Subcontractor Agreement Template Package 2026/2027 – Word/PDF + English | Swedish Law

Subcontractor Agreement Template Package 2026/2027 – Word/PDF + English | Swedish Law

This is a complete and professional subcontractor agreement for construction, civil engineering, installation, and other contracting work between companies. The package is designed for prime, general, or design-build contractors who are hiring a subcontractor and need a clear written agreement regarding scope, schedule, price, extra work (ÄTA), work environment, quality, insurance, liability, documentation, and termination.

The template package is legally reviewed against current Swedish law and relevant authority information as of October 4, 2026, and prepared for practical use during 2026/2027. It contains a Swedish Subcontractor Agreement, a complete English-language Subcontractor Agreement under Swedish law, and a separate detailed user guide.

Delivery: 3 documents in both Word (DOCX) and PDF – a total of 6 files, 37 A4 pages, and 12 appendices/schedules. Digital download. No physical product will be sent.

What is included

• Subcontractor Agreement 2026/2027 – Swedish version, 17 pages with 25 contract sections and 12 appendices.
• Subcontractor Agreement 2026/2027 – English / Swedish law, 16 pages with corresponding structure and 12 schedules.
• Detailed user guide, 4 pages with step-by-step instructions, control points, and a final checklist.

When is a subcontractor agreement appropriate?

The template is intended for B2B subcontracts where one contractor hires another company to perform a specific part of a construction, civil engineering, installation, or contracting assignment. Examples:

• electrical, HVAC, and ventilation contracts,
• groundwork and civil engineering,
• concrete, structural work, assembly, and building services,
• painting, flooring, roofing, facade, and other specialist work,
• installation and commissioning of technical equipment,
• subcontracting with or without design responsibility,
• projects with multiple contractor tiers.

Standalone agreement – not a copy of AB-U 07 or ABT-U 07

The subcontractor agreement is an independent, standalone contractual document. It does not reproduce AB-U 07, ABT-U 07, AB 04, or ABT 06.

AB-U 07 and ABT-U 07 remain established standard provisions for subcontracts in the construction sector in 2026. If the parties wish to use any of these, the standard document must be incorporated separately as a contract document and explicitly stated in Appendix 2.

The template therefore includes a clear contract hierarchy where the parties can choose to:

• use the agreement as a completely standalone document, or
• supplement the agreement with separately incorporated AB-U 07, ABT-U 07, or other standard provisions.

This reduces the risk of vague wording that simply states that "AB applies" without specifying which document, which version, or how conflicting terms should be handled.

Execution subcontract or design/functional responsibility

Appendix 2 is used to clearly select the type of responsibility the Subcontractor actually has. The parties can mark if the assignment is:

• a pure execution subcontract where the Client is responsible for the design, or
• a subcontract where the Subcontractor also has explicit design or functional responsibility.

This is a central risk issue. The template therefore states that design responsibility shall not be considered to transfer to the Subcontractor unless it is explicitly stated in the contract documents.

25 contract sections

The main Swedish agreement covers, among other things:

• parties and purpose,
• definitions and contract documents,
• form of contract and design responsibility,
• organization and sub-subcontractors,
• schedule, coordination, and access,
• work environment and construction site,
• personnel, labor law, and contractor liability for wages,
• F-tax, VAT registration, and reverse charge VAT,
• material, products, environment, and waste,
• quality, self-inspection, and documentation,
• compensation and payment,
• extra work (ÄTA) and change orders,
• delay and obstacles,
• inspection, acceptance, defects, and remediation,
• liability and insurance,
• security,
• confidentiality and trade secrets,
• GDPR and information security,
• intellectual property and documentation,
• agreement term, cancellation, and termination,
• force majeure,
• compliance, sanctions, and improper benefits,
• notices, assignment, and amendments,
• Swedish law and dispute resolution,
• signing.

12 practical appendices

1. Parties, organization, and authorization – contact persons and who is authorized to order extra work (ÄTA).
2. Scope, form of contract, and contract documents – scope, design responsibility, drawings, and standard terms.
3. Schedule, milestones, and liquidated damages – start, interim milestones, completion, and any liquidated damages.
4. Price, payment, and ÄTA pricing – fixed price, cost-plus, hourly rates, markups, and payment plan.
5. Change orders – separate log for changes, price, schedule impact, and approval.
6. Inspection, acceptance, and warranty – control points, inspection, warranty period, and defect reporting.
7. Documentation, design, and IP – as-built documents, self-inspection, testing, BIM/drawings, and licenses.
8. Liability, insurance, and security – liability caps, carve-outs, insurance, and securities.
9. Work environment, environment, and compliance – work environment plan, Bas-U, work preparations, waste, ID06, F-tax, and subcontractor control.
10. GDPR and information security – roles, data processing agreement (PUB), systems, incidents, and deletion.
11. Cancellation, termination, and handover – notice period for remediation, termination, and winding down.
12. Notices, assignment, and dispute – notice, assignment, and forum.

Work environment – adapted to regulations effective in 2026

The Swedish Work Environment Authority's new regulatory structure has been in effect since January 1, 2025. AFS 2023:3 on design and construction work environment coordination explicitly covers contractors and subcontractors across multiple tiers.

The template therefore does not treat the work environment as a general standard sentence, but includes specific rules regarding:

• the Subcontractor's responsibility as an employer,
• work preparations and risk information,
• work environment plan,
• coordination with Bas-U,
• the project's shared work environment efforts,
• compliance by sub-subcontractors.

The agreement does not attempt to contract away responsibilities that follow directly from work environment legislation.

Contractor liability for wage claims

For construction and civil engineering activities in Sweden, the Act (2018:1472) on contractor liability for wage claims applies. This may mean that a contractor who has hired a subcontractor can, in certain situations, become liable for unpaid wage claims of the subcontractor's employees.

The agreement therefore contains requirements that the Subcontractor:

• fulfills its employer and wage payment obligations,
• provides relevant information when reasonably necessary,
• immediately notifies of wage claims or disputes that may affect the contracting chain,
• forwards relevant requirements to approved sub-subcontractors.

Reverse charge VAT for construction services

The Swedish Tax Agency's rules regarding reverse charge VAT for construction services may be applicable between subcontractors and between a subcontractor and a general/prime contractor.

The template therefore does not hard-code standard Swedish VAT on all invoices. Instead, before invoicing, the parties must assess:

• whether the current performance is a construction service covered by the rules,
• whether the buyer is a trader covered by the rules,
• how the invoice should therefore be structured.

F-tax and registration control

The Subcontractor shall maintain the tax and business registrations required for its operations and notify the Client if a significant registration is changed or revoked. Appendix 9 can be used for the project's control of F-tax and VAT.

ÄTA – clear ordering and documentation process

Changes and additional work are a common source of construction disputes. The template therefore includes a structured process:

• Appendix 1 specifies exactly who is authorized to order changes.
• Before starting, the Subcontractor must describe the change and its impact on price, time, work environment, and quality whenever possible.
• Appendix 5 serves as a separate change order log.
• Emergency work required to avert immediate injury or property damage can be handled specifically but must be documented immediately.

Price – fixed price, cost-plus, or combination

Appendix 4 can be used for:

• fixed contract sum,
• cost-plus (löpande räkning),
• combined compensation,
• hourly rates for skilled workers,
• management costs,
• material markups,
• payment plan and payment terms.

ÄTA pricing can therefore be determined in advance instead of being discussed only after extra work has already been performed.

Schedule, obstacles, and liquidated damages

Appendix 3 contains start date, interim milestones, and completion. Liquidated damages apply only when the parties actually fill in a liquidated damages clause. In addition, the Subcontractor must notify of any obstacles or risk of delay in writing without delay.

Inspection, acceptance, and warranty

Appendix 6 makes it possible to adapt the inspection and acceptance procedure to the project. It specifies, for example:

• control points,
• self-inspection,
• inspection format,
• warranty period,
• recipient of defect reports,
• response time for critical defects.

If the project uses AB-U 07/ABT-U 07 or another standard procedure, the inspection and warranty clauses must be coordinated with the separately incorporated standard.

Documentation is part of the contract work

The template treats as-built documents, self-inspections, and test reports as actual deliverables – not as voluntary administrative additions. Appendix 7 can be used to specify:

• as-built documents,
• BIM and drawings,
• test reports,
• manuals, certificates, and product documentation,
• format and delivery date,
• rights/licenses to the material.

Liability, insurance, and security

Appendix 8 contains selectable fields for liability caps, carve-outs from liability caps, liability insurance, other insurance, and any performance and warranty bonds.

The template avoids automatically inserting a high standard amount. A reasonable liability cap and reasonable security must be assessed in relation to the contract sum, type of work, risk, and insurance coverage.

Sub-subcontractors

The Subcontractor may not outsource a significant part of the work to the next tier without the Client's written approval. Approval does not release the Subcontractor from liability.

Relevant requirements regarding work environment, confidentiality, insurance, taxes, documentation, and compliance must also be passed on to approved sub-subcontractors.

GDPR and information security

If personal data is processed in the project, each party is responsible for its processing according to GDPR. If the Subcontractor processes personal data solely on behalf of the Client, a separate Data Processing Agreement usually needs to be entered into in accordance with Article 28 GDPR.

Appendix 10 contains control fields for role distribution, system access, incident notification periods, as well as storage and deletion.

Cancellation, termination, and rescission

Appendix 11 makes it possible to document what applies in the event of:

• cancellation without breach of contract,
• material breach of contract,
• notice period for remediation,
• serious work environment or safety deficiency,
• insolvency or other defined termination situations,
• handover of material and documentation after termination.

English Subcontractor Agreement under Swedish law

The English version contains the same basic structure and 12 schedules and is intended for projects where the client, subcontractor, corporate function, or advisor works in English but where Swedish substantive law is to be applied.

The English version is therefore an English-language agreement under Swedish law and not a British or American standard agreement.

Detailed user guide included

The guide shows step-by-step how the agreement is filled out and specifically reviews:

• selection of contract form,
• order of precedence for contract documents,
• AB-U 07/ABT-U 07 as separate standard documents,
• time, price, and ÄTA,
• work environment 2026 and Bas-U,
• contractor liability for wage claims,
• reverse charge VAT for construction,
• inspection, warranty, and documentation,
• liability and insurance,
• termination and cancellation,
• final checklist before signing.

Reviewed for 2026/2027

The legal review is dated October 4, 2026. The package has been checked against, among other things:

• the Contracts Act (1915:218),
• the Work Environment Act (1977:1160),
• the Work Environment Authority's AFS 2023:3 on design and construction work environment coordination, consolidated version current for 2026,
• the Act (2018:1472) on contractor liability for wage claims,
• the Swedish Tax Agency's rules on reverse charge VAT for construction services,
• the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR),
• the Trade Secrets Act (2018:558).

AB-U 07 and ABT-U 07 are industry standards that can be incorporated separately but are not included and not reproduced in the package.

Format and delivery

3 documents • 6 files • 37 pages • 12 appendices/schedules

• Word (DOCX) – fully editable.
• PDF – for reference, printing, and layout control.
• Swedish + English main agreements.
• Digital delivery – no physical product is sent.

Important

The template package is a professional general contractual basis and does not replace individual legal advice. Large or technically complex construction projects, design-build subcontracts, extensive design responsibility, publicly procured projects, posted workers, collective bargaining issues, advanced security, insolvency risks, or ongoing construction disputes should be assessed separately by a qualified advisor.