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Contra-charge review and challenge

For subcontractors

Check and respond to deductions for alleged defects, damage or other costs charged to your package.

What is it?

We test each deduction against your scope, responsibility, available technical findings and the contractor’s cost evidence. Support with deductions or contra-charges made against your account. Choose an assessment, preparation of the agreed claim or response, or one defined response round. Each stage has a separate fee and endpoint; you only commission the work you need.

Technical cause and repair opinions are separate. The same cost assessment is not charged again as a defects review.

How does it work?

  1. You explain the work and the decision you need

    You describe your trade package and the contractor who appointed you, the result you need and any urgent dates. The introductory conversation checks fit and availability; substantive assessment starts under an accepted instruction.

  2. We agree the scope, responsibilities and fee

    We check suitability, conflicts and capacity, then agree the scope, deliverables and timetable in writing, with a fixed fee or agreed hourly or daily basis. We explain payment terms, VAT and any separate costs before you accept. We agree the items, evidence cut-off and assessment, preparation or response stage you need. We identify your subcontract position and separate your claim against the contractor from any lower-tier liabilities. Legal advice, representation and specialist analysis are separately appointed. We confirm responsibility for urgent actions and specialist input.

  3. You accept the scope and provide the information

    You accept the written scope and provide the contract, deduction schedule, notices, allegations, instructions, condition and remedial records, cost breakdown and technical findings. You identify missing items and the versions supplied; we agree who will obtain anything still needed.

  4. We check the records and resolve gaps

    We check the documents against the agreed scope, dates and versions, raise queries and record the basis on which work can proceed. Missing evidence stays identified; we agree any limited assessment or pause affected work until essential information is available. Live deadlines continue to run.

  5. We establish the basis and chronology

    We identify each deduction and its stated basis, checking responsibility, notice and any opportunity to inspect or remedy. We distinguish the payment position from whether the alleged loss is actually supported.

  6. We assess the evidence and amount

    We compare each allegation with the evidence, obtain technical input where needed and check causation, necessary cost, mitigation, credits and duplication. We separate accepted items from disputed liability or amount without making an unauthorised admission.

  7. We check the findings and explain the options

    We check calculations, source references and consistency between the evidence, assumptions and proposed position. We issue the assessment findings before your next-stage decision, identifying weaknesses, missing evidence and proportionate actions, including any specialist work needed.

  8. You decide whether to proceed

    You decide whether to stop after assessment, obtain more evidence or instruct preparation or a response. We confirm the next stage’s scope, fee, deadline and authority before proceeding; no dispute route starts automatically.

  9. We prepare the instructed submission or response

    If commissioned, we prepare an itemised contra-charge response, supported adjustments and unresolved evidence or technical questions. We check it against the agreed evidence and address one consolidated response only where that stage has been instructed.

  10. You approve external issue and further action

    You approve the position and any external issue. The authorised sender retains the issued version and delivery evidence. Negotiation, offers, admissions, proceedings and enforcement require the appropriate authority and separate scope; unresolved matters remain recorded.

  11. We explain the result and complete the handover

    We issue the output for the stage instructed, supporting calculations and evidence, and the current issue and action record, explain the findings and record unresolved items, next actions, owners and dates. We answer the included clarification and correct our errors. New information, changed scope and later stages need a separate agreement; you decide whether to instruct them.

Timing: the timetable is agreed in writing at scoping and then kept. Working days start when the agreed scope and required information are available.

We confirm timing after checking the scope and available records. Flag any live deadline when you enquire; it continues to run while information is gathered.

Read how we agree the scope, fees and instruction.

What do you get?

You receive the outputs for the stages you choose. Each stage has its own scope, fee and endpoint; later stages are optional.

  • Assessment: a written review of the basis, responsibility, evidence and cost of each listed deduction.
  • Preparation: A line-by-line assessment and supported written challenge.
  • Response: a reasoned reply to one consolidated set of comments and a record of what remains open, if separately instructed.

Each fixed piece of work includes one consolidated clarification round requested within 10 working days of issue, unless agreed otherwise. New records or scope need a separate agreement; we correct our own errors without charge.