Define responsibilities before the job starts

Start with dependencies, not defensive exclusions

Do not begin by creating a long list of everything the customer could get wrong. Start with the actual delivery chain.

For each work package, ask:

• What information must I receive?
• What access must be available?
• What selection must be made?
• What professional design must be issued?
• What approval or inspection must occur?
• What preceding work must be complete?
• Who supplies the product?
• Who may authorise a change?
• What must I provide to the next person?

This produces responsibilities that help the project move, not clauses designed only for a later argument.

Separate five layers

Contracting party

Who has promised the work to the customer and who is being paid?

Statutory dutyholder

Who holds the relevant legal role under the applicable regime?

Accountable project party

Which party owns the action or outcome within the project arrangement?

Action owner

Which person or firm is expected to perform it?

Decision authority

Who may approve, instruct, accept or change it?

Collapsing these into “assigned to Dave” creates a false sense of certainty. Dave may be a site operative who can upload a photo but cannot agree a £4,000 design change.

Write complete responsibilities

Use this pattern:

Example:

Carter & Sons will request the foundation inspection at least two working days before the planned pour, after confirming the excavation and reinforcement are ready. The booking confirmation and inspection outcome will be added to the project. The site lead may rearrange the visit, but a change affecting price or programme is proposed through the project change process.

Do not hide design responsibility

If you are taking contractor design, say which elements. If the structural engineer designs the beams but you verify dimensions and your steel fabricator designs connections, record those interfaces.

“Build to engineer's details” does not answer:

• who appoints the engineer;
• who supplies dimensions;
• who coordinates architectural and structural information;
• who resolves a conflict;
• who obtains revised calculations;
• whether connection design is included;
• who bears the effect of a late issue.

Control direct customer instructions

Your subcontractor should know who may instruct them. The customer asking for an extra socket while the electrician is on site feels efficient. It can leave four unresolved questions:

• Was it included?
• Who agreed the price?
• Does it affect compliance or testing?
• Does the electrician invoice you or the customer?

Create a polite rule: site conversations can identify a request, but changes go through the main project route before work proceeds wherever practical.

Record a missed responsibility without deciding the claim

If a selection is late, record:

• what was required;
• when the necessary information was provided;
• the agreed due date;
• the actual decision date;
• work affected;
• steps taken to reduce impact;
• proposed time or cost consequence.

Do not jump from “late” to an automatic charge. The agreement and evidence still govern entitlement.