Legal Support for Every Stage of the Construction Lifecycle
As a head contractor, you’re responsible for delivering complex projects under tight timeframes, and with even tighter margins. Whether you’re pricing a tender, managing subcontractors, or chasing overdue payments, each stage of your project involves risk. Getting the legal foundation right isn’t just about compliance, it’s about protecting your business.
At Enterprise Legal, we work with head contractors across Queensland to manage their legal risk from start to finish. We assist with contract negotiation and structuring, provide advice while your project is on foot, and act swiftly and strategically if a dispute arises.
We are experienced in a wide range of contract formats used across the construction industry, including Australian Standards (AS 4000, AS 2124, AS 4902 and others), HIA, Master Builders (MBA) contracts, and customised project-specific agreements. We tailor our advice to reflect the contract you’re working with and the commercial reality you’re operating in.
We also offer fixed or capped fees wherever possible, so you can get the right legal support without bill shock.
Before You Sign the Contract
The first opportunity to protect your position is before you even start work. We assist contractors by:
- Reviewing and negotiating head contracts (including AS contracts, HIA, MBA and custom formats) to identify and limit unfair risk
- Advising on scope clarity, payment terms, security, retention and key timeframes
- Drafting or reviewing subcontractor agreements that align with your upstream obligations
- Structuring project documents and workflows to reduce ambiguity and prevent disputes
- Ensuring compliance with licensing, insurance and procurement requirements
- Advising on corporate structuring and risk mitigation strategies, see our Structuring & Entity Advice page for more
We understand how tenders and contract negotiations work in the real world, and provide advice that’s fast, focused and practical; not full of red tape.
While the Project is Underway
Once the contract is live, legal issues often arise unexpectedly. We support head contractors with ongoing project advice, including:
- Responding to variations and extension of time (EOT) claims
- Managing subcontractor performance issues, delays or defect rectification
- Drafting or reviewing payment schedules, notices and site instructions
- Providing advice on performance securities, release of retention and project milestones
- Ensuring contract administration obligations are met to preserve your rights
- Advising on consultant and supplier relationships, and issues with project documentation
We work with your team of project managers, consultants, accountants and advisors, to solve problems early and preserve your relationships where possible.
Need practical contract tools? See our Business Documents and Employment Documentation pages for tailored templates and support.
When a Dispute Arises
Despite your best efforts, sometimes things go wrong. When they do, we act fast to protect your interests and resolve the issue on the best possible terms. We assist contractors with:
- Enforcing progress claims and retention release under Security of Payment legislation
- Responding to SOPA adjudication applications or initiating your own
- Advising on breach, termination and contract enforcement
- Preparing for mediation, dispute resolution procedures or litigation
- Acting in defect claims, delay disputes or subcontractor recovery actions
- Navigating complex multi-party conflicts involving owners, subcontractors and consultants
Our team is experienced in dispute strategy, negotiation and litigation, and we’re not afraid to push back when necessary. See our Building & Construction Disputes and Debt Recovery pages for more detail on how we handle escalated matters.
Speak With Our Construction Team
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Contractor FAQs
Need legal support across the life of your next construction project? Book a consultation with our construction lawyers today and get clear, strategic advice tailored for contractors.
