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Produced by the Confederation of Construction Specialists, it assesses 27 contractors' compliance with the Construction Act in this area.

Yorkshire-based contractor Totty Construction came bottom, although the firm claimed that the rating was based on out-of-date conditions. Other poor performers were Jarvis, Mowlem and Woodward & Co.

Crest Homes Eastern topped the table and other top performers included housebuilder St George and contractors Ballast and Miller.

The ranking table was launched at the confederation's annual conference, held in Sutton Coldfield this week.

CCS chief executive John Huxtable emphasised that the table did not aim to name and shame firms. He said: "We are not trying to embarrass them. We want to carry on with Egan-style reforms."

But Huxtable did warn contractors that they had to improve relations with specialists. He said: "If we do start to see the same sort of results that we have been seeing, it is an absolute disgrace and it is up to the directors of the companies involved to make sure their procedures are compliant with the law."

Huxtable said the CCS aimed to produce a more comprehensive study of 100 firms once results of further surveys came through.

The CCS scored firms on contract procedures such as adjudication and payment mechanisms. The scores were based on actual contracts between contractors and specialists.

In its judgment on Totty, the CCS report said the contractor shifted the balance of risk unfairly on subcontractors. A Totty spokesperson said the situation had changed. He said: "We would accept they [the previous conditions] were onerous but they are not now."