When finances have been arranged and your are ready to go ahead with the construction of your new home, we then sign a formal Master Builder's contract.

Another consideration is whether to terminate the builder's contract, which carries an escalation clause that kicks in Feb. 1 and could increase the cost of the project.

In the case of building, alterations and extension you will need to bring detailed plans and the builder's contract, including specifications, together with details of the builder's insurance.

The house also comprises a back wing (called the "kitchen building" in the builder's contract), which served a variety of purposes, including storage, additional workspace and housing for slaves or servants.

"Builders like to maximize their flexibility," Mr. Tierman said, explaining that if a builder's contract specifies only "a fully-equipped bathroom," that allows the builder to decide what type and grade fixtures to install.

A detailed survey conducted in 1999 concluded that the organ had 33,114 pipes, recently revised it to 33,116 after the discovery that one rank went down two notes lower than specified in the organ builder's contract.

After comparing an engraving by Dutch artist Peter Willer published in 1687 to the dimensions given in the builder's contract of 1600 for the Fortune Playhouse in London, Jerzy Limon concluded that the Fencing School was built c. 1611 and modelled after the Fortune.