A cure period is a contractual or statutory grace period giving a party in breach the chance to fix the problem before the other party can terminate the contract or pursue legal remedies. The standard sequence: party A defaults, party B issues a written notice of default specifying the breach, party A has the cure period (often 7, 14, or 30 days) to remedy the breach, and only after the cure period expires can party B terminate or sue.
Most construction contracts include cure periods for both parties: contractors get a cure period before the owner can terminate for default; owners get a cure period before the contractor can stop work for non-payment. Cure-period notices must be precise about what breach is alleged and what action will cure it. Vague notices are sometimes invalid and reset the clock. Issuing a proper notice of default is one of the most underused contractor protections in payment disputes.