When a construction payment dispute stalls a project, parties often assume the only route is lengthy, expensive litigation. It isn't.
Adjudication — introduced by the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 — gives parties a decision within 28 days (extendable by agreement). It is designed to keep cash flowing and projects moving, with the adjudicator's decision binding on an interim basis until finally determined by litigation, arbitration or agreement.
Success in adjudication rarely comes down to who shouts loudest. It comes down to the quality of the quantum analysis — a clear, evidenced valuation of the work, the variations and the loss. That is where independent expert input earns its place.
