Saving Costs with Early Contractor Involvement
Increased competition, market disruptors and the convenience of online shopping means retailers need a more efficient (design, time and cost) approach to delivering high quality, engaging retail spaces.
Early contractor involvement (ECI) can be an extremely effective procurement process to help make this possible. The advantages of an ECI approach over a traditional design and construct model are significant; the process itself helping to reduce cost, time and risk while optimising the design.
ECI is a relatively new term and it means different things to different people. In its simplest form, it means a building contractor is engaged much earlier in the development of a project’s design, whether it’s a brand-new centre, major store refurbishment or even a single shop fitout.
The contractor works with the design team to ensure the concept design – the basis of the tender – is progressed efficiently regarding cost, risk, buildability and program, amongst other aspects. As the design nears completion, it is essentially ready to go – no surprises, no overruns.
Think about it, we’ve all been there. Too often designs are sent back for re-working – ‘value engineering’ or reverse engineering – because they’re too costly and sometimes impractical to build.
It happens all the time. The later this occurs in the whole process, the more cost blowouts and delays are exacerbated, not least because the options to fix the issues are often compromised. For example, authority approvals may have already been granted or leasing and sales procured on certain designs.
The aim of ECI is to capture these issues early and design them out. Upfront, open and transparent. Designers should document once, and the client has the comfort of knowing the design is real-world appropriate and on track the whole way.
In re-purposing projects, an ECI approach lights the path as to how the work can be staged to minimise and, where possible, eliminate disruptions.
ECI enables contractors to work collaboratively with the client and design team to deliver a much more construction-ready design, allowing for a smoother build at the right cost.
It’s one of the best ways to minimise costs, shorten timeframes, eliminate duplication, and manage risk. Every project partner is on the same page from day one. The quality of the build is maximised, and everyone enjoys the process more.
Re-work, in our mind, is waste. It costs us all one way or another. By eliminating this, retailers can focus their efforts and investment on maximising the customer experience. This is where the new retail landscape requires their focus to be.
With offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and operations nationwide, Mainbrace specialises in retail construction.
Mainbrace was established in 1989 and has completed over 1,300 projects covering supermarket upgrades, large format retail, national rebrands and refurbishments, and the construction of major retail infrastructure on greenfield sites.
Mainbrace provides a trusted, safe and cost-effective solution across the breadth of retail construction. With the core purpose of providing a professional service while being easy to work with, Mainbrace alleviates pressure on its clients using a proactive, solution-based approach.
