The decision in DM Drainage & Constructions v Karara Mining provides guidance on how Australian courts approach global and total cost style claims. For expert Quantity Surveyors it explains what a global claim is and what must be done if such a claim is to proceed. 

Recent authority from the Federal Court reinforces quantum evidence must be independently verifiable, transparent in method, and properly proved. Where it is not, even otherwise plausible claims may fail. 

The Court’s decision in Rimfire Energy v BSF shows with unusual clarity where extension of time claims now succeed or fail. Not on sympathy. Not on volume. They turn on whether contractual entitlement is actually proved. 

Quantity surveyor evidence is often central to construction disputes. Canterbury Bankstown Council v Payce Communities Pty Ltd shows courts do not treat QS opinions as inherently persuasive.

Disruption is routinely misunderstood in construction claims. By its nature, disruption does not require delay and may never extend the Contractual Completion Date. The decision in CPB Contractors Pty Limited v Transport for NSW is a useful reference point.

In quantum matters, qualifications and discipline matter. Credibility before the Court depends on appointing a quantum expert and delay expert who understands how construction costs are measured, analysed and evidenced, as in Santos v Fluor.

Van Oord v Allseas is a decade old but the lessons remain directly relevant to any quantity surveyor acting as an expert witness.

Most disruption claims say very little about what actually changed on site. They talk about loss of productivity in broad terms. This article explores a real project that faced disruption and the approach that should be taken.

This case became the foundation of modern forensic analysis. It reminded the industry that delay, and disruption are not labels but factual outcomes that must be proven with evidence. 

In V601 Developments v Probuild, Justice Digby drew a clear line between delay and disruption. Delay is about time. Disruption is about cost. The two may share causes but they demand different evidence. 

Disruption and delay often come from the same events but they are not the same. Delay concerns time. Disruption concerns efficiency.  V601 and White Constructions were about delay, but their value lies in how they define good evidence.

For QS experts, this case highlights the importance of context and reasoning in valuation.  The expert’s job is not to repeat what the contract says, but to interpret it through the facts of what was actually built. 

Santos Limited v Fluor Australia Pty Ltd provides one of the clearest explanations yet of what disruption means, how it must be analysed, and what level of proof the courts expect from experts and parties.

Disruption is an interference that disturbs or slows down a Contractor's usual working methods, leading to reduced efficiency. Disruption is not the same as delay, however a disruption can be the cause of a delay.

Two Australian cases have reshaped how tribunals view expert evidence in delay and quantum disputes. They set a clear benchmark for how quantum experts (quantity surveyors) must present evidence today.

A strong construction claims consultant helps parties deal with issues early, with clarity and evidence, so they can be resolved commercially rather than turning into a legal battle. The focus is simple: protect time, cost and relationships.

Scope changes, late information, access restrictions, resourcing issues, design development, approvals, interfaces – they all create delay, disruption and cost. That is where a construction claims consultant comes in.

The case of Peter Annison v Paul Nolan [2012] is a reminder for Delay Experts and Forensic Quantity Surveyors to stay firmly within the scope of their instructions.

Claims advisory represents an opportunity to turn potential problems into opportunities for resolution, keeping construction projects on schedule and within budget.

Dispute resolution is the process of resolving conflicts efficiently and effectively, ensuring your project stays on track and forensic quantity surveyors and delay experts play an important role.