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Building Smarter from the Start

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At Brookbanks, we know that time and budget are often the defining factors in any project. That’s why we focus on delivering timely, value-driven outcomes through smarter design strategies.

Here are four key decisions you can make early in a project to help avoid costly delays and overruns later down the line:

1. Early Site Investigations 

Early investigations, like geotechnical surveys and ecology assessments, are essential for understanding site conditions from the start. They allow us to: 

  • Identify risks and constraints early 
  • Understand the engineering properties of the site 
  • Develop accurate, efficient designs that avoid over-engineering 

Getting this right from day one can save significant time and rework down the track. 

Two workers in safety vests and hard hats walking on a sandy construction site.

2. Early Council Engagement 

Every project will eventually need council approval. Engaging with councils early allows you to: 

  • Understand their expectations and requirements 
  • Align designs across the client, designer, and local authority 
  • Reduce delays in the review and approval process 

Many councils now offer pre-application services, which we’ve successfully used to save our clients both time and money.

Take a look at our real-world example below! 

A civil engineer working on a weir design using CAD software on a computer screen in an office setting.

3. Preliminary 3D Modelling 

A preliminary 3D model doesn’t just help visualise the final outcome, it also: 

  • Supports faster, more accurate design development 
  • Helps plan material balance and on-site logistics 
  • Informs smarter construction sequencing 

This early step brings major benefits to both design and delivery phases. 

Webinar - Value Enhancement in Civil Engineering
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4. Early Principal Contractor Engagement 

Bringing your Principal Contractor into the project early offers insight into constructability and logistics. This can: 

  • Minimise costly RFIs and redesigns later 
  • Inform site access, material storage, and build sequencing 
  • Support a smoother and more efficient construction phase 

We explored the benefits of early engagement in our recent Value Enhancement in Civil Engineering webinar.

Watch the Webinar
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Real-World Example: Saving Time Through Early Council Engagement 

We were appointed to design a future access road under a Section 278 scheme. Rather than waiting until later in the process, we created a preliminary layout early on focused on high-level design elements without overcomplicating the detail.

This allowed us to: 

  • Identify key issues which would require council input 
  • Arrange a site meeting between the council and client 
  • Present our vision and walk through the design rationale on-site 

By helping the council visualise the proposed scheme, we reached early agreement on adoption boundaries and design standards. We also aligned expectations for the formal submission process. 

Result: A fully approved detailed design, in just one submission, saving the client significant time and cost. 

Meet our Civil Engineering team

Principal Engineer

Christian McArdle

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Principal Engineer

Phillip Baker

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Group Technical Director

Richard Moorcroft

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Head of Civil Engineering

Ryan Meade

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Senior Technical Consultant

Siobhán McGlynn

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Technical Director

Siobhan Murphy

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Technical Director

Tom Mitchell

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