Questions to Ask Before Signing a Build Contract
The contract questions worth resolving before signing — payment schedule, change orders, delays, warranty, lien releases and who is on site every day.
By Tireless Construction ·
Last updated
By the time you are ready to sign, you have chosen a builder and you want to get started. That is exactly the moment to slow down for an afternoon. Every question below is easy to answer before signing and difficult to renegotiate afterwards.
Payment and draws
Ask what triggers each draw. Milestone-based schedules tied to completed, inspectable work protect you better than calendar-based ones. Ask whether the schedule is front-loaded, and if so, why.
Change orders
Confirm the process in writing: how a change is requested, how it is priced, whether the builder's fee applies to it, and that no work proceeds without written approval. Verbal change orders are the single most common source of end-of-project disputes.
Schedule and delays
Ask what the contract says about substantial completion, what counts as an excusable delay, and how the schedule is communicated during the build. A weekly update in writing is a reasonable expectation.
Liens and subcontractor payment
Ask for conditional and unconditional lien releases from subcontractors and suppliers as draws are paid. This protects you from paying twice if a subcontractor is not paid by the builder.
Warranty and who is actually on site
- What is covered, for how long, and how a warranty claim is submitted
- Which named person supervises your site day to day
- How often they are physically present
- Who to contact when that person is unavailable
Have a construction attorney review the contract. It is a small cost against the size of the commitment, and it is the cheapest insurance in the entire project.