Early Contractor Involvement: The Smartest Move a Developer Can Make

Early Contractor Involvement: The Smartest Move a Developer Can Make

When timelines are tight, budgets are under pressure, and market conditions keep shifting — Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) is one of the smartest commercial decisions a developer can make.

Too often, builders are brought in once the design is complete and tenders are issued. At that stage, value engineering becomes reactive, cost certainty has slipped, and delays are harder to avoid.

But when we’re engaged early — during concept or planning — we help de-risk the project, align budgets with design, and fast-track delivery outcomes that support both feasibility and investor confidence.

At Valeo, we treat ECI as a collaborative process that adds value from day one. In practical terms, that means:

• Ensuring designs align with budget before they go to tender
• Flagging cost drivers and buildability challenges early
• Supporting value engineering that preserves intent — not strips it back
• Fast-tracking procurement of long-lead trades and materials
• Developing realistic, buildable programs that reflect site access, authority approvals, and staging

A strong example of this is our current project in Shepparton for Punt Hill, where early involvement allowed us to work alongside the broader team to shape a strategy that supports both speed and certainty.

Through open communication and early collaboration, we’ve helped the project move forward with greater clarity across design, procurement, and program. The ECI phase allowed key risks to be resolved before tendering, reducing commercial pressure and accelerating key decisions.

We’re proud to be working with:

• Client/Developer: Terry Sofra – Salvator Property Group
• Principal: Vistar Group Pty Ltd ARF Vistar Development Trust
• Superintendent: @shepherddevelopments.com.au
• Architect: @ckarch.com.au
• Structural & Civil Engineering: BCE Design
• Engineering Consultant: @ascoteng.com.au

In today’s market, ECI isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity. It’s how developers reduce risk, strengthen feasibility, and move faster with fewer surprises.

Because engaging your builder early doesn’t slow the project down — it sets it up for success.

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