Construction Lawyer · Sydney
Construction Lawyer in Sydney
ABIC and building contract advice for Sydney projects, from a solicitor who is also a registered architect
Searching for a construction lawyer in Sydney usually points to a high-value build, a substantial renovation, or a contract that needs to be right before anyone signs. Christopher Larcos is a dual-qualified solicitor and registered architect who advises Sydney owners, builders and architects on ABIC and other construction contracts.
Sydney has Australia’s most expensive residential land and its most demanding custom-home market. On a new residence in Point Piper or a whole-house renovation in Mosman, the contract has to manage large sums, long programmes and high design expectations under the Home Building Act 1989 (NSW).
The value of an architect-administered ABIC contract, properly amended for NSW, is that it gives the owner, builder and architect a clear framework for progress claims, variations and completion, the very issues that generate disputes on premium Sydney projects.
Areas We Serve in Sydney
Advice is available for building and renovation projects right across Sydney, with particular experience in the city’s premium residential markets:
The eastern suburbs, Point Piper, Darling Point, Vaucluse, Bellevue Hill
Rose Bay, Double Bay and Woollahra
The Lower North Shore, Mosman, Cremorne, Hunters Hill
The Upper North Shore, Killara, Wahroonga, Pymble, Gordon
The Northern Beaches, Palm Beach and Whale Beach
Construction Law for Sydney Projects
On Sydney’s prestige homes, price certainty is a myth if the contract does not control variations, provisional and prime cost sums, and extensions of time. These are the mechanisms through which a fixed headline price can quietly become something else, and they are administered on site, not in a boardroom.
The Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) governs the residential work behind most Sydney disputes, implying statutory warranties and regulating deposits and progress payments. ABIC special conditions must be drafted to sit correctly alongside the Act, and the ABIC cost-plus form needs careful amendment before it is used on a Sydney residential project.
Because Christopher has administered building contracts as an architect, his reviews are grounded in how a Sydney build actually runs. He can see where a payment schedule will not survive the site, where a variation clause will cause friction, and where a compliance gap will only surface once the dispute has already started.
An architect and a solicitor
Most construction problems begin with how a building was procured and built, not just how the contract was drafted. Christopher Larcos is both a registered architect and an admitted solicitor, so his advice is grounded in the law and in the practical reality of the build, a combination that is rare and especially valuable on architect-administered ABIC contracts.
Front-end value
The greatest value comes before anyone signs, reviewing and amending the contract, setting the right special conditions, and getting the variation and progress-payment mechanisms right. Early advice is far cheaper than resolving a dispute once the build is underway. Get in touch to discuss your Sydney project.
Common Questions, Construction Lawyer, Sydney
Do you act as a construction lawyer for building projects in Sydney?
Yes. Christopher Larcos advises Sydney owners, builders and architects on ABIC and other construction contracts, from the eastern suburbs and the North Shore to the Northern Beaches and greater Sydney. Advice is provided remotely from a NSW base, so there is no need to attend an office in person.
I’m building a high-value home in Sydney. When should I involve a construction lawyer?
Before you sign. The greatest value comes at the front end, reviewing and amending the ABIC contract, setting the right special conditions, and getting the variation and progress-payment mechanisms right for a premium build. Early advice on a Point Piper or Mosman project is far cheaper than resolving a dispute once the build is underway.
Why choose a construction lawyer who is also an architect in Sydney?
Sydney’s premium homes are architect-designed and design-led, and the contractual risks, variations, provisional sums, delay, are all tied to how the build is administered. A dual-qualified architect and solicitor understands both, so the advice is practical for a bespoke eastern-suburbs residence, not just legally defensible.
Building in Sydney? Get advice that understands the build.
Whether you need an ABIC contract drafted, reviewed or amended, or advice on a dispute, get in touch to discuss your Sydney project with a construction lawyer who is also a registered architect.
Why Christopher Larcos
- Dual-qualified solicitor and registered architect
- Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours (LLB, Hons I)
- Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects (FRAIA)
- 40+ years in the construction industry
- Adjudicator across five Australian jurisdictions
- Former NSW Editor, Building & Construction Law Journal