Construction customs are the unwritten rules, conventions and traditions that are generally accepted in the building industry as the standard way of working. They supplement the written rules found in specifications, contracts and building codes, and serve as the benchmark when a particular detail is not explicitly covered.
Importance of Construction Customs
Construction customs are legally significant:
- Supplement to the contract — when the specification is silent on a detail, construction customs apply
- Legally binding — in a dispute, a court may use construction customs as the standard of workmanship
- Quality benchmark — they define what constitutes “good and workmanlike construction”
Application
Construction customs exist in virtually every trade:
- Bricklaying — walls are always laid in bond; joints are fully filled with mortar
- Carpentry — timber is installed heart-side up; joints are glued and screwed
- Painting — external work receives at least a primer and two top coats
- Roofing — tiles are fixed in accordance with the manufacturer’s fixing specifications
Examples
- Dimensional tolerances — a deviation of 5 mm per running metre is acceptable for brickwork
- Site tidiness — the site is left broom-clean at the end of each working day
- Protection — finished work is protected from damage by subsequent trades
- Sequence — wet trades are completed before dry finishes begin
Related Terms
- Specification
- Contractor
- Building regulations
- Bond (masonry)
- Handover
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