Pre-Construction Advisory
Independent, RICS-led review of a project before construction begins. Buildability, cost plan, programme, procurement and risk, interrogated at the point where changes are still cheap to make.
What pre-construction advisory is.
Pre-construction advisory is a structured review of a building project at the point where design is broadly complete, tenders are in or close, and a contract is about to be signed. It is the last clean point at which the project can be reshaped without significant cost.
We sit between the client, the design team and the contractor, and we ask the questions that nobody on the project has an incentive to ask: is the cost plan realistic, is the programme deliverable, are the contracts fit for purpose, where is the risk concentrated, and what has been overlooked?
What we review.
Buildability
Can the design be built as drawn, on this site, by these trades?
Cost plan
Is the contractor’s pricing complete, reasonable and benchmarked?
Programme
Is the timeline deliverable, with realistic float and contingency?
Procurement
Is the contracting approach (JCT, bespoke, design and build) the right one for the work?
Risk register
A short, prioritised list of the items most likely to cause cost or programme failure.
Contract review
Practical commentary on the proposed contract terms, payment profile and liquidated damages.
Who instructs us.
Private clients
Before signing a contract on a significant home refurbishment, extension or restoration.
Family offices
Pre-construction review on a principal’s residence or a portfolio asset.
Buying agents
On post-acquisition refurbishment, where the buyer wants independent eyes on the build before they commit.
Trustees
Where the works are to be undertaken on a property held under formal stewardship.
How an instruction runs.
Briefing call
A working session to understand the project, the timeline and the open questions.
Document review
Drawings, specification, cost plan, programme, draft contract.
Site visit
Where relevant, a walk of the existing building with the team.
Draft report
Issued within one to three weeks, with the risk register on the front page.
Working call
A structured conversation with the client and, if useful, the design team and contractor.
Frequently asked.
Is this the same as a quantity surveyor?
Overlapping, but not the same. A QS focuses on cost, in depth. Pre-construction advisory takes a broader view: cost, programme, buildability, procurement and risk together. On larger projects we recommend both.
Can you act before tender as well as after?
Yes. Pre-tender review can shape the tender pack and avoid problems being baked in. Post-tender review tests what came back. Both are useful; the earlier the engagement, the more we can change.
Will you keep the report constructive?
The report names risks and weaknesses, but its job is to make the project succeed, not to score points. Every flagged item is paired with a practical suggestion.
How does this interact with our architect or PM?
Constructively, in our experience. A second professional opinion on a serious project is welcomed by competent design teams and is often actively sought.
Can pre-construction advisory roll into ongoing project management?
Yes. Many clients begin with a pre-construction review and continue Ekron into the build under our project management engagement.
Other services our clients ask for.
Project Management
We manage the delivery of refurbishments on some of the most prestigious properties in the UK and internationally.
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Tell us the project, the timeline and what you have already in hand. We propose a scope and fee the same working day.