26/09/2011

Construction Claims and

Responses: effective
writing and presentation

Why is it necessary to produce a fully

detailed and professionally presented claim
or response?

Andy Hewi0

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Make the reviewers job as easy and as pleasant

as possible.

Presentation of the Claim or

Response
Ensure that the submission document is well
presented.

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Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Ensure that the document is user-friendly.

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Assume that the reviewer has no prior knowledge

of the project.

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Ensure that the submission is a stand-alone

document.

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Use the narraJve to lead the reviewer to a logical

conclusion.

26/09/2011

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Use the narraJve to explain other documents

a0ached as substanJaJon or in support of the
narraJve.

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Ensure that the logic contained in supporJng

calculaJons, programmes and the like is explained
clearly.

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Ensure that wording, Jtles, and the like included

in supporJng documents are consistent with the
narraJve.

Presentation of the Claim or

Response
Ensure that statements made are substanJated by
reference to the project records or other
documents and include copies of such documents
as substanJaJon

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Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Take care with prose, grammar and punctuaJon

and ensure that the narraJve is easily read and
properly understood.

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Keep the wriJng style simple and direct.

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Avoid the use of acronyms and abbreviaJons.

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Avoid legalese and unnecessarily complicated

language.

26/09/2011

Presentation of the Claim or

Response
Ensure that references to the parJes within the
narraJve are unambiguous

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

When possible, use the actual wording of clauses

rather than paraphrasing their meanings.

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

IdenJfy quotaJons correctly and consistently

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Ensure that the submission document is well

ordered and indexed to enable a reviewer to
quickly nd documents.

26/09/2011

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Present reference material and documents used

as substanJaJon in a separate volume to the
narraJve

The Essential Elements of a

Successful Claim
Cause
Eect
EnJtlement
SubstanJaJon

Presentation of the Claim or

Response

Ensure that a 3rd-party review is carried out before

nalisaJon of the document.

The Narrative
Front cover
Statement of Claim

C.E.E.S

Brief details of the contract, project, nature of the

claim, circumstances giving rise to the claim,
cause, eect and enJtlement

DeniJons, AbbreviaJons and ClaricaJons.

The Contract ParJculars

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The Narrative
The Method of Delay Analysis
Details of the Claim for an Extension of Time.
Cause, eect, delay analysis, enJtlement.

Details of the Claim for AddiJonal Payment.

Cause, eect, enJtlement.

The Appendices
Exhibits
Le0ers, minutes, site records etc.

The Baseline Programme

Delay Analyses Programmes.
Drawings
Photographs.
Cost CalculaJons.
SubstanJaJon of the Cost calculaJons.
Labour and plant records, quanJJes, payroll, invoices etc.

Responses and Determinations

Thank You

Everything that applies to the claim applies

equally to a response document. In
summary the main points are:
User friendly.
Stand alone document
Lead to a logical conclusion
Professional presentaJon
CEES

ahewi0.cccc@gmail.com
www.hewi0construcJonconsultancy.com