ABSTRACT

Building contractors do not employ, as permanent employees, all the operatives that maybe needed on any building project. Many contractors sub-contract every trade and only keep supervisory staff and labourers on permanent employment. Contracting can be a precarious business and the fewer permanent overheads the better. Common problems involve the insolvency of contractors, leaving sub-contractors and suppliers unpaid. This often leads to disputes about the ownership of materials delivered to site. Other common problems involve the approval of ‘shop drawings’, responsibility for late deliveries and the right of the architect to refuse consent to a particular sub-contractor or supplier. Employers often misguidedly attempt to pay sub-contractors directly and deduct the payment from the main contractor.