Construction and development · Czechia and Slovakia
Legal services for construction companies
Are you a main contractor or subcontractor needing legal support for a construction project? Works contracts and subcontracts, retention and penalties, acceptance of work, defects and complaints, and recovery of unpaid invoices in Czechia and Slovakia.
What we'll do for you
Select an item to see the details.
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Works contracts
Tailored to the project — price, timetable, scope changes and additional work, penalties and liability limits.
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Subcontracts
Aligned with the developer contract so deadlines, penalties and defects liability do not remain your burden alone.
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Retention and payment terms
Structuring and reviewing retention, invoicing milestones and due dates so you actually receive your money.
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Acceptance of work
Handover records and a process for situations where the client refuses to accept the work.
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Defects and complaints
Assessment of whether complaints are justified, responses and warranty issues.
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Recovery of construction invoices
We recover unpaid invoices in Slovakia and Czechia, from the pre-action demand to court representation.
Deliverablecontracts and documents ready for signing; for disputes, an assessment and proposed next steps
How it works
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- Initial consultationday 0
You explain the situation — a new project, problematic contract or non-paying customer. We explain what can be done.
- Proposed solution and price
We propose the scope and confirm a final price in advance. Only then do we start work.
- Implementation
We prepare or review contracts, establish handover records or start recovery proceedings.
- Ongoing support
For repeat projects, we can act as the company's ongoing legal support on terms agreed in advance.
In construction, the profitability of a project is often determined long before the first excavation — in the contract. Retention, penalties, the change process and acceptance conditions decide who bears the risk when complications arise. They almost always do: a shifted timetable, additional work or a defect dispute at handover.
We help construction companies on both sides of the relationship. For main contractors, we align the developer contract with subcontracts so the risks do not stop with them. For subcontractors, we check the terms presented for signature by the stronger party, from retention to invoice due dates.
When a dispute arises, we handle it pragmatically, taking account of whether the relationship will continue. We recover unpaid construction invoices from demand to court — and registration with both Bar Associations lets us do so at home and across the border. For businesses with projects in both countries, that means one firm instead of two.
No-obligation enquiry
Ready to start?
Send us an enquiry. We reply within 24 hours with a price confirmation and next steps. The first 30-minute consultation is free and commits you to nothing.
- 1Send your enquiry via this form
- 2Within 24 h you get a price confirmation and plan
- 3We start work only after your approval
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Or email us about this matter.
What clients ask
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The client sent its own contract — is it worth commenting on it?
Yes, especially then. Most construction disputes arise from retention, changes to the work and penalties — precisely the terms that can be negotiated before signing. Afterwards, you have to live with them.
The client will not accept the work or pay — what now?
It is important to secure evidence of the condition of the work promptly: records, work schedules, photographs and correspondence. We then establish a process from demand to possible court action. The sooner you contact us, the stronger your position.
A Czech customer is not paying invoices — can you help?
Yes. We are registered with both Bar Associations, so we pursue the debt directly in Czechia, without forwarding it to another firm or losing time.
Nobody will pay for the additional work — can this be prevented?
Yes, through a written change process in the contract specifying who approves changes, how they are priced and when they are invoiced. For an existing dispute, we assess the documents and explain what part of the claim can be substantiated.
Do we need a one-off review or ongoing cooperation?
Both work. With repeat projects, an ongoing arrangement with prices agreed in advance makes sense — you then avoid addressing contracts from scratch under pressure on every job.
Legal Q&A
Common questions on this topic
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How do defect liability and warranties work under a construction contract?
A construction contract between businesses is governed by the Commercial Code. The contractor is liable for defects present at handover. The employer must notify defects without undue delay after discovering them or when they should have been discovered, and within five years of handover for buildings. If a quality warranty is agreed, the warranty period replaces this period. Late notification does not, however, automatically extinguish the rights: the court considers the contractor’s objection, and the Act provides an exception where the contractor knew the cause of the defect.
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Can a contractor charge more than the budget for additional works?
It depends on how the price is agreed. If it is fixed or set by a budget, more demanding work does not itself change the price. If the contract states that the budget does not guarantee completeness, the contractor may seek a reasonable increase for unforeseeable activities, but must notify them without undue delay or lose the claim. An increase exceeding 10 % allows the employer to withdraw from the contract.
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Why are handover and a handover record important on a building project?
Handover is important for performance of the works and generally also for the entitlement to payment. The transfer of ownership and risk of damage, however, depends on the contract and the regime under § 542 and § 554 of the Commercial Code; the employer may already own the works during construction. A warranty period is relevant if the contractor has assumed a quality warranty. At either party’s request, a written handover record must be made, recording identified defects and reservations.
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Further reading
Construction is no longer an unregulated trade: what a building company needs today
Since 1 April 2025, constructing buildings requires a trade authorisation subject to professional qualifications. Companies holding the former unregulated construction trade have until 31 March 2029; companies established after 1 April 2025 have no transition period.
Read more →
The construction site diary as evidence: missing entries are hard to prove years later
In a dispute over delay or defects, the site diary is often the only contemporaneous record. Construction Act No. 25/2025 Coll. specifies who keeps it and who may make entries; its evidential value depends on consistent records and the contract.
Read more →
Work statements, interim invoices and retention: construction payments depend on the contract
When a contractor gets paid depends on the contract’s billing arrangements: statements of completed work, approval and retention. Set them up so payments continue throughout construction and the first disagreement does not stop cash flow.
Read more →