Category: Strategy

Choosing JCT MW 2016

How do you choose a contract as the right one for your project? There is rarely only one contract which would work be right for your project. The final choice may depends as much on these factors as something more prosaic like personal preference and familiarity: The recommendation of which

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A pale pink ceramic pig against a white background. By Fabian Blank via Unsplash.
Sarah Fox

When letters of intent go wrong: the funder perspective

On any construction project, there is likely to be a funder, who lends money to the client for the purposes of getting the development completed. The funder will assess the viability of a project based on factors including: size of the loan ie the amount of money the client needs

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Is it ever OK to use a letter of intent?

It’s not necessarily good or bad to use a letter of intent. Depending on who you believe, letters of intent may be considered ‘necessary evil’, a sign that the project has gone wrong, evidence of a defective contract strategy or a means to the right end. Despite the many clear

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When letters of intent go wrong: the advisers’ perspective

Letters of intent can be recommended in specific circumstances: in view of the perceived importance of achieving early completion and, specifically, early commencement of the works, it was acceptable to advise commencing [the project] under a letter of intent rather than waiting until a formal building contract could be executed.”

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Can you avoid letters of intent?

Whether you can avoid a letter of intent depends on where you are in the contract process – are you at the stage of deciding your contract strategy or are you about to start the construction phase? It can either be a strategic or tactical decision… Strategic If the client

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7 habits of defective contract strategies

The UK Government’s Construction 2025 report says that our industry’s success depends on taking a strategic approach to contracts: Repeat customers… approach the industry in a strategic way and secure a better outcome, particularly in the context of whole life value – and generally through the early engagement of key

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A random collection of printers letters. By Amador Loureiro via Unsplash.
Sarah Fox

A to Z of letters of intent

Collected at last, links to my LinkedIn posts on letters of intent A How Can You Accept a Letter of Intent What is the legal equivalent of ‘hell yes’? B What to Do Before Sending A Letter of Intent Searching questions to check a letter of intent is the right

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Which is better: letter of intent or contract?

This statement perfectly explains why letters of intent are meant to be temporary: The execution of a contract is to be seen not as a mere aspiration but rather as fundamental. It is the contract that defines the rights, duties and remedies of the parties and that regulates their relationships.

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What’s your response to increasing risk?

What is the long-term impact of transferring all the risk on a construction project to the contractor? In April 2016, defects found in 17 schools in Edinburgh resulted in those schools being closed to pupils. Like design and build, construction management and other procurement strategies, the Private Finance Initiative schemes

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