No matter how competent or responsible a builder and client are, a few disputes cannot be avoided over the life of a building project. Resolving contractual disputes through methods such as litigation and arbitration can be time consuming and costly, and in some instances, the cost of resolving disputes has exceeded the total value of the original contract. Consequently, alternative forms of dispute resolution that are less time consuming and less costly are gaining increasing prominence in today’s building and construction industry.
Alternative forms of dispute resolution, such as mediation, have the aim of reducing time and cost, blunting the adversarial attitude and encouraging more openness and better communication between the parties in dispute.
With the correct professional advice, it is even possible that the parties can continue working together after the dispute has been resolved.
In order to reduce the probability of expensive and time consuming procedures, professional advice should be sought at the earliest sign of any potential conflict between the contracted parties. Madden and Associates are experts in dispute resolution and offer a range of services from facilitating negotiation through to preparing expert reports and giving expert witness evidence in court.
