Sub-Contractor Agreement Review — Don't Sign Until a Specialist Has Read the Small Print

Sub-contractor agreements are often presented as take-it-or-leave-it documents, and the pressure to sign quickly before the main contractor moves on to the next firm is real. But signing without review is a genuine risk — I regularly see sub-contracts that contain back-to-back clauses passing down unlimited liability, payment terms that make cash flow almost impossible, and defects liability provisions that go far beyond what any reasonable trade would accept. My job is to read these documents carefully before you commit to them. I advise specialist trades, mechanical and electrical contractors, groundworks firms, steelwork fabricators, and finishing contractors across all contract forms. Whether your sub-contract is based on JCT SBCSub, DOM/1, NEC sub-contract, or a completely bespoke document written by the main contractor's solicitors, I will review it systematically. I focus particularly on payment applications and pay-less notice periods, extension of time rights, obligations in relation to the main contractor's programme, design liability, and termination triggers — these are the provisions that cause the most disputes in practice. After the review I give you a plain-English summary of the key risks and, where negotiation is realistic, I provide draft amendments to push back on the worst provisions. I can join calls with the main contractor or their solicitors if needed. I also advise on collateral warranties you may be asked to provide to funders or purchasers — these are separate obligations that sub-contractors often sign without understanding the liability they are taking on. How It Works 1. Send me the sub-contract and any back-to-back documents 2. I review all payment, liability, and termination provisions 3. Written risk summary with RAG ratings on critical clauses 4. Draft counter-amendments for any unreasonable provisions 5. Negotiation support with main contractor if required What You Get - Plain-English risk summary with clause-by-clause commentary - Payment term and extension of time analysis - Draft counter-amendments in track-changes format - Collateral warranty review as required FAQ Q: Can I negotiate a main contractor's standard sub-contract? A: Often, yes — particularly on larger projects. Main contractors expect some pushback on their standard terms and the most commercially aggressive provisions are usually negotiable. Q: What happens if I just use the sub-contract as presented? A: You may find yourself bound by onerous payment terms, unlimited defects liability, or restricted extension of time rights. These are the disputes I most commonly see in practice. Q: Do I need to review collateral warranties separately? A: Yes. Collateral warranties create separate direct obligations to funders, purchasers, or tenants and are worth reviewing in their own right.