hovedentreprise

Hovedentreprise, or main contractor, is a contractual form widely used in Norwegian construction where the client signs a single agreement with one contractor who is responsible for the overall delivery of the project. The main contractor supervises the construction and coordinates the work of subcontractors engaged to perform specialized tasks.

Responsibilities include project management, scheduling, procurement, quality control, safety, and ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The main contractor is the primary contact for the client and bears responsibility for timely completion within budget. The allocation of design responsibility varies; often the client or external design consultants handle design, while the main contractor executes the construction. In contracts that include design responsibilities for the main contractor, the arrangement approaches a totalentreprise model.

In relation to other contract models, the hovedentreprise contrasts with delentreprise, where the client signs with several contractors who individually handle portions of the work with less centralized coordination, and with totalentreprise, where the main contractor is responsible for both design and construction.

The model places most project risk with the main contractor, who must manage subcontractors and ensure integration of all parts. Benefits include a single point of accountability for the client and streamlined communication; potential drawbacks include less direct client control over design and higher reliance on the main contractor's management capability.

Usage: Hovedentreprise is common in both public and private projects in Norway for building and civil works. The term is understood in procurement practice and contract law within the construction industry.