What is a contract administrator, and why do you need one?
High end residential projects are ambitious by nature. They involve meticulous detail, bespoke materials, and often complex planning, budget, and site constraints. To deliver them successfully, a strong professional team is essential. This team is not only for design, but also for procurement, contracts, coordination, and cost control.
This is the fourth in our series explaining the different roles during a residential construction project.
Each role brings a different set of responsibilities, skills and professional focus. This post outlines the core duties of the Contract Administrator and explains how those duties interact with the wider team.
Each plays a distinct part in ensuring the final outcome meets the client’s expectations in every respect.
What does a contract administrator do?
The contract administrator is responsible for enacting and managing the building contract between the client and the contractor. This includes formalising how construction begins, tracking progress, issuing instructions, recording changes, certifying payments, and closing out the contract at the end.
Although the formal duties begin once the building contract is signed, the contract administrator is usually brought in earlier, during Stage 4, which is the technical design phase. At this stage, they advise on which form of building contract best suits the project. This depends on complexity, budget, anticipated programme, and the client’s appetite for involvement and risk. They also help prepare the tender documentation to ensure it aligns with the chosen form of contract.
Once appointed, their core responsibilities include:
Holding the pre-start meeting and issuing the contract start notice
Visiting site regularly to review progress and confirm compliance
Issuing formal instructions to clarify or confirm design details
Certifying interim payments once valuations have been agreed
Recording agreed changes to the contract, known as variations
Keeping formal records of delays and contractual notices
Issuing the practical completion certificate
Managing the defects liability period and issuing the final certificate
Their focus is on contract terms, fairness, documentation, and clarity. They are not responsible for managing the team or directing works.
How contract administration differs from project management
The contract administrator and project manager have very different responsibilities, even though both may be present during the build.
The project manager acts on behalf of the client to drive progress, resolve bottlenecks, coordinate the team, and manage time and cost. Their focus is the overall delivery of the project in line with the client’s priorities.
The contract administrator’s role is legal and procedural. They do not manage the team or control the design. Instead, they act as the impartial enforcer of the building contract. They ensure instructions are issued properly, changes are recorded clearly, and the formal steps of the contract are followed with consistency.
On smaller projects, both roles may be handled by the same practice. On more complex sites, especially with multiple consultants and trades, it is often best to separate them.
Why we act as contract administrator on most of our projects
At Nancy Gouldstone Architects, we usually act as contract administrator when we are appointed to deliver the project through construction. This allows us to maintain continuity from design through to completion and helps us uphold a consistent standard of care throughout the build.
Because we know the drawings and specifications in detail, we can respond quickly and accurately to site queries. Our instructions are aligned with the original design intent, and we can manage any clarifications or adjustments with minimal disruption.
It also gives the client a single point of responsibility for both design and contract matters. This helps to avoid confusion, keeps decision making clear, and supports the project in staying on track in terms of both quality and process.
How we handle payments and variations
Two of the contract administrator’s key duties are issuing payment certificates and recording contract variations. It is important to clarify what that actually involves, and what it does not.
Each month, the contractor submits a valuation of the work completed to date. The quantity surveyor reviews this valuation, visits site if necessary, and advises whether the claimed amount is reasonable. Once the valuation is agreed and the client is happy to proceed, the contract administrator issues the interim certificate to confirm what is payable.
The contract administrator does not assess value. Their job is to formalise the result of the QS’s assessment and ensure the certificate is issued correctly under the contract.
Variations follow a similar path. If a change is required, the architect needs to create new drawings and specifications to define the change, after that the contractor provides a quotation. The quantity surveyor advises whether the cost is fair. The client then decides whether to accept it. Only once the cost has been approved and the client is satisfied does the Contract Administrator issue a formal instruction recording the change as a variation.
Again, the contract administrator does not approve the cost. Their duty is to ensure that, once the decision has been made, the contract is updated and the variation is properly recorded.
What makes a good contract administrator?
A good contract administrator is not just organised. They are experienced, impartial, clear in communication, and confident in carrying out their duties.
Qualities to look for include:
Strong knowledge of JCT and other contract types
Calm, professional communication
Excellent record keeping and document control
Experience of similar project types and delivery routes
Independence and fairness
Clarity in issuing formal instructions and notices
A collaborative but firm presence on site
When carried out well, contract administration brings structure and predictability to the construction process.
When we recommend appointing a separate contract administrator
On larger or more complex sites or those where the client needs a lot more day to day communication and support from the architect, we may recommend that a dedicated contract administrator be appointed separately.
This allows us to focus fully on design leadership and client support, while the contract itself is administered by a separate party. We continue to attend meetings and respond to queries, but we are not the ones issuing payment certificates or recording variations.
Summary: the legal and procedural backbone
Contract administration is one of the five essential roles on a high end residential project, alongside the architect, interior designer, quantity surveyor, and project manager. While it may not be the most visible role, it provides the backbone for how a contract is carried out, how decisions are recorded, and how clarity is maintained.
It ensures that what is built matches what was is documented in the contract, that records are made of what payments the contractor can request aand that changes recorded in a standard procedural way.
This is the fourth post in our series explaining the core professional roles that support a successful residential project. If you have not yet read our guides to the architect, quantity surveyor and the project manager, we recommend starting there. Knowing who does what at each stage helps our clients enjoy the process and make confident, informed decisions.