Nearly every construction contract prescribes a deadline for the contractor to complete the project. In fact, many prescribe a date by which construction must be substantially complete (i.e., ready for the project to be used for its intended purpose) as well as a date by which all work, including punch-list work, must be complete. If the contractor fails to achieve the required level of completion by the specified dates, it will be liable for the owner's damages. When a contractor is delayed or its progress is otherwise impacted by the owner or, in some cases, uncontrollable circumstances, it is typically entitled to a time extension. However, the burden is on the contractor to notify the owner in a timely manner that it has been delayed and then to submit a formal time-extension request that proves both the length of the delay to the project and that the cause of the delay is one that is excusable under the contract.
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