With compliance obligations tightening and productivity under pressure, leading builders in New Zealand are turning to technology to bring order, consistency and transparency to payment claim management.
Across the construction industry, the administrative side of project delivery has never been more complex. From the Construction Contracts Act (CCA) legislation to contract variations and retention obligations, builders are facing increasing scrutiny on how they handle payment claims — and the cost of getting it wrong is high.
For many, spreadsheets and email chains can no longer keep up. Manual claim tracking not only wastes valuable time but increases the risk of missed deadlines, payment disputes and compliance breaches.
That’s why forward-thinking contractors standardised payment claims with Payapps — a purpose-built platform that brings structure, speed and transparency to payment claim management.
Consistency, clarity and control
“We looked for something that would provide consistency in how claims are submitted and how claims are responded to,” said Mark Rafiq, Commercial Manager at Richard Crookes Constructions.
Uniformity isn’t just a benefit for head contractors. It creates predictability and trust across the entire supply chain.
“That consistency makes it easier for everyone,” explained Lewis Skittrall, Head of Commercial at Sarah Constructions. “People can look at a claim and know exactly what they’re looking at without having to relearn a new process every single time.” .
Transparency drives productivity and trust
A transparent system gives both builders and subcontractors real-time visibility of payment claim status, reducing the disputes that so often stall projects and strain relationships.
“We’re not having to interpret what the claim is — there’s transparency in the system,” said Skittrall. “Anything that improves transparency and allows us to build quicker and more efficiently has a better outcome for everyone.”
This transparency also supports compliance with CCA — enabling both parties to meet statutory payment deadlines with confidence.
Integration enables true digital transformation
As the industry embraces digital tools, isolated systems are no longer enough. Real efficiency comes when technology works together.
“Real value comes when integration occurs,” said Skittrall. “It supports back-of-house operations, significantly reducing accounts payable and minimising their issues.”
By connecting Payapps with platforms such as Jobpac or Xero, builders gain structured data that powers automation, accurate forecasting and, increasingly, AI-driven insights.
Building better together
Construction productivity will depend on how well the industry uses data to make collaboration easier and compliance automatic. Leading builders have already recognised that — and are setting the pace for others to follow.
Sarah Constructions and Richard Crookes Constructions are among 28 of Australia’s BCI Top 50 builders now using Payapps to manage payment claims, variations and retention more efficiently — proving that digital adoption is no longer optional for those who want to stay competitive.
Watch the full on-demand webinar to hear how these leading builders are improving transparency, compliance and trust across every project.
