Before the design-build contract – bring the risks to light before they become part of the agreement

A new client in Jutland contacted KS Danmark on the recommendation of an existing client on Zealand.

The client was facing a larger construction project than those he had previously carried out, and therefore wanted technical construction support to have the project material reviewed in connection with a design-build contract.

The aim was to create a complete overview of the issues in the project and contract basis that the client ought to know about and take a position on before the project went any further.

On a larger construction project, the project material can contain technical, contractual and execution-related issues that may later affect the project’s finances, quality and delivery.

The client therefore wanted to shed light on potential risks, unclear issues or issues requiring particular attention, interfaces, matters needing clarification, possible pitfalls and relevant suggestions for adjustments or clarifications.

The goal was not to remove every risk from the project, but to give the client a better basis for decisions and greater peace of mind about the upcoming construction project.

KS Danmark was asked to review the project material from a technical construction and practical execution perspective.

The review is to create a structured overview of identified risks and points requiring attention, as well as the issues where the client would benefit from seeking clarification or considering adjustments before the project goes further.

This gives the client the opportunity to make decisions on a better-informed basis, rather than discovering the problems only during execution.

The conversation started with a project review, but the client’s needs did not necessarily stop there.

The dialogue therefore developed to also cover the possibility of technical construction supervision, follow-up on completed work, defect review and 1-year and 5-year inspections.

This makes continuity possible throughout the construction project, where the consultant who has become familiar with the project material and the identified points requiring attention can also follow relevant issues during execution and at the subsequent inspections.

A project review cannot guarantee that no problems will arise during a construction project.

But it can help ensure that significant risks, ambiguities and points requiring attention are identified at a time when it is still possible to respond to them.

It is considerably easier to ask the question before execution than to deal with the consequences afterwards.