Defective Construction Work

Book excerpt: Defective construction work, whether the result of inadequatedesign, faulty workmanship or poor materials – or somecombination of these failings – is a frequent cause of legaldisputes. Someone is usually to blame, either the builder or one ormore of the professional consultants, or even the entire projectteam. It is important therefore that the project team shouldpossess a good working knowledge of their responsibilities andliabilities. Written by a solicitor with over twenty years of experience ofbuilding disputes, this book examines the responsibilities andliabilities of the project team when defects occur. It sets out thebackground role of the common law and statute and includes detaileddiscussion of important case law affecting the construction processfrom inception through to completion, together with a considerationof the impact of letters of intent, 'no contract' situations, andspecific provisions of model conditions of contract.