- Construction Delay Compensation Claims
- Extension of Time Disputes
- Construction Liquidated Damages Claims
- Employer-Caused Construction Delays
- Construction Cost Overrun Disputes
- What to do next
- FAQ
A project is 11 weeks late. The contractor blames late design information and a delayed access date. The employer has already deducted liquidated damages from the last certificate, and both sides have a different version of the critical path.A representative scene, not a reported case.
01Construction Delay Compensation Claims
A contractor can claim time, and sometimes money, where delay was caused by the employer or a risk the employer bears. The employer can claim where the contractor was responsible for the delay.
Compensation turns on proof of cause and loss. Our approach is to trace each delay event to the programme, show its effect on completion and then price the actual extra cost: prolongation, site overheads, idle plant and labour.
02Extension of Time Disputes
An extension of time moves the completion date and removes liability for liquidated damages for the extended period. It is usually conditional on notice within a time limit and supporting particulars.
Missed notices are the usual battleground. We consider whether the contract is strict, whether the employer waived the requirement by conduct, and whether the court may treat the time bar as unenforceable on the facts. We do not assume the answer.
Discuss Your Construction ClaimSend us the contract or the key messages and we will tell you where you stand.
WhatsApp us03Construction Liquidated Damages Claims
Liquidated damages are a pre-agreed sum per day or week of delay. They avoid proving loss in detail, but a court can adjust an agreed figure that does not match the real loss. See our page on breach of contract litigation.
Employers should show that they were harmed by delay. Contractors should challenge the start date, the cap and whether the employer contributed to the delay.
04Employer-Caused Construction Delays
Late access, late payment, late drawings, late approvals and late variations are common employer-side delays. They can justify extension and cost where the contract treats them as employer risk events.
The key is contemporaneous correspondence. Each request for information, each late response and each instruction should sit on a timeline. We build that timeline early because it shapes every later argument.
05Construction Cost Overrun Disputes
Cost overruns raise the question of who bears the extra cost. It could be the contractor under a lump sum, the employer under a remeasurement contract, or a mix after variations.
We analyse the pricing basis, the change instructions and the cost records. Where overruns are linked to delay, we align the cost claim with the delay analysis so that the two are consistent.
What to do in the next 48 hours
- Gather the programmesThe baseline programme, every update and the as-built dates. Delay analysis depends on them.
- Collect notices and responsesDelay notices, requests for extension, late instructions and acknowledgements, arranged by date.
- Separate delay from disruption and costDifferent heads of claim need different proof. A planner or quantity surveyor is often needed.
Documents we ask for first
- Baseline and updated programmes
- Delay notices and EOT applications
- Request for information log
- Site diaries and progress reports
- Cost records for prolongation
- Liquidated damages deduction notices
Questions we are asked
Do I need a planning expert?
In most substantial delay claims, yes. We help instruct one and frame the instructions.
Can liquidated damages be recovered even if no loss was suffered?
Courts can review agreed damages and adjust them to the loss. We prepare evidence on both sides of the question.
What if I did not give notice on time?
It may be fatal or it may not, depending on the clause and the conduct of the employer. Do not assume it is lost. Ask us.
Related disputes
Ready to talk it through?Have the contract, the latest message and any notice in front of you. Call or WhatsApp is fine.
Call nowThis page is general information based on UAE and Dubai legislation as we understand it at the date of drafting. It is not legal advice. Laws are amended, and the right step depends on your documents and facts. Outcomes are never guaranteed.