Prolongation and disruption quantum on an airport buildings package
A specialist buildings contractor delivering a terminal fit-out package suffered severe disruption from upstream trade delays and programme compression. Ashforte quantified prolongation and disruption on a defensible measured-mile methodology.
The situation
Upstream trade delays had pushed the fit-out contractor's programme by seven months. The main contractor granted a partial EOT covering three months but resisted further extension.
During the compressed remainder of the programme, productivity had dropped materially against baseline. The contractor was carrying the cost of extended labour and plant while the disruption position remained unquantified.
The internal quantity surveying team lacked measured-mile experience and had not established baseline productivity records at the outset of the package. The initial disruption position was impressionistic and would not survive scrutiny.
Ashforte's intervention
The engagement was structured around the following workstreams, delivered by a senior-led team operating to Ashforte's standardized delivery protocols.
Prolongation quantum
- Site-based overhead build-up from actual cost records
- Head-office overhead recovery on the applicable methodology
- Time-related preliminaries reconciled to as-built duration
- Financing cost recovery based on delayed certification cycle
Disruption analysis
- Baseline productivity reconstruction from early-phase records
- Measured-mile identification across three trade categories
- Loss of productivity quantification per trade
- Cause-and-effect linkage to specific upstream events
Submission and negotiation
- Consolidated submission covering prolongation and disruption
- Response to main contractor's initial rejection
- Without-prejudice negotiation framework
- Escalation triggers if negotiation failed
The result
The main contractor's initial position denied disruption entirely and offered a nominal prolongation figure. Following formal submission and two rounds of without-prejudice negotiation, a settlement was agreed at approximately 70% of the fully-particularized submission value.
The contractor accepted the settlement to preserve the commercial relationship and unlock retention release, having established a defensible position that would have survived escalation.
The engagement extended into a Portfolio Retainer covering the contractor's three other live projects, with particular focus on productivity baseline discipline at the outset of new packages.
Lessons
The lessons from an engagement are usually more transferable than the specific results. What Ashforte's clients typically take away from case studies like this one:
Baseline productivity records established at package start are the difference between a defensible disruption claim and an impressionistic one.
70% settlement on a fully-quantified submission was the right outcome given the commercial relationship value — not every claim goes to full recovery, but every claim benefits from being defensibly positioned.
Portfolio-wide productivity baseline discipline was the enduring value of the engagement — every subsequent package the contractor delivers now starts with baseline records in place.
This engagement sat within Claims & Dispute Support.
Entitlement identified early. Claims built on evidence. Defence positions ready before they're needed.
Explore Claims & DisputesInitial Commercial Risk Assessment
By invitation, Ashforte provides qualified contractors with an initial commercial risk assessment on one live project. A structured senior review of contract, claims and commercial-control exposure, delivered as a documented briefing with a 30-day action plan. Qualification is determined in the first conversation.
A structured review of one live project — offered by invitation, at no cost, to qualified contractors.
Request an initial assessment- 01Review of selected project documents (contract, correspondence, variations, programme)
- 02Identification of key contract and commercial risk exposures
- 03Short maturity assessment across notices, variations, claims and payment controls
- 04A practical 30-day action plan
- 05Findings call with the project or commercial lead
- Contractors with active commercial pressure on a live project
- Variation or claims exposure requiring senior review
- Payment or certification issues affecting cash
- Stretched commercial teams needing external senior view
- Final account or close-out situations
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Final account recovery on a rail infrastructure project
A civil contractor completed a metro civils package with significant unresolved variations and claims. The internal team lacked capacity to build the final account under time pressure. Ashforte assembled the account, negotiated close-out and unlocked retention.
Defence against an employer-issued LD notice on a healthcare build
A buildings contractor received a LD notice of USD 8.5M on a hospital project completed six months late. Ashforte built the defence position, quantified concurrent-cause exposure and negotiated a settled resolution.