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Before you sign: the nine things that belong in the contract

Most renovation disputes are not about bad people; they are about things nobody wrote down. Nine points cover almost everything, and for what the contract does not say, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 fills the gaps with reasonable care, reasonable time and a reasonable price. Agreed beats reasonable, every time. Checked August 2026.

The nine points

  • 1. Parties and the company number. The exact legal name you can look up on Companies House, not just a trading name on a van; the builder check does it in two minutes.
  • 2. Scope with drawings. What is included and, as important, what is not: strip-out, waste, making good, scaffolding.
  • 3. The price, itemised. Lines with quantities and unit prices, never one lump sum; and whether VAT is included.
  • 4. Provisional sums, named. Every uncertain item as an explicit sum with what happens if it is exceeded; see why quotes differ.
  • 5. Payment per completed stage. Small deposit, stage payments after the work, a retention until after snagging.
  • 6. Start date and completion date. With a simple delay arrangement; without one you fall back on arguing what "reasonable" means.
  • 7. Extras in writing, always. One sentence in the contract: variations are only owed when agreed in writing beforehand. Then use the extras log.
  • 8. Insurance and guarantees. Public liability insurance now, and whether the guarantee is insurance-backed or just a promise.
  • 9. Who arranges approvals. Planning, building control, party wall: named per item, with the certificates listed as deliverables.

Sources and next steps

Consumer Rights Act 2015, sections 49, 51 and 52 (legislation.gov.uk, checked August 2026). Judge the quotes first with why quotes differ and the quote check; set the payment rhythm with how to pay for a renovation. During the build, the extras log keeps point 7 honest.

Frequently asked questions

Do I even need a written contract for a renovation?

Legally a verbal agreement binds, practically it protects nobody. For anything beyond a day job, insist on writing: it can be a signed quote with terms, it does not need to be a formal contract document. What matters is that scope, price, payment moments and timing are on paper before work starts.

What if the contract says nothing about quality or time?

The law fills the gaps. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 reads into every job: reasonable care and skill (section 49), a reasonable time if none was agreed (section 52) and a reasonable price if none was agreed (section 51). Useful as a safety net, but "reasonable" is argued afterwards; agreed is agreed up front. That is the whole case for the checklist.

How large a deposit is normal?

Small, and with a reason: materials that must be ordered. Ten to fifteen percent at signing is defensible for most jobs; a builder asking for half up front is asking you to finance his business, and it is the single most common regret in renovation disputes. Pay per completed stage instead.

What is a retention?

A small slice of the final payment, often around 5 percent, held back for a short period after handover so snags actually get fixed. Agree it up front in the contract; it is much harder to invent at the final invoice.