Frequently asked questions

ContractsXpert is HBXL's simplest software package yet using a horizontal set of tabs to navigate through the product. There’s virtually no input required from you.

Simply follow the New Contract Wizard to select the most suitable contract and enter your project details quickly and easily into onscreen entry boxes and answering Yes/No where required. Plus there are guidance notes along the way so you know what to enter in.

Here at HBXL we are really impressed with the quality of the FMB’s contracts authored by FMB professionals. The FMB are the construction industry’s leading trade association. The FMB believes that disputes often occur because of a simple lack of understanding as to what was agreed in the original quotation. Their contracts have been carefully produced and carry the Crystal Mark seal of approval, the UK standard for clear communication that all organisations aim for. This clarity combined with th information that the four contracts provide, ensures that both the builder’s and customer’s interests are protected every time.

ContractsXpert is suitable for residential and commercial work and comes with 4 comprehensive contracts to protect your business interests:

• Plain English Domestic Building Contract for minor building work (up to £50k)

• Plain English Domestic Building Contract (Scotland) for minor building work (up to £250k)

• Plain English Domestic Building Contract (up to £500k)

• Plain English Commercial & Industrial Building Contract (up to £500k)

Take a look at some sample contracts

ContractsXpert is better value if you undertake building work regularly rather than buying a printed contract separately for each individual project. And worse - if you fill in a printed contract incorrectly you will need to buy another costing you more!

In addition as your ContractsXpert contract is produced with a computer they look very, very professional and if you need to change the terms of the contract you can simply go in and edit the contract and hit print!

The other benefit of software is that you can archive your contracts in one place for future reference. Finally, ContractsXpert is integrated with EstimatorXpress so you can create a contract in seconds without having to manually fill it in!

Although the contracts were authored by the FMB you don’t have to an FMB registered builder to use them and ContractsXpert. As a leading industry body the FMB encourages all builders to use building contracts to protect the interests of the builder as well as the customer and as such has made them freely available to industry. We at HBXL were so impressed with the quality of the contracts that we developed a piece of software in partnership with the FMB so all UK builders can quickly and easily produce building contracts themselves.

Find out more about FMB contracts

Since 1979, the Plain English Campaign has been campaigning against gobbledygook, jargon and misleading public information. It has helped many government departments and other official organisations with their documents, reports and publications. They believe that everyone should have access to clear and concise information.

The campaign officially began after founder Chrissie Maher OBE publicly shredded hundreds of official documents in Parliament Square, London. Entirely independent, the campaign funds itself through its commercial services, which include editing and training. We have worked with thousands of organisations ranging from UK Government departments to World Bowls (and of course the FMB), helping them make sure their public information is as clear as possible.

The Plain English Campaign has over 12,000 members in 80 countries and their Crystal Mark is now firmly established as a guarantee that a document is written in plain English. It appears on over 18,300 documents.

The FMB contracts carry the Plain English Crystal Mark which means they have been written in the same clear, precise way. The contracts are still very detailed – but they are also easy to understand – whether you’re the builder or the customer. The Crystal Mark seal of approval is the UK standard for clear communication that all organisations, including HBXL, aim for.

Yes the software is a lifetime licence which means once you purchase it, it’s yours forever to use on one machine.

Further licences to run the software on more machines can be purchased at a massively discounted price. An additional licence costs just £119 ex VAT.

The ContractsXpert licence only entitles you to use the package on one computer and in accordance with the Licence terms. However we do massive discounts on the purchase of additional licences for your company. An additional licence costs just £119 ex VAT.

Support & Updates for ContractsXpert is compulsory in year one of software ownership and covers you for 12 months worth of unlimited telephone and email technical support and all software upgrades. Support and access to software updates and upgrades can only be provided with a valid Support & Updates subscription. On the expiry of your annual Support & Updates subscription, you can choose whether you want to renew for a further year. Should you renew, you will receive a further 12 months unlimited telephone and email technical support and all software upgrades for that period.

ContractsXpert is available as part of our rental plan. You can build your own rental package by selecting any two (or more) HBXL software products from ContractsXpert, EstimatorXpress, PlansXpress and Health & Safety Xpert.

Click here for more information about our rental plan.

In simple words, if you are selling your services to consumers, either in their home or workplace, at or away from a trader's premises, including by mail order, phone, fax, Internet or digital TV, then you must give them a cooling-off period, during which they have an unconditional right to cancel the contract. The cooling-off period normally ends seven working days after the day the order was made - or after written confirmation is received.

In the case of selling goods, the cooling-off period normally ends seven working days after the day the goods were received.

Consumers must inform you in writing - by letter, fax or email - of their decision to cancel.

Consumers' money should be reimbursed as soon as possible - and in any case within a maximum period of 30 days.

When using contracts in ContractsXpert for domestic work, Builders should ensure that they have informed their domestic clients that they can cancel any agreement within a seven day cooling-off period under The Cancellation of Contracts made in a Consumer’s Home or Place of Work etc. Regulations 2008.

BUSINESSES THAT DO NOT DO THIS MAY NOW BE BREAKING THE LAW.