
Define the professional's brief
We prepare appointment documents for architects, engineers, quantity surveyors and project managers, with duties set against the wider project contract.
- Services, exclusions and deliverable schedules
- Design responsibilities and review stages
- Fees, expenses and payment dates
- Reporting, instructions and approval routes
- Cross-references to the building contract
03 / Sites, premises and occupation
Land, development and lease documents
Property agreements in Ireland need to reflect how a site or premises will actually be used.
Development and site agreements
Set out obligations for phasing, access, services and the conditions for completion.
Discuss a development agreementCommercial leases and licences
Address term, rent review, repair, assignment, permitted use and related side letters.
Discuss lease documentsShort-term rental operator terms
Document booking conditions, house rules, damage handling and cancellation procedures.
Discuss operator termsAgency and management paperwork
Prepare terms of business and appointment letters for estate agencies and property managers.
Discuss management documentsThe right terms depend on the intended use and responsibilities.
04 / Routine property administration
Maintenance contracts and day-to-day correspondence
Routine notices matter when a repair, access request or renewal becomes contested. Keep every letter tied to the relevant lease or service contract.
Maintenance and facilities contracts
For example, define the response time for urgent repairs, how access is arranged and what work reports the provider must keep.
Tenant letters and notices
Templates can cover repair access, rent, arrears, breach and renewal discussions, with the correct agreement and dates identified.
Correspondence records
Keep the notice, delivery record, reply and supporting photographs or invoices together in a dated property file.
Check the project file
Instructions have been given verbally, with no written record.
A payment application or response is missing its supporting documents.
The subcontractor's notice dates do not match the main contract.
Site correspondence is stored across several inboxes and folders.
05 / If a project starts to go wrong
Build the record while events are clear
Early project records can include notices, instruction logs, payment applications and the correspondence trail. A clear chronology helps everyone understand what happened and when.
Document support can organise the paperwork for negotiation or a handover. Formal legal representation may be needed where rights are disputed or proceedings are being considered.
Prevention costs less effort than reconstructing a project file later.
Explore commercial dispute document supportNext step
Send us the project pack. We'll identify what's missing.
Bring the documents you have, even if the file is incomplete. We can review the project paperwork and identify gaps around scope, payment, variations or notices.
- Head contract and subcontractor terms
- Consultant appointments and variations
- Correspondence and instruction records
- Payment applications and responses
Based in Cork. Available for remote reviews.
Davitts Solicitors is based on Carrigrohane Road and can discuss projects beyond Cork by phone or email.
Document preparation does not replace advice from a solicitor on your legal rights or obligations.