Bridging the gap between clients and contractors: From insight to practical delivery

Recent findings published in Construction Management Magazine highlight a key challenge within the built environment: while clients are increasingly prioritising refurbishment and retrofit projects, concerns around contractor quality, capability, and delivery remain significant.

Drawing on CIOB member insights, the survey underscores a familiar but critical challenge, clients want confidence in outcomes, yet are navigating increasing complexity in procurement, risk allocation, and regulatory compliance.

This is particularly important in the context of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015), where clients carry clear duties to ensure that projects are properly planned, managed, and resourced. The ability to appoint competent contractors, and to manage those appointments effectively, is no longer simply good practice; it is a regulatory requirement.

However, the issue is not solely about contractor performance ; it is about how projects are set up for success from the outset.

One of the key themes emerging from the survey is the confidence in contractor delivery. This often stems from:

• unclear scopes and expectations
• insufficient early-stage engagement
• fragmented communication across project teams

To address this, CIOB’s technical information sheet on ‘Practical steps that can be undertaken in the Management of Contractors to discharge the relevant CDM 2015 duties’ provides practical, structured guidance for clients and their project managers. It sets out clear steps to:

• assess contractor competence,
• define roles and responsibilities
• ensure appropriate planning and risk management
• maintain oversight throughout the project lifecycle

By adopting a more structured and proactive approach, clients can move from a reactive position addressing issues as they arise to one of greater control and assurance.

Alongside contractor management, early contractor involvement is increasingly recognised as a critical success factor, particularly in refurbishment and retrofit projects where unknowns and risks are inherently higher.

This is where the Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) becomes a valuable tool.

The CIOB’s technical information sheet on PCSA highlights how early engagement allows contractors to contribute to:

• buildability and methodology
• cost planning and risk identification
• programme development
• overall project strategy

By involving contractors earlier in the process, clients can better align expectations, reduce uncertainty, and improve the quality of deliverable outcomes.

Importantly, this approach also supports compliance with CDM 2015 by ensuring that risks are identified and addressed at the earliest possible stage, rather than being passed down the supply chain.

[edit] A More Integrated Approach to Project Delivery

The survey findings reinforce a broader industry shift: successful projects are no longer defined solely by cost or speed, but by quality, safety, and long-term value.

Achieving this requires stronger alignment between clients and contractors, built on:

• clear governance
• early collaboration
• well-defined processes

CIOB’s suite of technical information sheets, Guides, and Codes of practices are designed to support this shift, providing practical guidance that translates industry insight into actionable steps.

By linking strategic understanding with operational delivery, these resources help ensure that projects are not only compliant, but also better positioned to meet client expectations and industry standards. Please visit our publications pages on Technical Publications | CIOB Academy.

--CIOB

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• CIOB.
• CIOB articles.
• CDM 2015.
• Pre-Construction Services Agreement.