Briefing: Extension of time claims

The ability to recover costs in an extension of time claim can be greatly enhanced if a contractor produces and issues with tender documents a critical path network that clearly shows the floats of all non-critical activities. By merely supplying a computer-generated Gantt chart that may well show the floats in the form of bar extensions, a contractor may not be able to prove adequately which, and to what extent, other activities are affected by a client-originated variation, resulting in an extension of time. This article shows that costs can be recovered over and above the normal site establishment and labour costs associated with an extension of time. At the same time, the client will be able to see to what extent the variation has affected the original completion date.