This construction management Contract covers the construction management work you have approved in the proposal, along with the day-to-day rules below for decisions, changes, access, and payment.
If something in the proposal and something in this document do not match, I will flag it and I will ask you to confirm in writing which one you want me to follow before I move forward. The goal is simple: keep the budget, schedule, and open items predictable week to week.
What I manage
My scope is construction management for your project, from preconstruction through closeout, focused on scope clarity, trade coordination, schedule control, and keeping job decisions documented.
What you get is listed below. Those items are the work product I will build and maintain as the job moves, and they are also how I will run the work day to day. If you want me to take on something that is not on that list, I will treat it as a change and handle it under the Changes clause so the cost and schedule impact is agreed before I do it.
* Preconstruction budget * Scope matrix * Trade buyout tab * Baseline schedule * Two-week look-ahead * Project control logs
Booking deposit
To book the work, you pay a deposit of 30% of the total price when you sign the proposal. I treat that deposit as the slot on my calendar and the time I set aside to start building the first budget, schedule, and control logs.
If you decide not to move forward after I have started, the deposit does not automatically come back. If I have not started work yet and you cancel, I will refund the part of the deposit that is not needed to cover any time already spent or costs I cannot unwind. If the project is paused after I start, I will bill for work completed up to the pause date.
Payment is split into two parts. You pay 30% to book the work when the proposal is signed. You pay the remaining 70% when the job is finished.
I invoice for the deposit at booking and for the remaining balance at finish, unless you and I agree in writing to break the remaining balance into milestone invoices because the project is being phased. Every invoice is due within 14 days of the invoice date.
If an invoice goes past due, I will tell you what is overdue and what it is holding up. I may pause meetings, log updates, and deliverable releases until the account is brought current.
Changes are normal on warehouse conversions and small commercial TIs, especially when drawings are still getting baked and field conditions show up during walks, demo, or early rough-in. The rule is that I do not do added work on a handshake.
If you want to change the construction management scope, or if I find a scope gap, I will write it up before I do the extra work. The write-up will say what is changing, any fee impact, and any schedule impact. If you approve it in writing, I will update the schedule, look-ahead, and control logs to match.
Allowances and unknowns stay tracked in the logs until the actual scope is verified. When the scope is known, I will document the cost and time impact so you can make a decision with eyes open.
Access and decisions
You provide the inputs and access I need to keep the job moving. Before Week 1 starts, I need the latest drawings, spec notes, and any landlord or lender requirements you have. If those change midstream, send me the update right away so I can keep the budget and logs aligned.
During the job, you give me one point of contact who can answer RFIs and pricing questions without delays. Fast answers are what keep trades from stacking up and waiting on each other.
You provide site access for walkthroughs and for subcontractor site visits during trade buyout. If access is limited because the space is occupied, phased, or security-controlled, tell me the constraints and I will build them into the baseline schedule and the two-week look-ahead.
What is not included
This construction management Contract covers construction management only. It does not include self-performing trade work, furnishing materials, or acting as a subcontractor on your project.
Trade work is carried by the subcontractors you buy out, under their contracts, pricing, and insurance. I coordinate their scope, schedule, RFIs/submittals, and paperwork, but I do not warranty their labor or materials beyond their own terms.
Unless you and I agree in writing, I also do not provide design services, engineering, or code consulting. I will help surface scope gaps and coordination issues, but the architect and engineers remain responsible for the drawings and specifications. Permit fees, utility fees, testing fees, and third-party inspections are not included unless they are clearly listed as part of my scope.
Closeout and punchlist
My closeout responsibility is to coordinate punchlist and completion tracking with the trades and to keep the status visible in the logs and schedule until the work is complete. I will set up site walks, document what is open, and push for dates and owners on each item.
Making good for physical work is handled by the responsible subcontractor under their contract. If something needs touch-up, rework, or replacement, I will route it to the right trade and track it to closure. I do not promise that every cosmetic preference can be treated as a defect, especially where the drawings or specs are silent.
After handover, if you report a snag, I will confirm whether it is new damage, normal wear, or a legitimate incomplete item. If it is legitimate, I will coordinate the return visit and update the punchlist status.
Limits in plain terms
I take responsibility for my construction management work: running the logs, coordinating communication, keeping the schedule current, and documenting decisions and changes so you are not guessing week to week.
I am not responsible for the performance, safety practices, means and methods, or workmanship of subcontractors and vendors you contract with. I will coordinate and escalate issues, but I cannot control what a trade does when I am not physically present.
I also cannot be responsible for hidden conditions that could not be verified without opening up walls, ceilings, or slabs, or for pricing and lead times that change after buyout due to market movement. When these issues show up, my job is to document the impact quickly and put a decision in front of you.
Ending the work
Either of us can end this contract by giving written notice. I will not disappear midstream. I will tell you what I can reasonably hand over and what will be incomplete if the work stops on that date.
If you end the work, you pay for construction management work completed up to the termination date. If you have already paid more than the value of the work completed, I will refund the difference. If you have paid less than the value of the work completed, I will invoice the balance, due within 14 days.
On termination or a longer pause, I will deliver the current budget snapshot, schedule status, and the latest versions of the logs I am maintaining. Once invoices are paid, you own the schedule files and project control logs I created for the job. I keep copies for my records so I can answer questions about past decisions and approvals.
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