What preconstruction is, and what an owner should get from it
Preconstruction · The short answer
Preconstruction is the work a builder does before construction starts: estimating, scheduling, reviewing the drawings for buildability and planning what to buy first, all done alongside the design team. Its purpose is to put a reliable price and date on the project while changes are still cheap.
What should an owner receive?
You should come out of preconstruction with documents, not opinions: an estimate at each design milestone with a note on what changed since the last one, a schedule that shows design, permitting, buying and construction, and a list of long-lead items with order dates.
You should also receive written comments on the drawings, a site logistics plan, and a short list of risks with who owns each one.
Why do the estimates get tighter over time?
An estimate from a sketch carries a large contingency because most decisions are still open. As the design moves from concept to schematic to design development, quantities replace assumptions and the contingency shrinks.
The useful part is the comparison. If the number moves between milestones, you should be told why, in a form you can act on.
What is value engineering supposed to be?
Value engineering is a list of options, each with its effect on cost, schedule and upkeep, for the owner to accept or reject. It is not a search for the cheapest material.
Done early, it changes structural systems, mechanical systems and site layout, where the money is. Done late, it can only trim finishes.
Why buy some things before the drawings are finished?
Electrical switchgear, generators, elevators, roofing and structural steel can take longer to arrive than the rest of the building takes to frame. Releasing them early, with the owner’s approval, is often the single largest schedule gain available.
How does preconstruction lead into construction?
Preconstruction is usually covered by a short services agreement with a fixed fee. It ends with a contract price, often a guaranteed maximum price, built from subcontractor bids you can see.
As design-builders, we do this work on every project, because pricing and design belong in the same room. Owners who use other delivery methods can hire it on its own.
Common questions
Is preconstruction worth paying for?
On most projects, yes. The fee is small beside the cost of redesigning a building that came in over budget after the drawings were finished.
When should preconstruction start?
As soon as there is a site and a written list of what the building has to do. The earlier it starts, the more of the cost it can influence.
Do I have to build with the same contractor?
That depends on the agreement. The estimates, schedules and review comments are yours either way, so read how the agreement handles that before you sign.
The project behind this post
Flex Buildings Framed in Cold-Formed Steel
