Contra charges: proving the damage wasn't yours

What a contra charge is

A contra charge is a deduction a main contractor makes from money owed to a subcontractor, to cover a cost they say the subcontractor caused: damage, rework or clean-up. It's an industry term rather than a legal category. In law it works as a set-off against what you're owed.

Why contra charges get disputed

The common reasons: the deduction turns up in a payment notice with no warning, the amount is vague with no invoices or site records behind it, or the cost comes from something outside your control, like delays or damage caused by other trades.

What has to be shown

To make a contra charge stand up, the main contractor generally has to show that you broke your contract, that it caused a real loss, and that the loss has been properly costed. Under the Construction Act, paying less than the sum due generally also needs a valid pay less notice given in time.

The records that help you challenge one

Progress photos, site diaries, delivery notes, and a written reply to any notice of alleged default, sent the same day. Timing matters most. The record has to be made when you finish. Once other trades have been across the plot, the chance to show the condition you left it in has gone.

How SiteSnap builds that record

Take your after shots when you finish each plot, and they're filed straight to that site and plot. Every photo is saved with a date and time, and the location is recorded when you save it if GPS is available. Add a note on the photo saying what you did and the condition you left it in. If a deduction comes in, create a PDF report of that job's photos in 3 taps and send it, or send a share link the main contractor can open without the app. Share links last 30 days.

The same habit, elsewhere: how to record day works hours with photos, and how a paving gang uses SiteSnap week to week.