Who is responsible when a fit-out is late?
It depends on the contract. If the delay comes from the contractor's own performance, a contract with liquidated damages lets the owner recover a pre-agreed amount per day. If it comes from the owner, for example late design changes or late landlord approvals that were the owner's responsibility, the contractor is usually entitled to an extension of time. A clear baseline programme and contemporaneous records are what let either side prove its case.
From the RRD Field Guide, checked against the sources cited in Commercial Fit-Out Programmes in Singapore: Realistic Timelines and Where Delays Come From. General information, not advice for your project.
The fuller picture
A Singapore office or retail fit-out runs through design, authority approvals, landlord submissions, procurement of long-lead items, site works, testing and commissioning, fire-safety certification and handover. Delays usually come from approvals, late design changes, long-lead M&E items, landlord working-hour limits and coordination. Early landlord submissions, early procurement and a baseline critical-path programme tracked weekly are the main defences.
More questions on this topic
- How long does a commercial office fit-out take in Singapore?
- What is the critical path in a fit-out programme?
- Why do landlord approvals delay fit-outs?
- Can I move in before the Fire Safety Certificate is issued?
- What should I ask my fit-out contractor for at the start?
- How do design changes affect the programme?