Example building contracts & payment schedules
Free, practical resources for homeowners preparing to appoint a builder. See how project scope, contract responsibilities and stage payments fit together, then use the examples to ask better questions about your own job.
Choose your project below. Each guide includes worked contract details, a staged payment example with running totals, and an official contract sample to view. No email signup is required.
Choose your project
Loft conversion contract example and payment schedule
A fictional £80,000 contract example with seven payment stages, project-specific scope checks and evidence to agree before paying. The figure is an illustration, not a construction quote.
House extension contract example and payment schedule
A fictional £120,000 contract example with seven payment stages, project-specific scope checks and evidence to agree before paying. The figure is an illustration, not a construction quote.
Renovation contract example and payment schedule
A fictional £100,000 contract example with seven payment stages, project-specific scope checks and evidence to agree before paying. The figure is an illustration, not a construction quote.
New-build contract example and payment schedule
A fictional £250,000 contract example with seven payment stages, project-specific scope checks and evidence to agree before paying. The figure is an illustration, not a construction quote.
Official contract examples to view
JCT Home Owner contract: sample page
Open the official JCT sample page (PDF). This is a one-page example of the work-details section, showing how the project documents are identified. It is an extract, not the full contract.
JCT Home Repair and Maintenance Contract: full form
Open JCT’s full repair and maintenance contract (PDF). JCT makes this form freely available for short, simple, non-structural repair and maintenance work. It is not the appropriate shortcut for a loft conversion, extension, major renovation or new build. We include it so you can see the structure of a complete small-works agreement.
Find the right full contract for substantial work
JCT Home Owner contract without an appointed contract administrator.
JCT Home Owner contract with an appointed consultant administering the contract.
These publisher pages explain the forms and how to obtain them; complete contracts may require purchase. Contract choice depends on responsibilities, complexity and jurisdiction as well as the type of work. The examples use England and Wales terminology; Scotland and Northern Ireland need the appropriate local arrangements. Build Advocate provides remote construction advice nationwide.
How to use these examples
Check your drawings, specification, exclusions, programme and payment stages together. Agree what each payment funds, who assesses it, what evidence is required and how changes affect time and cost. The worked figures are fictional and are not standard percentages to copy into every job. An example is not a completed agreement ready for signature.
Read our building contract checklist and payment schedule guide for the underlying checks. Obtain advice on legal wording and remedies for the actual agreement.
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