Domestic Contracts: What to Put in Writing Before You Start

‍‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‍Domestic work is where people wing it the most: "bit of paper", a few texts, maybe a quote PDF. Then everyone is shocked when it ends in a row about money, mess or delays.

The law quietly gives the homeowner a lot of protection. Your best move -- whether you're the customer or the builder -- is to get the basics written down so you know what game you're actually playing.

1. What the law already gives you (even with no contract)

For consumer jobs (homeowners, not companies), the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and older law like the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 imply certain standards into the deal, whether or not you write them down.

In plain English, the trader must:

• Do the work with reasonable skill and care -- the standard of a competent professional in that trade.

• Use materials that are of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described (so "premium windows" and then fitting the cheapest possible isn't okay).

• Charge a reasonable price if you haven't agreed one clearly up front.

• Do the work within a reasonable time if you haven't agreed a clear timescale.

Those rights help in a dispute -- but going legal is slow and stressful. Getting things in writing at the start is how you avoid needing them.

2. The minimum you should always put in writing

For domestic jobs, you don't need a 50-page legal epic. You do need a short written contract that covers the money, the work, and the "what ifs".

At minimum, get this down:

Who and where

Names, addresses, and the property address where the work is being done.

Scope of work

• A clear, bullet-point description of what's included -- with drawings or a spec if you've got them.
• Explicitly list what is not included (e.g. planning permission, structural design, decorating, waste removal, making good beyond X).

Price and how it's worked out

• Fixed price? Estimate? Day rate? Schedule of rates? Say which.
• If it's an estimate, write what happens if things change -- does the builder need written approval before going over a certain limit?

Payment schedule

• Deposit (how much, when, and what it covers).
• Stage payments (e.g. after foundations, after roof, after first fix, after completion) or monthly valuations on bigger jobs.
• Final payment trigger -- e.g. when snagging is done or when building control signs off.

Timing

• Planned start date and expected duration.
• Any hard deadline (e.g. "must be watertight by X for lender/childbirth/move-in").

Variations (changes)

• A simple rule: no extra work without written confirmation of cost and impact on time.
• That can be a text or email -- it just needs a trail.

Access and living arrangements

• Working hours, weekend work, use of facilities (toilet, water, power), how the house will be secured.

Waste, protection and making good

• Who's paying for skips / waste removal.
• What gets protected (floors, driveway, gardens) and what will be made good at the end.

Snagging and defects

• A simple snag list process (e.g. list within 2 weeks of completion, builder has X weeks to sort).
• Any warranty period for workmanship and materials (on top of manufacturer warranties).

You can bolt this onto a standard domestic contract template or just structure your own 2--3 page agreement around it. The key is clarity, not fancy wording.

3. Red-line clauses and things to avoid

There are patterns that lead straight to rows on domestic jobs. You can spot a lot of them before you sign.

Watch for:

• Vague "cash-only" arrangements: these kill your paper trail and your protection if the work goes wrong.

• Huge deposits with no clear reason (e.g. 50--60% up front) -- especially if materials are not clearly listed and ordered.

• No detail on what happens if the customer changes their mind -- you want something on cancellation, wasted costs and storage of materials.

• No mention of building control, planning, or structural design -- who's actually responsible for getting approvals and calculations?

• Silence on disputes -- even a simple line about "try to resolve in writing, then get an independent inspection / ADR before court" can calm things later.

If something feels off in the contract, it usually is. Better to fix it at the kitchen table than on a scaffold tower three months in.

4. Simple process that keeps you out of trouble

Domestic jobs go bad when expectations drift and nobody writes anything down until they're angry. Here's a basic flow that works for most house projects.

Before work starts:

• Agree scope, price type, payment stages and timescales in writing -- quote + terms, or a simple domestic contract.
• Make sure drawings, structural calcs and any approvals you're relying on are referenced in the contract.
• Swap insurance details -- builder's public liability and, on bigger jobs, evidence of any structural warranty or contractor's all-risks if relevant.

During the job:

• Confirm changes in writing before extra work starts -- even if it's just "extra sockets as per our text message, agreed £X and +1 day".
• Keep a simple record: photos, short emails summarising what's been agreed each week, copies of invoices and receipts for big items.

At the end:

• Do a joint walk-round, write a snag list, and agree a date for putting it right.
• Tie the final payment to completion and snags being done, not just "builder says we're finished".

That's it. Nothing fancy. But if a dispute ever does land, you'll be glad you took two hours at the start to put it all in black and white.

Domestic contract quick checklist

Before you start a domestic job, you want written answers to every line below.

• Names and addresses for both sides, plus the site address
• Clear scope of work, with what isn't included spelled out
• Drawings/specs/structural calcs listed as contract documents if you're relying on them
• Price type agreed: fixed price / estimate / day rate / schedule of rates
• Rules for estimates -- when you can go over and how extra cost is agreed
• Payment plan: deposit, stage payments, final payment trigger
• Start date and expected duration written down
• Simple variation rule: no extra work without written cost/time confirmation
• Who handles planning, building control and structural design
• Working hours, weekend working and access arrangements
• Protection: floors, driveway, garden -- who's doing what
• Waste/skips responsibility and where they'll go
• Snagging process and timescale to put things right
• Warranty period for workmanship and key materials, plus any structural warranty
• Cancellation/termination terms -- what happens if either side stops the job
• Basic dispute route (e.g. written complaints first, then independent inspection/ADR before court)

If you can't tick most of that on a domestic job, you're relying on luck and the Consumer Rights Act to save you later -- and that's a hard way to make a living.

Disclaimer: SiteKiln gives you plain-English information, not legal advice. Talk to a solicitor before making big decisions on live disputes.

What to do next

• Download or create a simple 2--3 page domestic contract template and use it on every job from now on.
• Before the next job starts, sit down with the customer and go through scope, price, payment stages and timescales -- then both sign.
• Make a habit of confirming any changes in writing (even a text or email) before extra work starts.
• Swap insurance details at the start: your public liability at minimum, and any structural warranty details on bigger jobs.
• At handover, do a joint walk-round and write a snag list with photos -- agree a date for putting things right.

Sources

• Consumer Rights Act 2015 -- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/contents
• Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 -- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1982/29/contents

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