Types of Construction Contracts.
Compare the main types of construction contracts, including traditional, design and build, management, cost-reimbursable, JCT, NEC and bespoke arrangements, before choosing an appropriate route for professional review.
How does the construction contract comparison work?
Compare the main types of construction contracts, including traditional, design and build, management, cost-reimbursable, JCT, NEC and bespoke arrangements, before choosing an appropriate route for professional review.
What it does
Compare the main types of construction contracts, including traditional, design and build, management, cost-reimbursable, JCT, NEC and bespoke arrangements, before choosing an appropriate route for professional review.
Inputs you provide
Provide the procurement strategy, design responsibility, pricing approach, risk allocation, programme priorities, change process and the level of employer control required for the project.
Output you receive
Adelphos returns a structured comparison of relevant construction contract types and the questions that should be resolved before a form is selected, drafted, amended or reviewed.
Limits and responsibility
This comparison is general information, not a recommendation or legal advice. The final procurement route and contract form depend on the project, jurisdiction and negotiated commercial position.
What are the main types of construction contracts?
Construction contract types can be described by procurement route, pricing mechanism and standard form. Those choices overlap, so the project team should test them together rather than select a contract by name alone.
Traditional construction contracts
The employer normally retains the design team and appoints a contractor to build the developed design. The contract must define any contractor-designed portions, measurement basis and administration duties.
Design and build contracts
The contractor accepts defined design and construction responsibility against the employer's requirements and contractor's proposals. Scope clarity and the treatment of existing design are critical.
Management contracting and construction management
Management routes package the work and support earlier starts, but the contractual relationships, cost risk and employer involvement differ. The team needs suitable management capacity and clear package coordination.
Lump-sum, measurement and cost-reimbursable contracts
Pricing can be fixed against a defined scope, measured from completed quantities, target-cost or reimbursed from allowable cost. Each approach allocates uncertainty and cost control differently.
JCT construction contracts
The JCT family includes forms for several procurement and project arrangements. The selected form, particulars, schedules and amendments must reflect the actual project and current edition.
NEC construction contracts
The NEC family uses defined core clauses, main and secondary options and active administration processes. The chosen contract, pricing option and contract data must operate together.
Choose the route before drafting amendments
Compare design responsibility, price certainty, programme, change, collaboration, administration and risk allocation. Then write or review the selected construction contract with project-specific commercial and legal input.
Frequently asked questions.
What are the main types of construction contracts?
Common approaches include traditional, design and build, management contracting, construction management, target-cost, cost-reimbursable, lump-sum and measurement contracts. Standard forms such as JCT and NEC can support different procurement and pricing arrangements.
What is a traditional construction contract?
Under a traditional route, the employer usually appoints the design team and the contractor constructs the completed design. The detailed form determines design portions, risk and administration.
What is a design and build contract?
A design and build contract places defined design and construction responsibility with the contractor, subject to the employer's requirements, contractor's proposals and the negotiated terms.
What is the difference between JCT and NEC contracts?
JCT and NEC are families of standard forms with different structures, terminology and administration. The correct choice and option depend on the procurement strategy, project risk and how the parties intend to manage time, cost and change.
Can Adelphos compare and review construction contract types?
Yes. Adelphos can organise the project requirements, compare relevant contract structures and prepare a draft or review schedule for authorised commercial and legal reviewers.
Compare, write or review contracts with Adelphos.
Open Adelphos Chat to work through the source information, create the structured output and keep the responsible reviewer in control before issue or use.
Write or review contracts with Adelphos