New York
Time Extension Trap

Delay Damages & No-Damages-For-Delay Risk Checker in New York Construction Contracts

'No-damages-for-delay' clauses limit your remedy for owner or GC-caused delay to a schedule extension only — no dollars for extended overhead, idle crews, or acceleration. Some states have curbed these clauses; others enforce them strictly.

Legal Risk · New York

Enforceable with four exceptions: bad faith, gross negligence, uncontemplated delay, fundamental breach.

New York: Corinno Civetta Constr. Corp. v. City of New York, 67 N.Y.2d 297 (1986)

Potential Dollar Impact
$5,000 – $50,000 per week of unrecovered overhead

Typical exposure per project when a No-Damages-For-Delay clause slips into a signed contract.

If you're the General Contractor

NY's Corinno exceptions are narrow but real. Document why any owner-caused delay was 'contemplated' by the contract.

If you're the Subcontractor

The four Corinno exceptions are the roadmap for every NY delay-damages claim — memorize them.

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Sample Redline · New York

The clause we flag — and the one we help you write instead.

Risky boilerplate
Common No-Damages-For-Delay clause
“In no event shall Subcontractor be entitled to any damages, compensation, or additional payment on account of any delay, hindrance, or disruption, regardless of the cause or party responsible. Subcontractor's sole remedy shall be an extension of time.”
Vowpace-recommended
Safer New York-friendly rewrite
“Subcontractor shall be entitled to a time extension for excusable delays. Subcontractor shall additionally be entitled to compensation for delay damages (including extended field and home-office overhead) caused by (a) Contractor's or Owner's active interference, (b) Contractor's or Owner's failure to act within a reasonable time, or (c) delays caused by other separate contractors under Contractor's control.”
Three things to watch during negotiation
  • 1Preserve exceptions for GC/Owner active interference or bad faith.
  • 2Track and document delay causes daily — most delay claims die from thin records.
  • 3Know whether your state enforces or limits 'no-damages-for-delay' by statute or case law.
More New York clause guides
Same clause in other states
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Vowpace AI is a milestone management and productivity tool. It does not provide legal advice, legal analysis, or binding legal services. Users are solely responsible for verifying and confirming AI-extracted milestones.