£300,000 certification shortfall recovered, supported by contemporaneous site diaries
A UK civil engineering subcontractor applied for ~£1.5m on a live infrastructure project and was initially certified at ~£1.2m. One week of contemporaneous Site Chronicle diaries supported the valuation, and the certificate was revised the same day.
- Increase in the certified amount
- £300,000Increase in the certified amount
- Of contemporaneous site records supplied
- One weekOf contemporaneous site records supplied
- Between the evidence being issued and the certificate being revised
- ~10 minutesBetween the evidence being issued and the certificate being revised
The situation
A UK civil engineering subcontractor submitted an interim application for payment of approximately £1.5 million on a live infrastructure project. The initial payment certificate assessed the amount due at approximately £1.2 million, a £300,000 shortfall against the subcontractor’s application.
The evidence
The subcontractor’s commercial team issued one week of contemporaneous Site Chronicle diaries to support the valuation. The diaries provided dated records of the labour, plant, progress and activities undertaken during the relevant period.
Because the information had been recorded as the work happened, the team could produce the supporting evidence immediately, rather than reconstructing events from emails, spreadsheets and recollection.
The outcome
Within approximately 10 minutes of the diaries being issued, the certificate was revised from approximately £1.2 million to approximately £1.5 million.
Why it mattered
The diaries did not replace the contractual valuation process. They gave the commercial team an immediate, structured and contemporaneous record to support the amount applied for. The result demonstrates the commercial value of maintaining reliable records before a payment dispute arises.
A £300,000 certification shortfall was resolved after one week of contemporaneous Site Chronicle diaries was issued in support of the subcontractor’s valuation.
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Company, project and client details have been anonymised for commercial confidentiality. Figures are drawn from a live UK project and are approximate. Payment assessments remain subject to the relevant contract and supporting records. This case study is general information, not a representation that any particular result will be achieved.