Subcontractor Agreements

Subcontractor Agreements

A subcontractor is a person who is hired perform work and fulfill all or part of the conditions set forth in a construction contract between other people, usually the owner and general contractor.   Subcontractor agreements should always be reviewed by an attorney in order to make sure the terms, conditions, and scope of work are clear and correct; that you understand all of your obligations; and to avoid or address foreseeable disputes.

General contractors typically use form subcontractor agreements that contain many provisions that impose unnecessary obligations on the subcontractor.  While the general contractor may tell you that all subcontractors on a project need to sign uniform agreements, that is not typically true.  Some of the subcontract provisions that typically are subject to negotiation include: payment conditions, payment timing, liability indemnification provisions, change order requirements, and alternative dispute resolution.