Construction projects require clear agreements, careful planning and timely decisions. Whether you are developing a site, appointing a contractor, improving your home or dealing with a dispute, the right legal advice can help protect your investment and prevent problems from escalating.
At Fairmont Law Solicitors, our Construction Law Department provides practical, commercially focused advice to developers, landowners, contractors, consultants, investors and homeowners. From initial planning and procurement through to construction, completion and dispute resolution, we help you understand your position and take the next step with confidence.
Based in Richmond, we bring dedicated construction law support closer to the businesses and communities we serve across the borough, South West London and beyond.
Plan | Procure | Construct | Resolve | Deliver
Contact our Construction Law Department to discuss your project or dispute.
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Access to construction law advice should be straightforward, whether you are undertaking a residential refurbishment or delivering a substantial commercial development.
Our department has been established to make that support more accessible locally, bringing together construction advice with Fairmont’s wider property, commercial and dispute resolution services.
We assist clients across Richmond, Twickenham, Teddington, Hampton, Barnes, East Sheen, Kew and the surrounding areas. Our approach combines personal attention with a clear understanding of the practical pressures facing those who commission, finance, design and carry out building work.
We focus on what matters to your project: responsibilities, cost, time, quality and the protection of your commercial interests.
A well-prepared contract establishes who is responsible for what, how payment will work and what should happen if the project changes or something goes wrong.
We draft, review and negotiate construction documentation, including:
We explain the implications of key provisions, including design responsibility, insurance, payment, variations, delay, defects, liability and termination. Our aim is to ensure that the documents reflect the project you intend to deliver and that you understand the risks you are accepting.
Planning issues can affect whether a project is viable, how it is designed and when work can begin. Addressing the legal position early helps identify constraints before substantial commitments are made.
We provide legal support with planning applications and development proposals, working alongside your architect, planning consultant, surveyor and other advisers where appropriate.
Our assistance includes:
For projects in Richmond and the surrounding boroughs, we help clients understand how site-specific restrictions and the applicable planning framework affect their proposals.
We also advise on development agreements, conditional contracts, options and overage arrangements, helping align the property transaction with the planning strategy.
Our role complements the technical work of your project team: we address the legal issues, documentation and negotiations that support a properly coordinated application and development process.
Even with an agreed contract, construction projects evolve. Designs change, unexpected conditions emerge and programmes come under pressure.
We provide ongoing advice from tender stage through to completion, helping clients manage contractual obligations and respond to issues as they arise.
This includes advice on instructions and notices, changes to the scope of works, consultant responsibilities, completion requirements and the contractual consequences of project decisions.
Where difficulties arise, we help you assess the available options before taking steps such as withholding payment, suspending work or terminating an appointment or contract.
Payment and programme disputes can put pressure on cash flow and working relationships. Clear advice at an early stage can make a significant difference.
We assist with:
Working with quantity surveyors, delay analysts and other experts where needed, we help prepare, assess, pursue or defend claims with careful attention to the contract and supporting evidence.
When a dispute arises, you need a clear assessment of your position, the likely costs and the available routes to resolution.
We advise on disputes involving defective or incomplete work, non-payment, delay, design responsibility, professional negligence, breach of contract and termination.
Our dispute resolution services include negotiation, mediation, adjudication, arbitration and court proceedings, including appropriate cases before the Technology and Construction Court.
We consider the route that best suits the dispute, the contractual framework and your commercial objectives. Where settlement is achievable, we work towards terms that address the underlying problem. Where formal proceedings are necessary, we help you prepare and present your case.
Construction projects must address legal responsibilities alongside design and delivery requirements.
We advise on the legal implications of building regulations, the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, including how responsibilities are reflected in contracts and professional appointments.
Our support includes reviewing contractual risk allocation, advising on defects and remedial works, and helping clients understand when additional technical or regulatory input is required.
We work alongside appropriately qualified professionals so that legal advice is informed by the relevant design, safety and compliance evidence.
For homeowners, a building project often represents a substantial financial and personal commitment. An extension, conversion or refurbishment deserves clear contractual protection from the outset.
We help homeowners understand proposed building contracts, agree payment arrangements, address changes to the works and deal with poor workmanship, delays or unfinished projects.
We also advise on related property issues, including restrictive covenants, access arrangements, landlord consent and disputes involving neighbouring properties or party wall matters, working with surveyors where appropriate.
Whether you are preparing to appoint a builder or facing difficulties with ongoing works, we can help you understand your options.
We support clients across the construction and development sector, including:
Our services cover residential and mixed-use schemes, commercial premises, retail, hospitality, industrial developments, education, healthcare and wider regeneration projects.
We take time to understand your project, priorities and concerns before recommending a course of action.
We explain the legal position in straightforward terms, helping you make informed decisions about risk, cost and next steps.
Our construction advice is supported by the firm’s wider property, commercial and litigation services, helping address issues that extend beyond the building contract.
We help identify contractual and legal issues before they develop into more costly disputes.
From our Richmond office, we offer an accessible point of contact for clients who value a direct relationship with their legal advisers.
Ideally, before signing a building contract, appointing consultants or committing significant funds. Early advice can identify unclear terms and gaps in protection. We can also assist once work has started or a dispute has arisen.
Yes. We can advise on the legal aspects of an application and work alongside your architect or planning consultant on planning conditions, obligations, objections and related issues. We can also discuss the available options following a refusal or enforcement action.
No. These are separate approval processes, and a project may require both. Planning permission does not remove the need to address building regulations or other relevant consents, such as listed building consent or a landlord’s approval.
Yes. We can review the contract, correspondence and payment history, assess your position and advise on the appropriate next steps. Seek advice promptly, particularly before terminating a contract, withholding payment or suspending work.
Yes. We assist private clients undertaking building works as well as developers, contractors, consultants and other construction businesses, subject to the usual conflict checks.
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Whether you need a contract reviewed, legal support with a planning application, advice during construction, representation in a dispute including ADR and Adjudication, Fairmont Law Solicitors is here to help.
Fairmont Law Solicitors — Trusted Advisors. Intelligent Solutions.
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