What the data tells us about late contractor appointment
Summary
The article argues that appointing contractors late in the design process is associated with significantly higher cost growth on public sector projects. Drawing on a dataset of more than 400 projects, it reports that appointments at RIBA stages 3 and 4 were linked to average cost growth of nearly 9% and 17% respectively, compared with projects where contractors were involved earlier.
Why it matters
For residential property surveyors, the findings reinforce the commercial and delivery risks of late-stage procurement and the importance of buildability, sequencing and coordination being considered early. It is also relevant to cost advice, project risk assessment and understanding how procurement strategy can affect final outturn costs.
Key points
- Early contractor involvement was associated with projects coming in below original client budget.
- Late appointment at RIBA stage 3 averaged nearly 9% cost growth; stage 4 averaged 17%.
- The article links higher costs to reduced ability to influence design, buildability and supply chain planning.
- More than 60% of projects in the dataset had contractors appointed at stages 3 or 4.
- The report references the Construction Playbook and Procurement Act 2023 as supporting a stronger focus on value and outcomes.
This is an RPSA summary of a publicly available article. The full content remains with the original publisher.
