Get Your Construction Contract Reviewed Before It Costs You
Construction contracts are complex, high-risk documents and once you’ve signed, your options are limited. Whether you’re building a new home, managing a commercial project, or entering into a subcontract agreement, unclear or unfair terms can lead to serious issues down the track; including delayed payment, scope blowouts, legal disputes, or financial losses.
At Enterprise Legal, we provide fast, commercially focused and affordable legal reviews of construction contracts for clients across Queensland. We don’t just explain what the contract says, we give you clear advice on what matters, what’s missing, what’s risky, and what you should push back on before signing.
We offer fixed or capped fees for contract reviews, so you can move forward with confidence and cost certainty.
Who We Help
Our team regularly reviews construction contracts for:
- Contractors, including head contracts based on Australian Standard formats (AS 4000, AS 2124, AS 4902), HIA and Master Builders contracts, as well as bespoke agreements issued by principals or developers.
- Subcontractors, who are often handed builder-issued subcontract agreements with little room to negotiate, but significant downstream risk. We review AS 4906-based contracts and other common formats to identify how risk is being pushed onto you.
- Homeowners, especially those building under HIA or Master Builders residential contracts. These contracts often favour the builder and contain terms that homeowners don’t fully understand until it’s too late.
- Developers, including both residential and commercial developers who need head contract reviews, consultant agreements, and off-the-plan sale documentation that aligns with project goals and legal obligations.
- Professionals, such as architects, engineers, certifiers and project managers, who are often asked to sign or interact with contracts that define their scope, liability, or independence; especially when novation is involved.
Not sure where you fit? We’ll help you work that out and direct you to the best next step.
Already know what kind of support you need? Visit our dedicated construction law pages for Contractors, Subcontractors, Homeowners, Developers, or Professionals.
What We Review and Advise On
Every construction contract is different and the risks you face depend on your role, project type and objectives. We tailor our reviews to your situation and provide advice that’s practical, not theoretical. Common issues we cover include:
- One-sided or unfair clauses: such as harsh indemnities, broad variation powers, liquidated damages that don’t reflect actual loss, or terms that make you liable for things outside your control.
- Payment structures and timing: including whether progress claims are clearly defined, what triggers payment, how retention and security work, and whether the payment timeline complies with legislation.
- Timeframes, extensions and delay risks: especially whether extensions of time (EOT) are available to you, how delay is handled contractually, and whether you’re exposed to penalty or default.
- Scope of work and documentation: including whether the scope is clearly defined, who provides the design or documentation, and how inconsistencies are managed or resolved.
- Termination and default triggers: including what rights each party has to terminate, what constitutes a breach, and what happens if the other party becomes insolvent or abandons the project.
- Special conditions and inconsistencies: identifying how custom clauses interact with standard terms and whether they create ambiguity or elevate your legal exposure.
- Licensing, insurance and compliance: making sure you meet all statutory and industry obligations under Queensland legislation and that your insurance position aligns with the contract.
We don’t just mark up the contract; we explain the real-world consequences and help you decide what to accept, what to clarify, and what to push back on.
Why It Pays to Get a Contract Reviewed
Many of our clients come to us only after a dispute has already emerged, and by then, the contract they’ve signed usually makes the problem harder (and more expensive) to solve.
Getting legal advice before you sign gives you:
- A clear understanding of your rights, responsibilities and risks
- A chance to fix errors or vague wording that could be used against you
- Better control over payment structures, timeframes and scope
- A stronger legal position if something goes wrong later
- Peace of mind; knowing you’re protected before you commit
If you’re spending tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, or signing on to deliver work under tight conditions, it’s not worth the gamble. Legal review is one of the smallest costs in your project, and one of the most important.
Speak With Our Construction Team
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Construction Contract Review FAQs
Have a construction contract in front of you? Book a fixed-fee contract review with our construction lawyers today and sign with confidence, not uncertainty.
