Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) in Commercial Kitchen Design and Build

What is Early Contractor Involvement (ECI)?

Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) is a collaborative procurement approach where contractors are engaged before or during the design phase, allowing their expertise to inform and optimise project outcomes from the beginning. ECI has found special relevance in complex environments like the Aged Care sector, Hospitality, Education and Accommodation industries.  

Advantages of ECI for Hospitality & Foodservice Developments

1. Putting your success first, by designing problems OUT of projects.

• ECI provides early advice, preventing expensive design errors and reducing the risk of costly redesigns during the later stages of development or attempting to redesign and modify a completed project. No one wants to finish a project only to regret not considering it properly in the first place!  
• When Hostservice is engaged early, our designers work alongside our clients closely to look at what long term success looks like. This generally includes people who will be working with/alongside the kitchen, such as head chefs, caterers and foodservice managers – as well as property managers and maintenance managers and investors, who will take care of the assets long term. We also work with others who are delivering the project such as architects, builders, services consultants/contractors, as it’s important we work closely with them to ensure seamless project delivery. Each of these represent an important stakeholder interest in the project. Missing any of these out could cause long term grievance, as could giving any one too much prominence.  
• Projects leveraging ECI have shown schedule reductions by months and significant cost savings due to eliminated rework and reduced variations.

2. Enhances Buildability and Project Management

• There’s nothing worse than designing something that can’t be built. Its equally disheartening to get through to final design, only to find critical aspects have been overlooked and designs need to be changed. The further on you are in design, the more cost and hassle to change. Building with an ECI framework ensures all designs on a project are in sync with each other. Bigger projects have more moving parts and give rise to bigger mistakes and bigger consequences. At Hostservice, our team of designers have a great track record on communication with other parties involved in a project. Uniquely, Hostservice employs a full project delivery team, who also take care of early project planning to ensure projects come together as planned. Our early site service ensures services sizes and location are correct. This ‘measure twice, cut once’ approach has saved our clients countless $$ on their projects. That’s why we say – Design and Project Management don’t cost, they PAY!

3. Maximises Operational Efficiency and Flexibility

• Involving the operator in design: Let’s say you employ a chef, or a caterer to run your kitchens, or perhaps you are the operator. It’s understandable the operator of your kitchens will want to have a say in design, and why shouldn’t they? They are your biggest opportunity to make money from the space, so allowing them to influence design means getting most out of the space in efficiency, flexibility, productivity, and guest experience. So, involving them brings their expertise into the project to make sure it’ll work for them, as well as giving them a vested interest / accountability in the long-term success.
• Our role: Hostservice is there to act as a consultant, to ensure your project comes together and serves the needs of all stakeholders. As mentioned earlier, there are multiple stake holders in a project, like finance, building owners, chefs, foodservice contractors, brand owners – the list goes on. Our role is to coordinate the needs of each party and ensure a suitable outcome. In many cases, it takes some level of technical ingenuity from our design team to create a solution, or compromise, especially where the constraints of the building limit the vision of the operator.
• Future proofing: In today’s environment of geopolitical uncertainty, rising energy prices and food inflation, we recommend investors keep an open mind to what the future holds. Building flexibility into a kitchen isn’t something we do ad hoc, or at random. It’s got to be incorporated in the initial discussions, early on. This can be as simple as ensuring adequate space for a second cookline or making provisions in a wall for a servery/opening into an adjacent dining room that you may use in the future if plans change. We frequently recommend small things that can be used in the future – and our customers can trust us to make the changes for them going forward, if they decide to implement the changes.

4. ECI Supports Sustainability Goals

• ECI makes it easier to embed sustainability in early design choices, such as re-use of materials or energy-efficient equipment. Even in situations where the operator demands gas, we can improvise and look for solutions that mitigate the amount of gas used and look for future solutions that could be used to reduce the environmental impact, and make provisions for these solutions. Sometimes, the operator needs their eyes opened to the possibilities with todays technology and a successful way we can do this is with a demonstration.
• Throughout the design process, Hostservice will assist in material selection, appliance selection and sequencing that minimises environmental impact and reduces the carbon footprint, which is increasingly critical in today’s world.

Ways ECI Can Be Led

ECI can be led through several main procurement routes, each offering different levels of contractor involvement and collaboration – Hostservice works in with any of these approaches:

1. Two-Stage ECI (2S-ECI):

• Initially engage contractors for input during design before committing to construction contracts, removing contractual ambiguities and improving risk management.
• Often tailored to project needs; New Zealand clients draft specific service agreements, enhancing flexibility.

2. Design and Build (D&B):

• Contractors are responsible for both design and construction, ensuring tighter integration between what’s imagined and what’s actually delivered.
• This model supports frequent collaboration between designers, operators, and construction teams, and puts much more responsibility on each contractor to get pricing and design correct up front.
• In our experience, this approach leads to the lowest cost variations, and least time over runs.
• Contractors who make a mistake in design, often will bear the cost of a mistake to save their reputation. Think about it – if you designed something, priced it, and said you can install it, imagine telling your client you made a mistake…embarrassing? 

3. Management Contracting & Construction Management:

• Contractors offer advice and manage portions of a project, coordinating between trades and design teams to ensure buildability and timely delivery.

4. Integrated Team Approach:

• ECI fosters an integrated project team ethos, where Hostservice leads collaboration among architects, consulting designers, kitchen operators, and suppliers to deliver a holistic solution - from feasibility through to detailed design and equipment selection, to construction and handover.

Best Practices:

• Clearly define roles, responsibilities, and decision-making structures.
• Leverage modern design tools like BIM for better coordination, transparency and efficient project tracking.
• Identify all stakeholders upfront, and get everyone talking to their needs.

Hostservice’s Approach

• Evidence-Based Design: Hostservice employs a robust stakeholder engagement process and observational surveys to understand operational needs.
• Strong Project Management: Hostservice boasts an unparalleled record since 1996, combining design expertise with construction know-how for smooth project delivery, on time and on budget.
• Custom Solutions for NZ’s Hospitality Sector: Hostservice understands local challenges, like regulatory compliance, sustainability targets, and market dynamics, offering tailored recommendations that other firms may overlook.

Stats & Further Research

• Projects using ECI in NZ report up to 20% reductions in programme length and significant cost certainty improvements.
• ECI is now standard in complex New Zealand infrastructure, demonstrating trust and value in its approach for commercial kitchen developments.
• The Government, major contractors, and research bodies all cite ECI as the preferred method for risk reduction, cost control and enhanced operational outcomes in hospitality design.

Key References

• Early Contractor Involvement (SCIRT)
• Downer ECI Whitepaper
• Warren & Mahoney Studio

FAQ: ECI for Commercial Kitchens in New Zealand

What is Early Contractor Involvement (ECI)?

• ECI is a procurement approach where contractors collaborate with clients in the design phase, providing expertise that improves buildability, cost certainty, and efficient project management.

Why is ECI important in commercial kitchen projects?

• Kitchens involve complex equipment, workflows, and compliance needs. ECI brings specialist input early so designs not only look good, but work perfectly in practice, for efficiency, flexibility, and cost control.

Does ECI really save time and costs?

• Yes. Case studies in NZ show ECI projects often finish months ahead of schedule and stay on budget due to fewer design changes and clearer project management. Talk to us about your situation, and we’ll give you a project as an example.

It is never too early to discuss commercial kitchen projects with Hostservice: engaging early with expert builders and designers is the key to unlocking better outcomes, smoother operations, and long-term hospitality success across New Zealand.

Want to learn more about Commercial Kitchen Design and Build? Reach out to the team at Hostservice today and discover more - call 0800 925054 or email us sales@hostservice.co.nz