Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) involves the creation of a Contractor/Design Consultant Team, led by the contractor, which caters for the consideration of buildability issues earlier in the design process, leading to shorter construction periods and reduced impacts during construction.

The benefit of ECI is that it utilises contractors' unique understanding of construction processes to optimise the design and delivery process. The difference is, as the name implies, that ECI involves the contractor far earlier. With ECI, the contractor joins the team right at the start and is involved with planning, assessing buildability, cost estimating and value engineering.

At Ashridge we passionately believe that ECI is the key to ensuring both programme and cost certainty for clients. Therefore every effort is made to ensure that Ashridge is involved at the pre-tender stage of a project, if not the design phase.

Utilising ECI enables Ashridge to maximise value to our clients and substantially bring forward the completion of a project.  When we are involved in the early stages of a project we work either with our or the Client’s designer, and a strong team ethos is established to produce the most cost efficient project. 

Construction works typically start earlier and there is more certainty of cost and time.  Furthermore, with this process there is far less chance of last minute surprises, however even when there are changes these are accommodated without fear of ballooning cost.

Range of benefits gained by participating in ECI:

• Early creation of delivery team
• More scope for innovation
• More flexibility and better value
• Integrated and incentivised supply chain
• Improved risk management with fair allocation of risks
• Shorter construction periods and reduced impacts during construction
• Maintaining a competitive and sustainable supply chain
• Clear points of responsibility, no unnecessary layers of supervision
• Selection of suppliers on the basis of best value
• High quality design
• Partnership approach and team ethos based on long-term relationships
• Performance measurement with continual improvement targets