Contractors are sometimes kept waiting on site by a disorganised
principal or head contractor. Their usual response is to make a
claim much later for the wasted cost of keeping idle labour and
plant on site.
However, unless the contract requires the principal to ensure
the contractor's works will not be prolonged or disrupted, or
to compensate the contractor for idle time, such a claim is
unlikely to succeed.
In our view, the better way to deal with the cost of idle time
(if you weren't able to negotiate the clause described above
into the contract) may be to claim a price variation based on
changes to the construction program. This is particularly so, if
the project site is remote and you cannot just go and come back at
the convenience of the disorganised principal or head
contractor.
