Construction renovation with a contract – part 2

Construction renovation with a contract – part 2

We will look at how the contract works during the renovation process

Construction renovation with a contract is a service in which the conditions between the client and the contractor are defined in writing before the actual work begins. In the first part we reviewed the main elements of such an agreement. Here, we continue with the practical side after the renovation has started. This is when changes, additional work, delayed deliveries, technical discoveries, or the need to adjust the original schedule may arise. A well-prepared contract defines how these situations are documented, who approves them, and how they affect the price and completion time.

What should be clarified after the renovation begins

Once construction work starts, the contract should remain an active project management tool. It is not enough for the document to contain only a general price and a final completion date. In larger renovations, the individual stages are interconnected, and a change in one of them may affect all subsequent activities.

It is advisable to define in advance:

• how additional work is assigned;

• the procedure for changing quantities and materials;

• how completed stages are accepted;

• the terms for interim and final payments;

• responsibility for delayed deliveries;

• the procedure for documenting remarks;

• the procedure for changing the final deadline.

Additional work should be described before it is carried out

During demolition, problems are often discovered that could not be identified during the initial inspection. These may include damaged plaster, old electrical wiring, defective pipes, hollow flooring, or uneven surfaces. This is why planning, demolition and dismantling are important not only from a technical perspective, but also from an organisational one. If the need for a new activity arises, it should be described separately. It is advisable to specify the reason, the required labour, materials, cost, and any potential impact on the schedule.

• what problem has been discovered;

• what solution is proposed;

• what additional work is required;

• what its cost is;

• whether the schedule changes.

Verbal agreements can create different expectations

During a renovation, decisions are often made on site. The property owner may request an additional electrical socket, relocation of a light fitting, a different arrangement of sanitary equipment, or additional tiling. If the change remains only verbal, a dispute may later arise over whether it was included in the original quotation. For this reason, every change that affects the price, completion time, or technical execution should preferably have written confirmation. This may take the form of an addendum to the contract, a protocol, or another previously agreed method of approval. This creates a clear record of decisions made throughout the project.

Payments should follow the actual progress

For larger renovations, dividing payments into stages provides better control for both parties. Instead of linking the entire value only to the start and completion dates, interim payments may be defined after specific activities have been completed. Construction renovation with a contract allows these stages to be described in advance and linked to work that has actually been carried out.

Example stages include:

• completion of demolition work;

• installation of plumbing and electrical systems;

• preparation of walls and floors;

• installation of wall and floor finishes;

• painting and finishing work;

• installation of sanitary equipment and lighting;

• final handover of the property.

The schedule should take into account dependencies between individual activities

A renovation schedule is not simply a total number of working days. Some processes require technical drying or curing time, while others cannot begin before the preceding stage has been completed. Screeds, fillers, waterproofing systems, adhesives, and coatings have technical requirements that must be observed. A delayed delivery may also prevent the next activity from starting. If the client requests a project change, this may require a revised completion date. The contract should therefore allow the schedule to be adjusted under clearly described circumstances, instead of automatically treating every deviation as a delay caused by the contractor.

Materials should be clearly separated from labour

One of the common causes of uncertainty is determining who purchases and supplies the materials. On some projects, the construction company provides the main building materials, while the owner selects flooring, sanitary equipment, and decorative elements. In other cases, the client supplies almost everything. The contract should specify who is responsible for ordering, quantities, and delivery. During a bathroom renovation, this is particularly important because waterproofing products, adhesives, tiles, sanitary equipment, and installation components must arrive in the correct sequence.

• who orders the material;

• who checks the quantity;

• who organises transport;

• how a substitute product is approved;

• how a price difference is reflected.

Concealed work should be inspected before it is covered

Some of the most important work becomes invisible once the renovation is completed. Plumbing pipes are concealed, electrical cables remain behind plaster or plasterboard, and waterproofing is covered with tiles or other finishes. It is therefore reasonable for certain stages to be inspected before the next operation begins. Where necessary, photographs or a short acceptance protocol may be prepared. This provides information about what was completed before the work was covered. The practice is also useful for future renovations because it shows the location of installations and other concealed elements.

Remarks should be specific and verifiable

When a problem is identified, its description should be sufficiently precise for the contractor to inspect the specific element. General statements such as “it has not been done properly” do not clearly indicate what needs to be corrected. It is more useful to specify the room, location, type of defect, and expected correction. For example, the issue may involve an uneven joint, damaged finish, leaking connection, incorrectly positioned element, or unfinished section. A documented remark makes it easier to track the issue and to verify after correction whether the problem has been resolved.

Acceptance of the property should be a separate stage

The fact that the main work has been completed does not automatically mean that the property has been finally accepted. Before handover, it is advisable to carry out a general inspection and review the completed activities. This is the stage for identifying remaining corrections, testing installations, and checking visible finishing work. Such an approach is particularly useful for complete residential renovations, where dozens of separate operations must be completed in sequence.

During the final inspection, the following can be checked:

• plumbing connections and drainage;

• electrical sockets, switches, and lighting;

• sanitary equipment;

• doors and mechanisms;

• flooring and wall finishes;

• joints, silicone seals, and finishing details;

• remaining corrections and the deadline for completing them.

Warranty conditions should be easy to understand

A warranty has practical value only when it is clear what it covers and how a problem should be reported. The contract may define the method of notification, the required information, and the possibility for the contractor to carry out an inspection. It is important to distinguish between defects in the completed work and damage caused by improper use, subsequent intervention, or normal wear and tear. In the event of a consumer dispute, official information and the option to submit a complaint are available through the Commission for Consumer Protection, where the importance of documents related to the agreed work and the identified problem is also explained.

Project changes should leave a clear record

During a renovation, sometimes it is not just an individual activity that changes, but the entire technical solution. A different type of flooring may be selected, the lighting layout may be revised, or the internal arrangement may be changed. In such cases, it is important to make clear which version of the solution has received final approval. This prevents work from being carried out according to outdated information and reduces the risk of different specialists following different instructions. For more complex projects, updated drawings, sketches, material lists, or protocols may be used. The most important point is that both the client and the contractor work from the same approved version.

Construction renovation with a contract – part 2, conclusion

Construction renovation with a contract has the greatest value not when the signed document remains stored in a folder, but when it provides practical rules throughout the entire renovation process. Clearly documented changes, interim payments, inspections of concealed work, and final acceptance reduce the possibility of different interpretations. They also help both parties track how the project develops in relation to the original quotation.

For Toshev Stroy, clear documentation is part of good renovation management. When the scope, price, completion time, and procedure for changes are agreed in advance, decisions during the work can be made more quickly and transparently. This allows the final handover to be based on verifiable stages rather than memories of verbal agreements.
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