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If you've ever grappled with ambiguous clauses, design liability grey areas, or delays tied to clunky contract admin, you're not alone. The JCT Design and Build Contract 2024 isn't here to dazzle. It's a direct response to years of frustration across procurement, project delivery, and risk management — especially after the Building Safety Act 2022.
It reflects the way projects run now, not how they were run in 2016. In this article, you'll see what's changed, how it affects procurement workflows, and how contract administrators and quantity surveyors can adapt without sacrificing time or control.
The JCT 2016 edition had gaps — some manageable, others not. Over time, those gaps grew.
JCT 2024 deals with many of the issues contractors, developers, and consultants have raised for years. People have been calling for clearer risk allocation, tighter safety compliance, and more streamlined admin. Now it's here.
Collaboration is a big shift. JCT 2024 introduces early warning provisions and stronger co-ordination. Supplemental Provision 10 now makes early engagement mandatory, not optional.
Risk is another focal point. The contract recognises relevant events such as epidemic-related delays, unexploded ordnance, and asbestos. These risks are out there — and JCT 2024 brings them into sharper clarity for extension-of-time claims.
The Building Safety Act 2022 also takes centre stage. JCT 2024 weaves in dutyholder requirements for higher-risk residential buildings, with clearer language around statutory compliance. This means fewer stand-offs over shifting regulations.
Procurement teams should notice changes in fluctuation provisions. Option A stays in the printed contract, while Options B and C move online, backed by a new fluctuations hub. This update acknowledges the reality of price volatility.
Sustainability is now on the radar. Clause 2.1.5 lets contractors propose design changes that reduce environmental impact. It doesn't impose obligations or hand out incentives, but it gives teams a way to submit greener alternatives.
On the admin side, electronic notices and eSignatures are standard. Delays caused by paper trails and multiple sign-offs can be cut dramatically when everyone's on board.
All this affects how projects are priced, programmed, and procured from day one. If your job involves contract risk or scope negotiations under D&B, these details matter.
JCT 2024 introduces targeted changes that affect procurement teams, quantity surveyors, and contract administrators. Here are five that stand out.
Both parties must act with mutual trust and co-operation. This changes the usual dance of delay claims and scope disputes — especially if someone spots a brewing issue but stays silent.
Building safety obligations are now upfront, especially for higher-risk buildings. Contractors must take dutyholder roles seriously, maintain a ‘Golden Thread’ of information, and handle documentation with more precision.
Epidemics, unexploded ordnance, asbestos, and post-contract legislative changes are now clearer grounds for time extensions. They don't entitle you to loss and expense, but you'll still need to document these delays swiftly.
The update strengthens the standard that liability is based on reasonable skill and care, not fitness for purpose. If you're procuring packages that include design (like façades or MEP), ensure the spec is tight. Otherwise, you might end up on the hook for outcomes that were never priced.
Termination rights are now clearer when a contractor fails to proceed regularly and diligently. That means your procurement timelines need to be on point. If milestones slip without good cause, expect serious consequences.
JCT 2024 doesn't just tweak wording. It reshapes how work is delivered on site. Contract administrators and quantity surveyors juggling tenders, scope reviews, and programme updates can't pretend it's still 2016.
Early warning provisions demand genuine risk management. You need live updates on procurement status across all packages — or risk being called out for complacency.
“When you look at tenders, you look at a load of dates that don’t mean anything... they’re all in the red.”
That quote came from a commercial lead on a big South London residential project. His team relied on spreadsheets to track forty packages. The result? Missed milestones, late contracts, and near-misses with liquidated damages.
Procurement timelines must factor in design clarifications, safety documentation, and trade-specific risks. If deadlines are slipping and you fail to highlight it, you could end up carrying the can.
Subcontractor vetting is about more than price. You need to check their safety records, design responsibilities, and capacity to handle compliance. If you rely purely on email chains and spreadsheets, it gets messy fast.
Clear design liability means you must nail down the scope. If your contractor is on the hook for design, there's no room for vagueness. That's a procurement issue, and it will bite you down the line if you don't lock it in upfront.
Delayed sign-offs are more than an irritation. If the employer believes you're not proceeding diligently, termination clauses could come into play. It's a serious risk on critical timelines.
Disconnected documents and scattered email threads won't cut it under JCT 2024. You need a modernised process — what we call the new way:
• Live dashboards for real-time procurement progress.
• Tendering tools for tracking safety documents and subcontractor queries.
• Scope libraries to standardise packages.
• Automated approvals to bridge the gap between recommendations and contract issue.
• eSignatures to keep everything moving quickly.
Manual workflows aren't just slow — they also pile on the liability when you miss something important.
We often get asked how the shift from JCT 2016 to 2024 plays out in live projects. Here are the highlights.
That contract stays in force from start to finish. You can switch to 2024 by formal amendment, but most teams won't bother unless there's a strong reason.
Yes. The early warning mechanism under Supplemental Provision 10 now automatically applies unless deleted. Fluctuation Options B and C have moved online, and you need to specify them if they're relevant.
It can. Smaller works sometimes use different forms, but if it's a D&B contract — even at £1 million or less — the updated clauses still apply.
JCT 2024 raises the bar for contracts — and for how you manage procurement and delivery. The assumptions now revolve around real-time visibility, prompt risk flags, and precise documentation.
If you're relying on the old way — emails, spreadsheets, and phone calls — you'll feel the pain more than ever. But you don't have to drown in admin. Tools like ProcurePro bring clarity and efficiency, in line with JCT 2024's expectations for clear, consistent, and traceable workflows.
See how it works by booking a ProcurePro demo.
James Metcalfe
