Most disputes in renovation work come not from bad faith but from things that were never written down. If the nine clauses below are missing from your contract, one of them will turn into an argument at some point in the job.
1. Description of the work — “it will be painted” is not enough
The scope of work should be written room by room, item by item. The difference between “living room paint” and “living room walls, two coats of primer, two coats of silicone-based paint, ceiling included, plaster repairs included” comes back to you later as a difference on the invoice. What is left out of scope should be written down just as clearly.
2. Material brand, model and quantity
“First-class tiles” means nothing in legal terms. The brand, model, colour code and square metres have to be written down. And one more sentence: if the specified product cannot be supplied, an equivalent will be chosen with your written approval. Because that sentence is missing, a lot of people end up with a product in their home they never liked.
3. Payment schedule — tied to the work, not to the calendar
Payments should be tied to completed work, not to dates: shell finished, services finished, finishes finished, handover. What will have been done at each instalment has to be written down. The upfront share should not exceed 30%; if it does, the contract has to give a reasonable reason for it (an order for imported material, for example).
4. How progress will be measured
How the completed work is measured and approved should be written down: who measures, when they measure, and how many days after your approval the payment goes out. Without this clause, every payment becomes a negotiation.
5. The procedure for changes (variations)
This is the most frequently skipped and the most useful clause of all. It should contain three things: a change request is made in writing, its effect on price and time is reported first, and it is not carried out until you approve it. The sentence “verbal requests are not carried out” looks harsh at first; in practice it protects both sides.
6. Duration, delay and excusable delays
The start and completion dates, the daily penalty rate in case of delay, and the circumstances that count as excusable (a delay in the building management’s permission, a decision delayed on your side, public holidays, the summer restriction in Bodrum) should each be written down separately.
7. Warranty
The length of the workmanship warranty and what it covers should be written down. The material warranty is the manufacturer’s warranty, and the documents should be handed over to you. What falls outside the warranty (misuse, normal wear) should also be written down so that it isn’t argued about later.
8. Insurance and liability
Whether there is liability insurance for damage that could be caused on site to third parties or to the flat below, and the policy number, should be written down. A flood or a leak into the flat below happens rarely, but when it does the sum involved is large.
9. Handover and the snag list
It should be written down that at handover the property will be walked through together and a snag list (punch list) drawn up, within how many days that list will be closed, and that the final payment will be made after the list is closed. Tying part of the final payment to that list is the single most effective clause for making sure the work actually finishes.
Ask for these annexes too
- Room schedule (what will be done in which room)
- Material list (brand, model, quantity)
- Payment schedule table
- Programme of works
- A copy of the tax certificate and, if there is one, the construction contractor authorisation certificate
This article is for general information and is not legal advice. We recommend showing your contract to a lawyer before you sign it.
Would you like us to take a look at your contract before you sign? Write to us and we’ll tell you honestly what’s missing and what’s excessive.