Progress claims in construction: a practical checklist for Australian builders
By Smart Way Builds ยท Updated
A progress claim asks for payment for work under your contract. Preparing one is not just entering a percentage: the claim should be traceable to the agreed scope, the work being claimed and what has already been claimed.
This guide is an administrative checklist, not legal advice or a statutory payment-claim template. Contract terms and state or territory law can affect entitlement, timing, required wording and service. A tidy spreadsheet does not by itself establish a valid legal claim.
Start with the contract, not a generic claim format
Identify whether your contract uses stages, measured work, milestones or another basis. Check the claim period, evidence requirements, treatment of variations and who receives the claim. Do not assume a domestic stage-payment contract works like a commercial schedule of values.
Resolve uncertainty with your contract adviser. Do not copy a payment deadline from another state or rely on a blog for a dispute deadline.
Build a claim-ready evidence pack
- Job identity, contract reference, claim number and period.
- The contract items or stages being claimed.
- Evidence of the relevant completed work, where required.
- Previous claims and any assessed amounts, kept as distinct records.
- Approved variations, separately identified and supported.
- Retention or other adjustments only where applicable under the contract.
- The current claim calculation and payment instructions checked against trusted records.
Photos, delivery records and project notes may support the pack, but they do not override the contract or prove that every item is claimable. Keep a dated copy of what was submitted and record how and to whom it was sent.
A simple cumulative calculation
Fictional AUD example on a GST-exclusive basis. It assumes the contract permits this cumulative method, no retention or other adjustments, and that the prior claim was fully assessed as claimed. It is not a statutory claim form.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Supported cumulative base work value | $60,000 |
| Approved variation value included to date | $5,000 |
| Total cumulative value for this example | $65,000 |
| Less prior claimed value | $40,000 |
| Current claim before GST | $25,000 |
The $25,000 is a claim amount, not cash received or job profit. If earlier claims remain unpaid, track those receivables separately; do not silently include them again as new work. Disputed or adjusted prior claims need a reconciled explanation, not this simplified formula applied blindly.
Track submitted, assessed and paid separately
Keep the amount claimed, the amount assessed or agreed, and the amount paid visible. A difference may reflect a dispute, adjustment or timing issue. Record the reason and supporting correspondence rather than overwriting the original claim.
In your cash-flow forecast, use an estimated receipt date that reflects the current situation. Sending a claim does not guarantee receipt on that date.
Before you send
- Reconcile totals with previous claims.
- Separate approved variations from unresolved requests.
- Check evidence against the contractual claim basis.
- Confirm any tax invoice requirements with your bookkeeper.
- Check recipient details and preserve the submitted version.
See business.gov.au's invoicing guidance for general invoice preparation; it is not a substitute for construction payment law. Read our variation-register guide or explore project records and finance tools.