Get the appointment document right before the consultant starts work

A consultant may be expected to advise, inspect, coordinate, report, attend site or produce deliverables, but those expectations are not always recorded with enough precision. That is where trouble starts. If the appointment is unclear, disputes can arise over whether something fell inside the consultant's role, whether a missed step affected payment, or whether the consultant was meant to rely on information from others. A well-structured appointment agreement gives the parties a clearer contractual framework before those issues become expensive to untangle.

An appointment agreement is usually framed around engaging a named consultant for a defined role on a particular project or matter, often with specific deliverables, programme interfaces and reporting expectations. It may need to address site attendance, design responsibility, coordination with other project participants and reliance on project information. That makes it more specific than a broader consultancy arrangement used for general advisory work. This page is therefore centred on the appointment document itself, rather than wider support on the surrounding project process.

Common clauses include the consultant's services, deliverables, timing, fee basis, invoicing, reporting obligations, information the consultant can rely on, confidentiality, intellectual property, insurance, variation procedures, liability wording, suspension rights and termination. Depending on the project, the agreement may also need to cover site access, design interfaces, review stages and whether third parties can rely on the consultant's work. The right drafting depends on the consultant's actual role and how the appointment fits into the wider construction setup.

Useful information includes the parties' details, the consultant's role, the project context, how fees are structured, what deliverables are expected, whether there are milestones or programme commitments, and whether site attendance is required. It also helps to know if the consultant is coordinating with other consultants or contractors, or if there is already a proposal, scope document or draft terms in circulation. Those details shape how the appointment is written, especially around reliance, responsibility boundaries and change control.

Yes. If the consultant has issued its own terms, or the other side has already produced a draft, we can review that document and advise on whether the wording matches the intended role and commercial deal. Typical pressure points include fee triggers, deliverable definitions, liability limits, reliance wording, insurance obligations and termination rights. In some cases, amending the existing draft is the most efficient route. In others, a fresh appointment is cleaner if the starting document does not reflect the arrangement properly.

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They'll send you a fixed fee quote outlining costs, scope, and timing. If you're happy, you can accept and sign our engagement letter online. Once that's done, we'll connect you with an expert lawyer who will complete your project via email, phone, or video chat, with the timing confirmed in your quote.

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