Pre-construction services are used in planning a construction project before the actual construction begins. These services are often referred to as preconstruction or precon. It is the overall planning, coordination, and control of a project from inception to completion aimed at meeting a client’s requirements in order to produce a functionally and financially viable project.

Pre-construction services grew out of construction cost estimating to encompass the other activities in planning a project. The intent is to work with the project’s owner to help deliver a satisfactory project that meets the owner’s objectives. In addition to estimating, the preconstruction team participates in design decisions, evaluations, studies, value engineering, value analysis, scheduling, constructability reviews, and more. Design costs, permitting, land acquisition, and

life-cycle costs may also be evaluated. In delivering pre-construction services, general contractors or construction managers may also be negotiating for project construction services. Often this may be accomplished by agreeing on a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for the project.