These terms govern our quotations, contracts and the use of this website. Where a project is let under a separate signed contract, that contract takes precedence.
Laughtons Construction Contractors Ltd, trading as Cambridge Commercial Dilapidations. Company number 13380671. Registered office: Compass House, Chivers Way, Histon, Cambridgeshire, CB24 9AD. Version 1.0, September 2026.
"We", "us" and "our" mean Laughtons Construction Contractors Ltd, trading as Cambridge Commercial Dilapidations, company number 13380671. "You" and "the Client" mean the person, company, landlord, tenant or professional adviser who instructs us. "the Works" means the dilapidation, strip-out, reinstatement, repair or maintenance work described in our quotation. "the Surveyor" means the building surveyor or other professional adviser acting for the Client or the landlord in connection with the Works.
Every quotation is priced against a defined scope: a Schedule of Dilapidations, a specification issued by the Surveyor, or a scope agreed with you in writing following our site inspection. We price line-by-line and itemise each element so costs can be checked against the schedule.
Quotations remain open for acceptance for 30 days unless stated otherwise, and assume the information and access described in them are accurate. Where a document we have not seen governs the Works, it does not form part of the contract until we have reviewed and accepted it in writing.
A contract is formed when you accept our quotation in writing, issue a purchase order referring to it, or instruct us to start on site. These terms apply to that contract. Where the Works are let under an industry standard form of building contract, the terms of that contract prevail over these terms to the extent of any conflict.
Some elements of a dilapidation cannot be fully assessed until the building is opened up. Items of this kind are identified in the quotation as provisional or caveated.
Where additional or altered work is required, we will notify you and the Surveyor, price it before proceeding wherever practicable, and obtain written instruction. Verbal instructions given on site will be confirmed in writing before the work is valued. Additional work carried out on your instruction is chargeable whether or not it appeared in the original schedule.
Programme dates are given in good faith on the basis of the agreed scope, the access arrangements in place, and normal working hours. We will notify you promptly of anything that threatens the programme.
We are not liable for delay caused by matters outside our control, including late or restricted access, delayed decisions or instructions, disputes between landlord and tenant over scope, statutory undertakers, adverse weather, or the discovery of hazardous materials or unforeseen building conditions.
Prices exclude VAT unless stated. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, we invoice monthly on the basis of work completed and agreed variations, and our invoices are payable within 30 days of the invoice date.
Where a retention is agreed, its amount and release dates will be set out in the contract documents. We reserve the right to charge interest and costs on overdue sums under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, and to suspend the Works after giving written notice of non-payment.
You will provide safe, clear and unobstructed access to the property for the periods stated in the programme, together with keys, alarm codes, parking and any landlord or managing agent permissions required. You will confirm the location of live services and tell us of any known defect, restriction or hazard before we start.
Unless our quotation says otherwise, reasonable use of water, lighting and power at the property is provided free of charge, and the property will be clear of occupants, stock, furniture, IT equipment and personal property before we begin.
Asbestos survey, sampling, removal and disposal are excluded from our prices unless expressly included. You are responsible for providing a current refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey for the areas affected by the Works before strip-out begins.
If we encounter material that is, or is suspected to be, asbestos or another hazardous substance, we will stop work in the affected area, secure it, and notify you immediately. Subsequent works will be treated as a variation, and any resulting delay is not our responsibility.
We work to documented risk assessments and method statements (RAMS), independently audited to SSIP standards through our SafeContractor accreditation. Site personnel hold current certification appropriate to their work, including Asbestos Awareness, PASMA and IPAF where relevant.
Where the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 apply, the Client is responsible for making the appointments and notifications required of the Client under those Regulations. We will co-operate fully with the appointed Principal Designer and Principal Contractor, and will act in either role only where we have accepted that appointment in writing.
We are a registered Upper Tier Waste Carrier and Dealer. Waste is segregated on site, removed by licensed carriers, and taken to permitted facilities. Waste transfer documentation is issued for every load and a full audit trail is provided on completion.
Unless stated in our quotation, hazardous waste, contaminated ground, refrigerant gases and items requiring specialist licensed disposal are excluded and will be priced separately.
On completion we issue the certification generated by the Works, which may include electrical installation or minor works certificates, gas safety documentation, commissioning and pressure test records, and waste transfer notes. Building control or landlord consents and licences for alterations remain the Client’s responsibility unless we have agreed in writing to obtain them.
The Works are delivered by our own management structure and in-house trades. Where specialist elements such as bulk waste haulage, asbestos removal or proprietary systems are required, we may engage competent subcontractors; we remain responsible to you for the work they carry out under our contract.
We maintain Public Liability and Employers’ Liability insurance to a limit of £10,000,000. Evidence of cover is available on request. Insurance of the existing structure and of the Client’s contents remains the responsibility of the property owner or occupier unless otherwise agreed.
We warrant that the Works will be carried out with reasonable skill and care and, where applicable, in accordance with the specification and relevant British Standards. Defects in our workmanship notified in writing within twelve months of practical completion will be put right at our cost.
The warranty does not cover fair wear and tear, misuse, alteration or repair by others, failure of materials or equipment supplied by the Client, or defects in the existing building fabric that our scope did not cover.
Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for any other liability that cannot lawfully be limited.
Subject to that, our total liability arising out of or in connection with a contract is limited to the contract value of the Works, and we are not liable for loss of profit, loss of rent, loss of contract, loss of business or any indirect or consequential loss. We are not responsible for the content or adequacy of a Schedule of Dilapidations or specification prepared by others, nor for the outcome of any negotiation or settlement between landlord and tenant.
Either party may terminate for material breach that is not remedied within 14 days of written notice. Where you cancel or postpone accepted Works, we will charge for work already carried out, materials ordered or delivered, and unavoidable costs reasonably incurred, including cancellation charges levied on us by suppliers and subcontractors.
Schedules, drawings, pricing and tenant information exchanged in connection with the Works are treated as confidential and used only for the purposes of the Works. Personal data supplied to us, including data submitted through the enquiry form on this website, is processed only to respond to the enquiry and administer the contract, is not sold or shared for marketing, and is held no longer than necessary. You may ask us to correct or delete your details at any time.
Information on this website is provided for general guidance. Project descriptions are summaries and do not form part of any quotation or contract. Third-party accreditation logos and certificates shown remain the property of the issuing body and are displayed to identify the schemes we participate in.
These terms and any contract formed under them are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction. Before commencing proceedings, the parties will attempt to resolve any dispute by discussion between senior representatives and, where appropriate, by adjudication or mediation under the Construction Act 1996.
Questions about these terms: 01223 253791 or laughton94@aol.com, or write to 236b, Compass House, Chivers Way, Histon, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB24 9AD.
