Most of the work on your building will be done by companies you never contracted with. Six beliefs about that arrangement that cost owners money.
On a typical building, the main contractor performs part of the work and subcontracts the rest: excavation, reinforcement, waterproofing, cladding, mechanical, electrical, joinery, finishes. You have one contract, and the building is produced by a dozen companies. Understanding where responsibility actually sits determines who fixes a problem and who pays for it.
How to test a claim like this
Test any belief about subcontractors with two questions. Does it assume you have a right against a company you did not contract with, and can you name the document that creates it? And does it assume the main contractor will choose subcontractors with your interests in mind, rather than with their own margin in mind? Beliefs that fail either question usually end with you funding a remedy twice.
Myth 1: I can instruct a subcontractor directly if their work is wrong.
Reality: Instructing a subcontractor directly cuts across the contractual chain and can transfer responsibility to you for what follows. The main contractor may then argue, with some force, that the outcome resulted from your interference rather than their management.
How to check it yourself: Route every instruction through the main contractor, in writing, even when the subcontractor is standing in front of you.
Myth 2: A defect caused by a subcontractor is the subcontractor problem.
Reality: Under a normal main contract, the main contractor is responsible to you for the whole of the works regardless of who performed them. That is the point of the structure, and it is why you should resist arrangements that fragment it without a clear reason.
How to check it yourself: Read who carries responsibility for the whole works in your contract, and refuse any carve out for subcontracted packages.
Myth 3: If I choose the subcontractor, the result will be better.
Reality: Nominating a subcontractor can weaken your position, because the main contractor may claim relief for delay or defects attributable to a company you imposed. You get influence over the choice and lose clarity about the responsibility.
How to check it yourself: Prefer approving a shortlist proposed by the contractor over nominating a company, so responsibility stays whole.
Myth 4: It does not matter to me whether subcontractors are being paid.
Reality: It matters greatly. Unpaid subcontractors slow down, leave site, refuse to return for defects and sometimes pursue claims that reach your project. A main contractor collecting your money without passing it down is the clearest early warning of financial trouble.
How to check it yourself: Ask for evidence of payment to key subcontractors alongside the payment application where the contract allows it.
Myth 5: The subcontractor warranty protects me directly.
Reality: A warranty from a specialist installer usually runs to the party who engaged them, which is the main contractor, unless a separate document gives you the benefit of it. After the main contract ends, you may find you have no direct route to the company that installed your roof.
How to check it yourself: Require collateral warranties or direct agreements for key specialist packages, and check who the beneficiary actually is.
Myth 6: Subcontractor compliance is not my concern.
Reality: Workforce status, accommodation and safety obligations are matters the authorities take seriously, and problems on your site affect your project whoever employs the workers. An enforcement issue stops work regardless of which company was at fault.
How to check it yourself: Require a declared list of subcontractors on site and confirm the applicable compliance requirements with the relevant authority.
What this changes in your decision
- Keep one contractual chain and route every instruction through the main contractor in writing.
- Approve a shortlist rather than nominating specialists, so responsibility for the works stays undivided.
- Require a declared subcontractor list, updated monthly, for every trade on site.
- Obtain collateral warranties for the packages whose failure would be most expensive.
- Watch for signs that subcontractors are unpaid, since it is the earliest warning of contractor trouble.
Domira designs, builds and manages projects across Saudi Arabia for owners who are based abroad: land appraisal, feasibility, design, construction, handover and asset management under one accountable contract. Send us the plot or the brief and Domira will put the numbers in front of you before you commit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should an owner approve the subcontractors a main contractor uses?
Approval of a shortlist for significant packages is reasonable and worth writing into the contract, because the specialist doing the waterproofing or the facade matters more to your building than most other choices. Approving a list preserves the contractor responsibility for the outcome, whereas nominating a single company can give them grounds to claim relief if that company performs badly.
What happens if a subcontractor leaves site before finishing their package?
Contractually it is the main contractor problem to resolve, and your position is to hold them to the programme and quality without becoming involved in their dispute. Practically it usually signals payment trouble upstream, so treat it as information rather than only as an inconvenience, and ask directly whether payments down the chain are current.
Can I get a warranty directly from a specialist installer on my building?
Often yes, through a collateral warranty or a direct agreement arranged when the package is let, and for high consequence packages such as waterproofing, facade and lifts it is worth the effort. Ask for it during construction, because after handover the commercial leverage has gone. Have the wording reviewed so it covers what you need and runs for a useful period.
Have a Property Question?
Domira can help you navigate property, financing and investment decisions in Saudi Arabia. Speak with our team for an initial consultation.
