The RIAI's standard forms — the "Blue Form" (where quantities form part of the contract) and the "Yellow Form" (where they don't) — remain the default on architect-administered projects in Ireland, and the institute has been updating its suite, including the Articles of Agreement. If you're signing an RIAI form this year, three practical points matter more than any individual amendment.
1. The edition you sign is the deal you get
Parties regularly price against one edition and sign another, or sign an old form with a page of handwritten amendments. Confirm the edition and every amendment in writing before signature — the printed words, as amended, are what a court or conciliator will read.
2. The appendix does the heavy lifting
Most RIAI disputes we see turn on the appendix entries: liquidated damages rate, retention percentage, defects liability period, insurance obligations. Blank or "TBC" entries are an invitation to argue later. Our full RIAI guide walks through each entry.
3. It is still not a consumer-protection document
The RIAI form assumes an architect is administering the contract. On smaller domestic jobs without one, a plain fixed-price building agreement is usually a better fit for both sides.
Signing or issuing an RIAI contract and want it read first? Call 01 5827148 for a fixed-fee review.
How our fees work
You get a fixed quote in writing before any work starts — no hourly-rate surprises and no meter running while you think. If the scope changes, the quote is revised in writing before we continue. In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement. How contract solicitor fees work in Ireland →