The Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) suite of contracts is a set of standard documents used by the building industry to help deliver your project.
Find out how complex your JCT should be and why it is so important to your renovation project.
JCT was established in 1939 by the Royal Institute of British Architects and the National Federation of Building Trades Employers.
Though there have been many additions over the years, the ones most commonly used are the 2005 (revised 2009) and 2011 additions. It is unlikely that you will be asked to use an older addition than this, so if you are, it is perhaps worth questioning.
JCT contracts explained
JCT contracts facilitate the process of delivering a building project. In simple terms they set out the responsibilities of all the parties within the process and their obligations to each other.
In this way it is then clear what work needs to be done, who is doing it, when they are doing it by and for how much.
Under the JCT, you, as the property owner, are defined as the employer within the contract and the contractor as the contractor.
JCT contracts facilitate the process of delivering building project. In simple terms they set out the responsibilities of all the parties within the process and their obligations to each other.
The JCT approach clearly defines these and apportions risk in a way that is appropriate for the project they are supporting.
JCTs use a standard form to minimise the cost of entering into a contract and provide benchmark provisions so that few things are left out and unnecessary things are not included.
It allocates risk in a fair and rational way and reflects the benefits that have been accrued through both legal and best practice precedent over the years.
Finally, a JCT is well recognised by the professional team and building contractors, and reduces enormously the amount of time and resources required to get to the start point of your project.