NHBC Conducts Contract Survey

The NHBC (National House Building Council) is conducting a survey into construction contracts and law.The aim of the survey is to gain a better understanding as to which construction contracts are being used and what are the contractual and dispute resolution issues that construction professionals face.

The survey is the most wide ranging independent review of contractual and legal issues throughout the industry, and will provide an accurate and in-depth picture of legal issues and disputes at each phase of construction, covering subjects such as: main causes of dispute,their duration and value;tendering and procurement issues; effects on pricing; and legal issues around the adoption of BIM in contracts.

The results of the survey, which will be published in November 2015 and will shed new light on what impact the UK’s economic recovery is having on the number,and nature, of disputes, against a large number of contracts signed during the recession.It will also provide a clearer picture of whether collaborative techniques and processes, such as BIM, are fostering a less confrontational approach amongst project teams.The findings of the survey will be an important indicator of the legal obstacles to the more widespread adoption of BIM ahead of the fast approaching 2016 mandate that Level 2 BIM be implemented on all centrally-procured government projects.