A contingency can cover a range of unexpected costs during a construction project. Some examples are unforeseen site conditions, changes in project scope, unplanned repairs, delays in timeline and regulation changes such as building codes or zoning requirements.
This contingency is normally calculated as a percentage. If the phase is 100 days of effort, contingency at 20% would be another 20 days. As the project progresses, the level of risk reduces as the requirements and issues become known, so the percentage will be reduced.
The recommended percentage for a contingency fund is between 5-10% of the total budget, but this may vary depending on project complexity and past experiences.
How Is Construction Contingency Calculated? Typically, most construction projects use a contingency rate of 5% to 10% from the total project budget. This is typically enough to cover any unexpected costs that may arise throughout the project.
When determining a contingency for the contractor, the owner should consider the project's level of risk. A range of 5 to 10 percent is common, based on the level of risk, difficulty, and complexity the contractor will face.
Retention in construction is a financial security usually held by the principal against the head contractor and by the head contractor against subcontractors.
The purpose of retention — also known as retainage — is to incentivize contractors to complete a job ing to the contract terms by withholding a portion of their payment until all agreed-upon project milestones have been met. It's like a risk management strategy to ensure job completion.
Retention is security held by a procuring contractor to guarantee the performance of a suppling contractor and in particular to safeguard against defects in the event that the supplying contractor fails to satisfactorily rectify them.