What Should a Turnkey Construction Agreement Include?

When you choose turnkey construction, you probably want the convenience of dealing with one team throughout your home build. You explain what you need, agree on a budget, and expect the team to coordinate the work.

Before signing, though, ask what you will receive when the keys are handed over.

Will the kitchen have cabinets? Are wardrobes included? Who pays for building approvals? These questions can be easy to overlook while discussing layouts and finishes, but the answers belong in your agreement.

A clear contract gives you and the builder something to refer to throughout the project. Read it together with the quotation, drawings and material specifications, making sure each attachment carries an agreed date or version.

Be Clear About What Is Included

Picture walking into the finished house. What do you expect to see?

You might imagine fitted bathrooms, working lights, a complete kitchen and a finished boundary wall. Your builder’s quotation may cover some of these and leave others for you to arrange.

Ask for a detailed scope covering site preparation, foundations, structural work, plumbing, electrical work, waterproofing and finishes. Kitchens, wardrobes, landscaping, appliances and loose furniture should be listed wherever they form part of the agreement.

Read the exclusions just as carefully. Check who provides temporary water and electricity, arranges site access and removes construction waste.

If an item has a provisional allowance, ask how its final price will be worked out.

Put Material Choices in Writing

Words such as “premium” and “high quality” sound reassuring, but they do not tell you which tap, tile or window you are buying.

The agreement should identify brands, models, grades, sizes and finishes wherever practical. Structural materials, wiring, pipes and waterproofing systems need specifications too, even though you may never see them once construction is complete.

You do not need to select every decorative item before signing. Where choices remain open, agree on clear allowances and selection deadlines.

Also discuss availability. If your chosen tile is discontinued, the team should explain the alternative and any price difference before ordering it. Record your approval so everyone is working from the same decision.

Understand the Price and Payment Stages

Ask whether the quoted amount is fixed, an estimate, or a price that will change with measured quantities. Check how the area has been calculated if the quotation uses a per-square-foot rate.

Then look beyond the main total. Are taxes, design fees, approval charges, and transport included? Which items will you purchase separately?

Payments should have clearly described stages. For example, if a payment is due when the structure is complete, the agreement should explain what counts as completion and how progress will be checked.

Confirm invoice deadlines and the conditions for final payment. Any money you keep aside for unexpected costs should be separate from the agreed construction price.

Agree on a Realistic Schedule

If you are planning to move out of rented accommodation or finish before a family event, share that early.

The agreement should record a start date, major stages and a target completion date. It should also state what needs to be ready before work begins, including approved drawings, permissions and access to the plot.

Discuss how delays will be handled. Rain, supply problems, late selections, and delays caused by the contractor may affect the programme differently.

Ask how you will be notified, how additional time will be assessed, and whether there could be extra costs. These details are more useful than a vague promise of quick completion.

Know Who Handles Drawings and Approvals

You should know who prepares the architectural, structural, electrical, and plumbing drawings, and who coordinates them. The National Building Code covers these technical areas alongside construction management, reflecting the range of work involved in a building project. 

Your agreement should also identify who submits approval applications, pays the fees, and responds to requests for further information.

Check how many design revisions are included. If you change the layout later, ask what the revision will cost and how it will reach the site team.

Keep dated copies of approved drawings. An updated plan is only useful if the people building your home receive it.

Ask How Quality Will Be Checked

A finished wall cannot show you everything behind it. Discuss inspections before work is covered, including plumbing and electrical routes, waterproofing and relevant structural stages.

Find out who supervises the site, records concerns and checks corrections. Ask how you can raise a question and when you can expect a response.

The agreement should refer to the approved drawings, specifications, product instructions and applicable technical requirements. This gives quality discussions a clear basis beyond whether something looks acceptable.

Record Changes Before Work Starts

You may decide to move a wall, upgrade a fitting, or add storage as the house takes shape. Before approving the change, ask for its full effect.

What will it cost? Will completed work need to be removed? Does it change the completion date?

Use a written variation describing the revised work, price, and schedule. Both parties should approve it before execution. Agree on a similar process for unforeseen ground conditions or other newly discovered work.

Set Out Handover and Repair Arrangements

Before handover, walk through the house with the team and record outstanding items. Agree on completion dates rather than relying on a verbal promise to return.

Request relevant warranties, test records, final drawings and maintenance instructions. Product warranties and the builder’s workmanship responsibilities should be explained separately.

Check the period and procedure for reporting defects, who will respond and how repairs will be arranged.

The agreement should also address site safety, insurance, damage to neighbouring property, written notices, disputes and the circumstances for ending the contract.

REHOC coordinates planning, design and construction through one team. We encourage clear scopes and documented decisions so homeowners can understand what is included and follow the work through to handover.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does turnkey construction include interiors?

Only where they are listed. Check kitchens, wardrobes, furniture and appliances individually.

2. When should construction payments be made?

Follow the agreed schedule. Each milestone should describe the work required and how completion will be verified.

3. Who arranges building approvals?

The agreement should name the responsible party and explain who prepares documents, submits applications, and pays fees.

4. What if a selected material is unavailable?

Ask for an alternative specification and written confirmation of any cost or timing change before approving it.

5. How should I report a defect?

Use the agreed reporting procedure promptly. Describe the problem, identify its location, and include photographs where helpful.