JCT contract cheat sheet for main contractors
Manage both sides of a JCT project: secure your own payment and changes while administering separate obligations to your subcontractors.
by Jack Butler-Kettle · About 5 min readShare
Before you start
Use this as a quick operational checklist, not a complete contract summary. Keep the signed form, amendments and project dates beside it.
For main contractors using JCT Standard Building Contract (SBC) or Design and Build (DB), including 2016 and 2024 editions. Other JCT forms differ. Read the Contract Particulars and amendments together. JCT's 2024 overview explains changes to communications and contract procedures.
Working in another role? See the sheet for subcontractors or clients.
Step-by-step guide
1. Map the main contract and each subcontract
Do this: Confirm design responsibility, possession, completion dates and who can instruct. Under SBC, identify the contract administrator; under DB, identify the employer's agent and delegated authority.
Watch for: Your obligations to a subcontractor may exceed what you can recover from the employer. Compare scope, dates and notice requirements before placing orders.
Main-contract and subcontract administration support can help turn the agreed terms into a working diary of duties and notices.
2. Run separate payment diaries
Do this: Submit the main-contract application with measurement and change support. Assess subcontract applications, serve required notices and arrange payment using each subcontract's timetable. Follow the JCT payment guide.
Watch for: An employer's reduced assessment does not itself justify reducing a subcontract payment. Keep the valuation basis, notice obligation and cash forecast separate.
3. Connect instructions to both accounts
Do this: Record authorised instructions against the original scope. Price additions and omissions, notify time effects and issue clear subcontract instructions. Reconcile the upstream and downstream change registers.
Watch for: Recoverability from the employer and liability to the subcontractor are separate questions. Do not mark a change agreed merely because you submitted it.
4. Separate time entitlement from cost entitlement
Do this: Give delay notices and supporting particulars promptly under the agreed procedure. Explain completion impact and mitigation. Identify Relevant Events for time and Relevant Matters for loss and expense.
Watch for: The two lists differ. JCT's time and money guidance explains the distinction; check edition-specific changes and selected provisions.
5. Control handover, deductions and final agreement
Do this: Record practical completion, sections, defects and outstanding documents. Reconcile retention and final accounts on both sides. Check certification, notices and extension decisions before applying delay damages.
Watch for: Final-certificate challenge periods and settlement wording can close off claims. Keep unresolved items visible; use final-account checks before signing.
Before you finish: Write down the next action, its owner, deadline and delivery method. Get advice on uncertain rights before an irreversible step.
Worked example
The facts
Fictional example: a JCT contractor owes an assessed subcontract payment while its own variation remains disputed with the employer.
What happens
The contractor checks the subcontract payment obligation and serves any required notices on time.
It pays as required and pursues the separate main-contract variation with its instruction and valuation evidence.
What this shows
A disputed upstream change is not treated as an automatic defence to a different payment obligation.
JCT main contractor briefing template
Fill the blank briefing from the executed agreement and its amendments. Have the contractual contact, deadlines and responsibilities checked, then issue a dated version to the team.
Free blank template for your own project. The completed example is shown below. No email address required.
View the completed example
Completed fictional example
Westhaven refurbishment · 14 October 2026 · Version 1.0
Project and contract
- Project / package
- Westhaven refurbishment / internal works
- Our role / party
- Main contractor / Alder Mere Projects Ltd
- Selected form / edition
- JCT Design and Build 2024
- Amendments / controlled copy
- Signed contract plus amendments schedule rev 2, held in contract folder
- Briefing owner / checked
- Commercial lead; checked 14 October 2026; briefing revision 1
- Contractual contact / route
- Employer’s agent; named contact and notice category in signed communications schedule
Site-team operating sheet
Scroll across if needed to read the whole record. A dash means no value has been entered.
| Area | Completed project briefing | Record / owner |
|---|---|---|
| Scope and authority | Coordinate the main works and interfaces. Keep each subcontract scope, notice route and recovery position separate from the main contract. | Scope rev C; document register / project lead |
| Payment | Maintain separate main-contract and subcontract payment diaries. Assess each subcontract on its own terms; reconcile upstream and downstream positions. | October application deadline 20 Oct 12:00; checked project diary / QS |
| Changes | Record the authorised instruction and value the change under the agreed rules. Notify time and loss/expense effects through their separate procedures. | CH-07: relocation instruction I-07; price and time unresolved / QS |
| Delay and records | Check the relevant grounds for time and money separately. Keep the delay notice, particulars, mitigation and completion assessment together. | Access restriction 7–8 Oct; D-07/08, AL-07/08, programme P-02 / planner |
| Completion | Track project and sectional completion, defects and both sets of final accounts. Check extension decisions and prerequisites before assessing delay damages. | Handover HR-01; as-built drawing outstanding / project lead |
Live actions and dates
Scroll across if needed to read the whole record. A dash means no value has been entered.
| Action | Checked project date / source | Owner / evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm CH-07 submission | 16 Oct 2026; review action, not a universal notice period | QS / issued submission and receipt |
| Submit October application | 20 Oct 2026 12:00; project payment schedule P rev 2 | Accounts lead / APP-10 and delivery proof |
| Resolve incomplete handover | 16 Oct 2026; close-out action CO-02 | Design lead / accepted as-built drawing |
Fictional project briefing. Dates and responsibilities shown are illustrative project entries, not standard-form defaults. This original summary does not reproduce or replace the contract. Check every clause, recipient and deadline in the actual executed documents.
Sources
- JCT 2024 Edition: publisher overview and resources. The Joint Contracts Tribunal.
- JCT Design and Build and JCT Standard Building Contracts 2016: Part II (2017). The Joint Contracts Tribunal.