The contractee is the entity or person who hires a contractor to perform building services. In most commercial and residential projects, this is the property owner or the developer funding the job. The contractee holds the purse strings and retains final approval over project milestones, while the contractor assumes the physical risk of execution.
The contractee just signed off on the change order, so we can finally pour the footings.
While legally precise, most field crews just call this person the owner or the client.
Also heard as
- owner
- client
Related terms
General contractor
The primary entity responsible for overseeing a construction project and managing subcontractors.
Submittal
A package of technical documents or physical samples submitted to the architect or engineer for approval before fabrication.
Punch list
A master document tracking minor defects and incomplete tasks that a contractor must fix before final payment.