A claim for steelwork sitting in a yard
The contractor's application includes a sizeable sum for structural steel fabricated and stored at the fabricator's yard, a curtain wall system waiting in a factory, and precast stairs finished but not yet delivered. Paying for materials before they reach site is something your client may be willing to do, but only when the right evidence is in place.
So the surveyor asks for it. A list of the items. Evidence the materials are identified and set apart as belonging to the job. Documents about ownership and insurance. Photographs. Perhaps a visit. The contractor sends some of it with the application, some a week later, and some never. Next month, the same materials are claimed again, and nobody is sure whether last month's insurance certificate has expired.
Why off-site claims are so messy
- The evidence required is set by the contract and the client's own rules, and it differs between jobs.
- Documents come from the contractor, the supplier and sometimes an insurer, each at a different time.
- Evidence is attached to emails, not to the claim it supports.
- Items claimed last month and delivered this month have to be moved from off-site to on-site, and sometimes are counted twice.
- Documents with expiry dates, such as insurance, are not tracked.
The surveyor knows what they need. The difficulty is keeping track of whether they have it, for each item, every month.
What that costs your client
At worst, money paid for materials without the protections the client expected, which is exactly the risk the evidence is meant to manage. More often, delays to valuations while the surveyor waits for documents, uncomfortable conversations with a contractor who needs cash flow, and time spent reading through old emails to find a certificate.
| Evidence item | Common problem | What the tracker does |
|---|---|---|
| List of materials | Vague descriptions, no values | Structured list per item, with value |
| Identification and marking | Photos without context | Photos attached to each item, dated |
| Ownership documents | Arrive late or not at all | Requested and marked outstanding until received |
| Insurance | Expiry not noticed | Expiry date recorded and warned in advance |
| Delivery to site | Item counted twice | Moved from off-site to on-site in one step |
The claims tracker we build
- For each project, your surveyor sets the evidence checklist that applies, based on the contract and the client's requirements as your team reads them.
- The contractor submits an off-site claim through a link, listing items with descriptions, location and value.
- For each item, the tracker asks for the evidence on the checklist, and the contractor or supplier uploads documents and photos against it.
- Missing items are chased automatically before the valuation date, and the surveyor sees a simple complete or incomplete status per item.
- Documents with expiry dates are recorded and flagged before they lapse.
- When materials arrive on site, the item is moved to on-site materials, keeping its history, so it cannot be counted in both places.
- The surveyor's decision per item, and the reason, is recorded and flows into the valuation.
What the contract allows and what the client requires are for your surveyors and advisers to decide. The tracker holds the checklist they set and the evidence against it.
Month to month, with the evidence in one place
The surveyor opens the valuation and sees each off-site item with a status. Complete items can be considered. Incomplete items show exactly what is missing, and the contractor has already been told. Expiring insurance is caught before it matters. When the client or their funder asks what protections were in place for a payment, the answer is a single screen.
Contractors find it easier too. They know the list from the start rather than discovering it item by item through emails, which tends to reduce friction at application time.
Is this your off-site problem?
- Evidence for off-site materials arrives piecemeal by email.
- Valuations are delayed waiting for documents.
- Insurance or other documents have expired without anyone noticing.
- Materials have been counted in both off-site and on-site lines.
- You would struggle to show what evidence supported a past payment.