Construction Consultancy for Contractors
Project management for contractors
Experienced project managers embedded within your team. Programme oversight, NEC and JCT contract administration and delivery governance for Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 contractors across the UK.
The problem we solve
Contractors win work on capability. They lose margin when the management resource is not there.
It is not a question of ability. Most contractors are capable of delivering the work they win. The issue is having the dedicated project management resource to run the programme, manage the contract correctly and produce the governance your client expects while your site team focuses on building.
We provide experienced project managers who work inside your team. We own the programme, manage the contractual administration, run the client reporting and surface problems while they are still manageable. No remote advice. No generalist consultancy. We are on the project with you.
What we provide
- Embedded project management
- Experienced PM resource working inside your team.
- Contract administration
- NEC3, NEC4 and JCT obligations managed correctly.
- Programme governance
- Baseline, progress, lookahead and recovery management.
- Fast mobilisation
- Typically on project within two to five working days.
What we do
Three ways we support contractor delivery
Contractors win work on their track record. They lose margin when the management resource is not there to run the job properly. We provide experienced project managers who work within your team from mobilisation through to handover.
We sit in your progress meetings. We own the programme. We manage subcontractor interfaces, track risk and produce the reporting your client expects to receive. When problems emerge we surface them early, present the options clearly and help your team make the right call while there is still time to act without cost.
- Programme preparation, baseline setting and progress tracking
- Subcontractor and supply chain interface management
- Client-facing progress reporting and meeting management
- Change and risk management throughout construction
- Early warning identification and recovery planning
- Handover coordination and close-out documentation
Most contractors know what they are owed. What costs them is not being able to prove it. Missed compensation events, late early warnings and poorly maintained programmes leave money on the table that cannot be recovered at final account.
We manage your NEC3 and NEC4 obligations with the same rigour we apply to JCT contracts. Early warning register maintained. Compensation events notified on time. Programme submissions kept current. Variation assessments prepared with proper supporting information. Every contractual obligation met so your commercial position is protected throughout the project rather than argued about at the end.
- NEC3 and NEC4 early warning and compensation event management
- JCT variation assessment and extension of time submissions
- Programme submission management and delay analysis
- Payment application preparation and certification support
- Contractual correspondence and instruction management
- Final account preparation and settlement support
On multi-package contracts the programme is the most important document on the project. When it is not actively governed it stops reflecting reality. Clients notice before contractors do.
We establish the baseline, manage the lookahead, measure progress accurately and produce the recovery analysis when the two diverge. For Tier 1 contractors running multiple packages or subcontracts we provide the governance layer that keeps each work stream coordinated and your overall completion date credible. Not just maintained. Credible.
- Baseline programme development and review
- Four-week and twelve-week lookahead management
- Progress measurement and earned value reporting
- Delay and disruption analysis and narrative
- Multi-package interface and dependency management
- Client programme reporting to NEC and JCT requirements
01 Embedded Delivery
A project manager inside your team
Contractors win work on their track record. They lose margin when the management resource is not there to run the job properly. We provide experienced project managers who work within your team from mobilisation through to handover.
We sit in your progress meetings. We own the programme. We manage subcontractor interfaces, track risk and produce the reporting your client expects to receive. When problems emerge we surface them early, present the options clearly and help your team make the right call while there is still time to act without cost.
- Programme preparation, baseline setting and progress tracking
- Subcontractor and supply chain interface management
- Client-facing progress reporting and meeting management
- Change and risk management throughout construction
- Early warning identification and recovery planning
- Handover coordination and close-out documentation
02 Contract Administration
NEC and JCT contract obligations managed correctly
Most contractors know what they are owed. What costs them is not being able to prove it. Missed compensation events, late early warnings and poorly maintained programmes leave money on the table that cannot be recovered at final account.
We manage your NEC3 and NEC4 obligations with the same rigour we apply to JCT contracts. Early warning register maintained. Compensation events notified on time. Programme submissions kept current. Variation assessments prepared with proper supporting information. Every contractual obligation met so your commercial position is protected throughout the project rather than argued about at the end.
- NEC3 and NEC4 early warning and compensation event management
- JCT variation assessment and extension of time submissions
- Programme submission management and delay analysis
- Payment application preparation and certification support
- Contractual correspondence and instruction management
- Final account preparation and settlement support
03 Programme Governance
Programme management on complex schemes
On multi-package contracts the programme is the most important document on the project. When it is not actively governed it stops reflecting reality. Clients notice before contractors do.
We establish the baseline, manage the lookahead, measure progress accurately and produce the recovery analysis when the two diverge. For Tier 1 contractors running multiple packages or subcontracts we provide the governance layer that keeps each work stream coordinated and your overall completion date credible. Not just maintained. Credible.
- Baseline programme development and review
- Four-week and twelve-week lookahead management
- Progress measurement and earned value reporting
- Delay and disruption analysis and narrative
- Multi-package interface and dependency management
- Client programme reporting to NEC and JCT requirements
What poor delivery management costs
The consequences are not always visible straight away
They accumulate. By the time they are obvious they are expensive. These are the six most common ways contractors lose money that should have been theirs.
Under NEC the window to notify a compensation event is strict. Miss it and the entitlement is gone regardless of merit. No exceptions.
A programme that has not been actively maintained loses its status as a contractual document. Attributing delay becomes significantly harder.
Late or inconsistent reporting signals a project that is not in control. Once that perception is established it is very difficult to reverse.
On multi-package projects, interface failures cascade. One package delayed affects three others. Without active management it compounds quickly.
Unrecorded change is absorbed by the contractor. By final account there is no contemporaneous record to support a recovery claim.
Poor delivery management turns fixable issues into formal disputes. The cost in time, resource and relationships far exceeds the original problem.
- 01
Compensation events missed
Under NEC the window to notify a compensation event is strict. Miss it and the entitlement is gone regardless of merit. No exceptions.
- 02
Programme loses its standing
A programme that has not been actively maintained loses its status as a contractual document. Attributing delay becomes significantly harder.
- 03
Client confidence erodes
Late or inconsistent reporting signals a project that is not in control. Once that perception is established it is very difficult to reverse.
- 04
Subcontractor interfaces unmanaged
On multi-package projects, interface failures cascade. One package delayed affects three others. Without active management it compounds quickly.
- 05
Change absorbed without record
Unrecorded change is absorbed by the contractor. By final account there is no contemporaneous record to support a recovery claim.
- 06
Manageable problems become disputes
Poor delivery management turns fixable issues into formal disputes. The cost in time, resource and relationships far exceeds the original problem.
Why contractors use us
What our involvement gives your business
Experienced resource without the overhead
Senior project management without a permanent salary or the delay of a recruitment process. Engaged for the project.
Your contractual position protected
We manage your NEC and JCT obligations from the start. Missed early warnings and late compensation events are recoverable before they happen. Not after.
A programme that means something
We track, report and recover so your completion date is credible to your client and defensible to your subcontractors.
Client relationships that hold
We handle the reporting and correspondence your client expects. Your site team focuses on delivery rather than administration.
Problems caught before they cost
We surface issues while options still exist. By the time a problem reaches the final account it is expensive for everyone involved.
On project quickly
Contractor programmes do not wait for onboarding processes. We are structured to mobilise within days of appointment.
We work across all contractor tiers. From principal contractors on major schemes to specialist subcontractors who need targeted delivery support on a single package.
Full NEC3, NEC4 and JCT competency across all standard forms. Your contractual obligations managed correctly so your commercial position is protected throughout.
We are structured to deploy quickly. Two to five working days from appointment in most cases. Faster when a project cannot wait.
Sectors we work in
Project management across every contractor sector
Common questions
Project management for contractors. Answered plainly.
- Yes. We work directly with Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 contractors. We embed within your team to provide programme oversight, reporting, interface management and delivery governance. You do not need to be the client-side organisation to engage us. Our support is structured around what the contractor needs.
- Yes. We provide NEC3, NEC4 and JCT contract support for contractors. We manage compensation events, early warnings, payment applications and programme submissions to ensure your contractual position is protected. Contractors who do not actively manage their contractual obligations often find themselves unable to recover legitimate costs at final account. We prevent that from happening.
- We attend your progress meetings, manage your programme in real time, coordinate subcontractor interfaces and produce the reporting your client requires. We work as part of your team whether that is on site or in your office. The level of involvement scales with what your project needs and what your team already has in place.
- Yes. We are regularly engaged to support contractors where a project has become difficult. Whether the programme has slipped, a commercial dispute is developing, the client relationship has broken down or there is an internal resource gap, we assess the situation quickly and provide targeted support to stabilise delivery.
- Yes. We prepare baseline programmes, manage programme submissions under NEC and JCT requirements, track progress against baseline and identify delay early. A programme that falls behind without formal notice and a recovery plan becomes a liability rather than a tool. We keep it functioning as both.
- Once scope is agreed and a purchase order or letter of appointment is in place we can typically mobilise within two to five working days. For urgent situations we have mobilised within 24 hours. Tell us about the project and we will give you a straight answer about what is achievable.
Related services
Other ways we support contractors
CDM 2015 Compliance
Construction Phase Plans, Principal Contractor CDM duties and site compliance support for contractors.
Learn moreHealth and Safety Management
Retained H&S management, RAMS reviews and site inspection programmes structured around your project.
Learn moreTemporary Works Coordination
Independent TWC services to BS 5975. Register management, design review and installation oversight.
Learn moreQuality Assurance
Inspection and test plans, quality audits and non-conformance management on live projects.
Learn moreTalk to us
Need project management resource on a live contract?
Tell us about the project. We will give you a straight answer about what we can provide and how quickly we can start. No drawn-out process. No unnecessary qualification. Just a direct conversation about what your project needs.
Client Portal
The Client Portal provides secure access to project documents, progress updates, and direct communication with your Matthews & Roberts team.
Request access: info@matthewsroberts.com
Portal access is provided to approved clients. Contact us if you need support.
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Access your project portal to view documents and track progress.
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