CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS

Read a construction contract before the first change order arrives

A construction contract allocates the risks of building something: the price or how it is calculated, the schedule and what happens when it slips, how changes are ordered and paid for, when progress payments are due, how much is withheld as retainage, and who fixes defects afterwards. Upload the contract and its general conditions as PDFs, ask about each risk in plain language, and read the cited clause before work begins.

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Last updated October 2026

How to review a construction contract with Search+

Upload the agreement and the documents it incorporates
Add the agreement, the general and supplementary conditions, and key exhibits such as the payment schedule, up to 10 per upload. A schedule of values kept in Excel can go in too. Many construction contracts pull terms in from these other documents.
Say who you are on the project
In Workspace Context, write something like "I am the owner of a small commercial renovation; flag terms that let the price or schedule move." Each question is answered with that role in mind.
Ask risk by risk and open the clauses
Ask about changes, delays, payment and defects one at a time. Each answer cites the excerpt it relied on, with a section reference when the document provides one.

Questions owners and contractors ask

Pricing model

Is this a fixed price, cost plus a fee, or a guaranteed maximum price arrangement?

Changes

How must a change order be requested and approved, and how is its price set?

Delays

What happens if the work finishes late, and are delay damages or extensions of time provided?

Payment

When are progress payments due, and how much is held back as retainage?

Defects

How long must the contractor correct defective work after completion?

Disputes

What steps must be followed before a dispute can go to arbitration or court?

What reading a construction contract involves

Incorporated documents

Construction agreements often incorporate general conditions, drawings and specifications by reference. The clause you need may be in one of those.

Change order procedure

Changes are a frequent source of disputes. The required notice, approval and pricing steps decide whether extra work gets paid.

Schedule and delay terms

Look for completion dates, extension rights and any agreed damages for late completion. Notice deadlines for delay claims are easy to miss.

Retainage and payment applications

Payment usually follows a monthly application, with a portion withheld until completion. Check the percentage and release conditions in the contract.

Local rules apply

Lien rights, prompt payment rules and licensing requirements vary by place and are not always in the contract. Ask a construction lawyer about them.

Cited from every document

With the agreement and conditions in one workspace, Search+ can answer across all of them and cite each excerpt.

Typical parts of a construction contract

Part	What it usually covers	A question to ask Search+
Agreement	Parties, price, dates	What is the contract sum and the completion date?
General conditions	Standard rights and duties	Who is responsible for site safety?
Changes	Change orders and directives	Can the owner order changes without agreeing a price first?
Time	Schedule, delays, extensions	How much notice must be given for a delay claim?
Payments	Applications, retainage, final payment	When is retainage released?
Warranty and correction	Defects after completion	How long is the correction period?
Insurance and indemnity	Cover and allocation of losses	Which insurance must the contractor carry?

What is a construction contract?

A construction contract is an agreement between a project owner and a contractor, or between a contractor and a subcontractor, that sets out the work to be built, the price, the schedule and how the risks of the project are shared.

Construction documents, such as drawings and specifications, describe what is to be built. The contract sets the legal and commercial terms, though it often incorporates those documents.

Construction contract questions

Can Search+ find the change order procedure?

Ask how changes are requested, approved and priced. The answer cites the changes section and any form it refers to, so you can read every step.

Can it read the general conditions with the agreement?

Yes, if they are in the same workspace. Ask across all of them and the answer cites each document it draws on.

Will it list the notice deadlines?

Ask for every notice requirement and its deadline, such as for delays, claims or defects. Check the cited clauses, since an AI list can miss one.

Can I compare two contractors' contracts?

Upload both and ask how they handle the same risk, such as delay or retainage. The answer cites each contract.

Will Search+ tell me whether a lien or payment term is enforceable?

No. Search+ helps you find and read the contract. It is not legal advice; lien and payment rules in particular depend on local law.

Which project documents work best?

The agreement, general conditions, specifications and change orders, as PDFs or Word files, plus any Excel schedule of values. Scanned signed pages are read with OCR; check cited figures against the original.

Know how the price and schedule can move

Start a workspace, upload the construction contract and its conditions, and ask about each risk.

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