Residential Building Contracts 2026 - Avoiding Costly Mistakes

Learn practical legal insights to help you identify risks and safeguard your building project

Entering into a building contract is one of the most significant financial decisions your clients will make, and yet many do so rather haphazardly without fully understanding the risks.

This webinar provides practical legal insights into what feeds into a building contract at the outset, and how building contracts operate in the real world, and where things commonly go wrong.

Designed as an introductory to intermediate practical session, this webinar is ideal for professionals advising clients on residential building projects, particularly those in small to mid-sized firms. You’ll be guided through a typical building contract, with a focus on identifying risk areas, understanding key clauses, and equipping your clients to make informed decisions before signing.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• The underpinnings of a building contract.
• How to navigate a standard building contract from start to finish.
• The most common pitfalls that lead to disputes and cost overruns.
• Key contract clauses that can significantly disadvantage homeowners.
• How to identify red flags early and take proactive steps to manage risk.
• Practical advice and warnings to give clients before they commit to a build.

By the end of the session, you will have greater confidence in interpreting building contracts and be better equipped to guide your clients through the process—helping them avoid disputes and achieve better project outcomes.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

In this webinar, you will learn:

• The underpinnings of a building contract.
• How to navigate a standard building contract from start to finish.
• The most common pitfalls that lead to disputes and cost overruns.
• Key contract clauses that can significantly disadvantage homeowners.
• How to identify red flags early and take proactive steps to manage risk.
• Practical advice and warnings to give clients before they commit to a build.

By the end of the session, you will have greater confidence in interpreting building contracts and be better equipped to guide your clients through the process—helping them avoid disputes and achieve better project outcomes

SUITED TO

Lawyers, accountants, building advisors.

PRESENTER

James Hakaria, Partner, Sharp Tudhope Lawyers

James is a Partner at Sharp Tudhope Lawyers, specialising in civil litigation with a specific focus on building and construction disputes. For over 15 years, James has been advising home-owners, contractors, principals/ developers of their rights and obligations in the construction space, from when projects are still on foot and relationships and timeframes are delicate, to post completion and Adjudication or Court proceedings are contemplated.