JCT Design and Build Contract

The JCT Design and Build Contract is well established and widely used by those undertaking construction projects where the contractor is to design and build a project.

It offers tried and tested wording on which to base a solid contract. Occasionally there may be a need to amend this contract to suit a particular project. The employer will rarely use design and build in its purest form and will instead commonly specify their needs in considerable detail in the employer's requirements.

Take care to amend only what is completely necessary. Similar projects may have encountered the same issues, so it is advisable to check whether an existing amendment already meets the particular requirement (see amending standard forms of contract).

The JCT Design and Build Contract was updated in April 2024. This isurv section is based on the 2024 version of the contract, highlighting significant changes from the 2016 version.

Despite the emergence of the NEC suite of contracts, the JCT Design and Build form remains the preferred choice of contract for developers, with the addition of contract amendments and novation.

This section is maintained by Danny Frost of SOCOTEC Advisory Ltd and Mathias Cheung of Atkin Chambers.

Document template: JCT Design and Build Contract 2024 – PDF and Word

RICS journal article: What's new in the JCT 2024 Design and Build contract?