An EOT notice and an EOT claim are not the same thing

It is worth separating the two. An EOT notice is the early heads-up that a delay event has happened or is likely. It protects your position and usually has a tight deadline. The EOT claim is the fuller submission that follows, with the delay period, the cause, and the supporting particulars. Miss the notice window and the claim can be weakened before you even start, so check your delay notice time limits first.

What an EOT claim letter should contain

A clear submission does not need to be long, but it should leave no gaps. At a minimum, cover:

  • Project and contract reference: project name, contract number, and the parties, so the claim is filed against the right job.
  • The delay event: a plain description of what happened, for example late access, a design change, or an inclement weather stand-down.
  • The contractual basis: the clause you say gives entitlement to an extension for this type of event.
  • The delay period claimed: the number of days sought, with the start and end dates.
  • Affected works and programme impact: which activities were held up and how the critical path or key dates moved.
  • Supporting evidence: the site records, photos, diaries, and correspondence attached to back the claim.
  • Cost impact and reservation of rights: a note if prolongation or standby costs will follow, even where the figures come later.
  • The action requested: a clear ask for the assessment and the revised date.

Spell out the delay period

Vague timing is one of the most common reasons a claim stalls. Do not write that works were held up "for a few weeks". State the start date, the end date, and the number of working days claimed, and show how you arrived at that figure against the programme. If the delay is still running when you submit, say so and note that the period will be updated. The clearer the dates, the harder the claim is to wave away.

Tie the cause to a contract clause

Entitlement usually turns on whether the delay event is one the contract allows time for. Point to the clause you are relying on and connect it to the facts. Do not assume the reader will make the link for you. Be careful not to overstate: setting out your position is not the same as guaranteeing the outcome, and the assessor may take a different view on the analysis. If you are unsure how the assessment works, it helps to understand the common extension of time claim analysis methods and the types of evidence that support an EOT claim before you write.

Attach the records that back it up

A claim letter is only as strong as what sits behind it. The best submissions are built from records captured while the delay was happening, not reconstructed months later. Site diaries, dated photos, delivery dockets, labour and plant returns, and emails confirming instructions or access all help show what changed and when. Before you write, confirm you have the site records the claim needs and run through an EOT claim checklist so nothing obvious is missing.

Before you send: a quick checklist

Run through this before the letter goes out:

  • The delay event is described in plain terms and dated.
  • The contract clause you are relying on is named.
  • The delay period has a start date, end date, and day count.
  • The affected activities and programme impact are shown.
  • Every document you refer to is actually attached.
  • The notice requirements for this delay were met on time.

An EOT claim letter is not about clever wording. It is about giving the assessor a clear, evidenced picture they can act on. Line up the cause, the clause, the dates, and the records, and you make it easy for the other side to say yes rather than send it back.

EOT claim letter example wording

You can adapt the example below - replace the bracketed details with your project's specifics and attach the records referenced in each line. If you are not sure your records are ready, run through the EOT claim checklist first.

Dear [Superintendent / Principal's Representative],

Re: Extension of Time claim - [Project name], Contract [number]

We are claiming an extension of time of [X working days] under clause [__] of the contract.

Delay event: [describe the event, e.g. late issue of the approved design for Area 3].

Cause: This is a qualifying cause of delay under clause [__] because [reason].

Delay period: The event affected the works from [start date] to [end date] on the critical path.

Programme impact: The delayed activity [activity name] is on the critical path; the attached programme extract shows a revised completion date of [date].

Supporting records: We attach [site diary entries, delay records, photos, correspondence, dockets] evidencing the above.

We request that you assess this claim and confirm the revised date for practical completion.

Yours faithfully,
[Name], [Company]