Contract with a construction company: what needs to be on paper before the project begins

Updated on 07/06/2026 by EZA Engenharia

A good contract with a construction company needs to put at least five things on paper: the scope of the project, the descriptive specifications, the schedule, the way work is measured and paid for and the rule for handling changes along the way. It seems obvious, but much of the project disputes we see arise from vague contracts. After more than 35 years building in Criciúma and the region, EZA has learned that a detailed contract is not bureaucracy, it is protection for both sides. In this text we explain item by item what to check before signing, a natural complement to how to choose a construction company in Criciúma.

Scope and specifications: the heart of the contract with the construction company

The scope states what the construction company will deliver and, just as important, what is not included. Does earthmoving count? A wall, landscaping, interior design? When this is left implied, each side assumes something different and the conversation sours down the line, usually at the worst possible moment.

The specifications document, in turn, details the material and finishing standard of each room. Writing just "porcelain tile" says nothing: there is basic-line porcelain tile and imported porcelain tile, and the price difference between them is enormous. A well-made specifications document states the type, the standard and, whenever possible, a reference brand or accepted technical equivalence.

• What is included and what is outside the scope
• Standard and type of each finish, room by room
• Reference brands or accepted technical equivalence

A schedule you can actually track

The total deadline matters, but a stage-by-stage schedule is worth more. Foundation, structure, masonry, roofing, installations, finishing: with the construction stages set down on paper, the client can see whether the project is progressing at the agreed pace, without relying on impressions or verbal promises.

It is also worth setting out how delays will be handled: what counts as a justified delay (rain well above normal, material shortages in the market) and what triggers a penalty. And be wary of an overly round deadline promised before there is a finalized project. A serious deadline comes from planning, not from guesswork.

Measurement and payment moving together

The healthiest way to pay for a project is to tie disbursements to physical progress, the well-known physical and financial schedule. The client pays for what was executed and measured, not for a loose date on the calendar. This protects the client, who doesn't advance money beyond how far the project has come, and protects the construction company, which is paid on time for what it delivered.

The contract needs to state who does the measurement, how often and how the client can verify the result. Monthly measurement with a report and a site visit is common practice and works well. If the proposal only brings loose percentages, with no measurement criteria, ask for details before signing.

Each side's responsibilities, in writing

A project involves obligations that go far beyond putting up walls. The contract needs to state who issues the execution ART, who takes care of the permits and project documents, who is responsible for the safety of the site, who contracts temporary water and power and who pays the fees for the permanent connection.

This also includes labor responsibility for the team and the warranty on the work required by law. None of this needs legalese. It needs to be written in a way that both sides read and understand the same way, with no room for each party to pull the interpretation to its own side.

Change orders: how to change your mind without a fight

Change on a project is normal. The client visits the site, sees the real space and wants to adjust a countertop, swap a finish, expand a balcony. The problem is not changing, it's changing without a record. The golden rule: every alteration becomes a written amendment, with price and impact on the timeline defined before execution, never after.

At EZA, we reduce this pain upstream, with design coordination and VR visualization: the client understands every detail, anticipates decisions, and arrives at the construction site with far less desire to change things at the last minute. But when a change does come, the path is always the same. Paper first, execution after. This transparency protects the client and protects the construction company.

In the end, a good contract is one that nobody needs to reread after the project begins, because everything was discussed beforehand and was clear to both sides. For more than 35 years EZA Engenharia has been building in Criciúma and the surrounding region with a transparent contract, a closely monitored schedule and a client kept informed at every stage, from the design to the handover of the keys. If you are planning to build and want to talk about design, scope and contract with no obligation, reach out to us on WhatsApp at (48) 99191-2018, write to [email protected] or visit eza.com.br.