Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA)

A Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) lays the foundation for successful project delivery by enabling early contractor involvement, detailed technical input, and collaborative planning before the commencement of the main construction contract. At Starfish Construction, our PCSA approach provides clients with access to a fully integrated cdm principal designer and cdm principal contractor team across façade remediation, roofing, and building envelope services. We help identify and resolve risk, advise on materials, inform cost certainty, and shape project design and programming in line with modern compliance demands.

Often aligned with Gateway One and Gateway Two of the Building Safety Act, our process supports the development of safety cases and structured engagement with the Building Safety Regulator, ensuring that critical design, procurement, buildability and safety considerations are captured and controlled from the outset.

Starfish Construction engineer installing a façade on a multi-storey building

COMPLIANCE, CLARITY, CONFIDENCE

Why Pre-Construction Services Agreements Are Essential Today

Construction projects today face more scrutiny, regulation, and complexity than ever before. From safety case preparation to low-carbon planning and duty holder accountability, the pressure to get things right from the outset has never been greater. A PCSA offers clients the structure and time to front-load the process, de-risking decisions, enhancing design outcomes, and setting a realistic path to delivery. It enables teams to investigate, interrogate, and make informed decisions on materials, methods, and site logistics, aligning with evolving legislation such as the Building Safety Act, the Golden Thread of information, and broader ESG commitments.

For duty holders, the PCSA phase becomes the project’s compliance foundation, bringing clarity, shared responsibility, and credible documentation that supports informed approvals and confident progression through Gateway procedures.

Starfish staff member walking through the office reviewing drawings

Early Contractor Involvement (ECI)

Engaging with our integrated divisions at the outset shapes smarter decisions, reduces design risk, and unlocks the practical insights that improve delivery outcomes. Our ECI approach ensures buildability, budget alignment, and strategic programme development from day one.

Cost, Programme & Procurement Certainty

A front-loaded design and technical validation support accurate forecasting, informed procurement strategies, and proactive planning. By providing early clarity for clients, we prevent rework, supply chain delays, and uncontrolled cost escalation during the build phase.

Design Assurance & Technical Validation

We investigate, interrogate, and make informed decisions regarding architectural and technical proposals through the lens of compliance, safety, and constructability as part of our building standards. Our in-house teams work across the building envelope to advise on materials, system compatibility, and long-term performance.

Regulatory & Gateway Compliance

PCSA supports the structured development of Gateway One and Gateway Two submissions under the Building Safety Act. Our reports and documentation help duty holders demonstrate due diligence, support safety case files, and meet the requirements of the Building Safety Regulator.

Sustainability & ESG Integration

We align material planning and construction strategy with our clients’ carbon, energy efficiency, and lifecycle targets. From product selection to waste management planning, we build sustainability into the early-stage decision-making process and for the future legacy of properties.

Duty Holder Clarity & Risk Ownership

With increased accountability under new building safety legislation, our PCSA phase support integrates all duty holders, clearly defining their roles, responsibilities, and deliverables. Our processes and information ensure a shared understanding, developing a safer and more collaborative project environment.

CDM Leadership & Building Safety Roles

Under CDM 2015 regulations, every project involving more than one contractor is legally required to appoint a Principal Designer and a Principal Contractor. These roles are essential for planning, managing, and coordinating health and safety during both the pre-construction and construction phases of a project. At Starfish Construction, clients can engage us for either or both roles, providing seamless integration with our PCSA to ensure coordination and regulatory compliance throughout the project, from concept to completion.

Trusted to Lead the Pre-Construction Phase with Confidence

Our integrated divisions and knowledgeable people work in close partnership with clients, consultants, and duty holders to plan and manage pre-construction activity with precision and purpose. From detailed site investigations to technical design validation and regulatory submissions, we provide structured PCSA support that delivers certainty, compliance, and clarity before construction begins.

“Our role in the PCSA stage is to reduce ambiguity, manage out risk, and give our clients the confidence that every decision made is grounded in real-world buildability and regulatory compliance.”

SHAUN McCLUSKEY
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

We ensure clarity from the outset, delivering specialist insight across façade remediation, roofing, and complete building envelope solutions. Our knowledge spans across PCSA, and as a Principal Designer and Principal Contractor, we are well-equipped to advise on a project’s unique requirements, including design, compliance, material selection, and sequencing, to ensure efficient, safe, and fully aligned delivery with Building Safety Act responsibilities.

Our internal processes and Evidence-Based PCSA reports ensure that a technical evaluation, site-specific investigation, and legislative alignment back every recommendation we make. Our PCSA reports provide clients and principal duty holders with the necessary documentation to confidently progress through Gateway reviews and establish a clear course for project execution.

Understanding PCSA, Gateways, and Ensuring a Safe, Compliant, and Successful Project Delivery

The pre-construction phase is now one of the most scrutinised and strategically important parts of any building project, especially under the requirements of the Building Safety Act. This Q&A section addresses the most common questions about Pre-Construction Services Agreements, Two-Stage Tenders, Gateway procedures, and how Starfish Construction assists clients in preparing, complying, and delivering with certainty.

What is a Pre-Construction Services Agreement in construction projects?

A Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) is a formal contract used to engage a contractor for essential services before signing the main construction contract. It's especially valuable for complex or high-risk projects, such as those involving façade remediation or specialist building envelope works.

Under a PCSA, the contractor contributes early-stage input on areas such as design validation, material selection, buildability, cost planning, risk identification, and programme development. This early collaboration enables clients to make informed decisions, secure regulatory approvals (including Building Safety Gateways), and reduce project risk before any physical construction begins.

Unlike a complete construction contract, a PCSA does not oblige the client to appoint the same contractor for the build phase. However, it provides both parties the opportunity to establish trust, define expectations, and develop a shared understanding of the project's technical requirements.

Why is a PCSA important for façade remediation projects?

Façade remediation projects are highly sensitive in both technical and regulatory terms, particularly when addressing fire safety risks in occupied, high-rise buildings. A Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) is essential in these projects because it enables comprehensive planning, early risk identification, and stakeholder alignment prior to work commencing on site.

During the PCSA phase, contractors and design teams can perform intrusive surveys and technical inspections, assess materials for compliance with current fire safety standards, and evaluate the structural and aesthetic implications of remedial solutions. This process ensures accurate budgeting, procurement planning, and sequencing of work, which are essential in live environments where contractors must minimise tenant disruption.
Additionally, a PCSA facilitates the development of required documentation for Building Safety Act Gateways One and Two, which includes pre-construction information, safety case data, and technical design justifications that must be reviewed and approved by the Building Safety Regulator before construction can commence.

As an experienced façade remediation contractor, clients benefit from Starfish Construction's PCSA expertise and knowledge, which delivers specialist advice on compliant systems, fire-rated materials, sustainable detailing, and addressing buildability challenges. We ensure regulatory compliance and can significantly reduce the risk of delays, cost overruns, or failed approvals later in the project lifecycle through our approach.

How does a PCSA improve compliance with the Building Safety Act?

The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced a new regulatory framework for higher-risk buildings, including a structured gateway system designed to improve safety and accountability throughout a project lifecycle. A Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) plays a key role in preparing for and navigating these gateways, particularly Gateway One (planning) and Gateway Two (pre-construction).

By appointing a contractor under PCSA, clients and principal designers gain early access to technical, safety, and programme expertise that is critical for compiling the documentation required by the Building Safety Regulator. PCSA often include fire strategy input, materials assessments, digital record-keeping (aligned with the Golden Thread of information), and support in developing the project's safety case.

A well-managed PCSA helps eliminate design risks early and ensures compliance integration between duty holders, contractors and supply chain partners from the outset. It enables the production of a Construction Control Plan, identifies potential non-compliances, and clarifies how building systems will meet relevant regulations before any construction starts.

In practical terms, the PCSA process facilitates more transparent communication among clients, designers, and contractors, ensures that CDM responsibilities are appropriately allocated, and builds confidence in Gateway approvals. Without this early-stage collaboration, projects are at a higher risk of delay or rejection at key approval points, making PCSA a vital tool in achieving safe and compliant delivery.

What's the difference between a PCSA and a Letter of Intent (LOI) in construction?

While both PCSAs and Letters of Intent (LOIs) engage contractors before the main construction contract is signed, they differ significantly in legal structure, scope, and risk protection.

A PCSA is a formal and comprehensive agreement that clearly outlines the scope of pre-construction services, responsibilities of the parties, deliverables, programme, and payment terms. It covers a broad range of early-stage tasks such as surveys, design input, risk assessments, and cost planning, typically forming part of a Two-Stage Tender process.

In contrast, a Letter of Intent is a temporary document often used to allow preliminary works (like mobilisation or early procurement) to begin while negotiating final contract terms. LOIs are usually vague in scope and can lead to misunderstandings or legal disputes if the project progresses without clear boundaries in place.

From a risk management perspective, a PCSA provides greater clarity and protection for both the client and the contractor. It formalises roles, avoids ambiguity, and enables better preparation for regulatory milestones such as the Building Safety Gateways.

How does a PCSA support early contractor involvement (ECI)?

Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) is a best practice approach in construction that brings the contractor into the project team during the early design and planning stages. A Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) is the contractual mechanism that enables this involvement, creating a formal partnership without committing to the whole construction contract.

By engaging a contractor early through PCSA, clients and design teams benefit from the contractor's practical experience, buildability insights, technical knowledge, and supply chain management expertise before finalising key design decisions. At Starfish Construction, we've built a transparent and collaborative environment, which improves programme planning, reducing cost risk, and ensuring design proposals are deliverable and compliant with relevant regulations.

ECI through PCSA is particularly valuable in façade remediation, roofing upgrades, and building envelope projects, where sequencing, access logistics, and fire safety requirements demand precise planning. We can flag risks, advise on construction methods, assist with Gateway documentation, and recommend sustainable material strategies.

Our level of collaboration enhances technical outcomes and fosters trust among project stakeholders. When the eventual contract is awarded, we'll have completed much of the groundwork, subsequently fully integrated as your project team, leading to fewer surprises, smoother delivery, and enhanced project confidence. In modern, compliance-led construction environments, ECI, facilitated through a PCSA, is essential.