What are Early Works in Construction?

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Early works in construction refer to the initial activities carried out on a project site before the main construction phase begins.

These works prepare the site and create the conditions needed for full-scale construction to start smoothly and safely. They’re also sometimes called enabling works. Common examples of early works include:

Site Clearance or Site Preparation

Site preparation usually starts with removing trees, bushes, grass, and weeds. If the area is home to native plants or animals, there might be rules about what can be cleared. In that case, permits or environmental checks might be needed. Next, any old structures—like sheds, fences, footpaths, or leftover concrete—are taken down and removed. This can even include underground foundations.

Then comes the clean-up. Any rubbish, leftover building materials, or hazardous waste is cleared away and disposed of safely. This helps keep workers safe and ensures the site is ready for the next stage. Lastly, workers may remove the top layer of soil if it’s not suitable for building. Sometimes it’s stored to be reused later for things like landscaping.

Demolition

Demolition isn’t just about tearing things down—it’s a careful, step-by-step process. Before any walls come down, structural engineers take a close look at the building to understand what it’s made of, how it’s supported, and how best to safely bring it down.

Next up: permits. You’ll need approval from local councils or planning authorities before starting, to make sure everything follows safety rules and environmental guidelines.

Then, it’s time to disconnect utilities—like power, gas, water, and internet. This is crucial to avoid accidents during the demolition.

In older buildings, there’s also a chance of hazardous materials—things like asbestos, lead paint, or mould. These have to be carefully removed by licensed experts before anything else can happen.

Once the site is safe and ready, the actual demolition begins. There are a few different ways to do this:

  • Manual demolition: Done by hand, often for smaller or more delicate jobs.
  • Mechanical demolition: Uses big machines like excavators or bulldozers to take down large structures.
  • Controlled demolition: Think explosions—used to bring down big buildings in a precise, planned way.

After demolition, the job isn’t over. Crews sort through the rubble, separating out materials like metal, concrete, and timber for recycling or proper disposal. This keeps waste down and helps the environment (and often the budget).

Utility relocations

Before construction can properly begin on a new project, one of the first steps often involves relocating existing utilities. These can include anything from water and gas lines to power cables and telecommunications infrastructure.

It’s not uncommon for construction crews to dig into unexpected pipes or cables, which can halt work entirely until the issue is resolved. That’s why taking the time to investigate and move services before construction starts is a smart move. It also clears the way for heavy machinery and large teams who need space to work efficiently.

Sometimes temporary service connections are needed to make sure residents or businesses aren’t affected while the permanent infrastructure is being moved. New pipes or cables are then installed in a safer, more accessible area, and once they’re up and running, the old lines are either removed or deactivated.

Example: Early Works – North East Link

Geotechnical investigations

Geotechnical investigations are a crucial part of early works in any construction project. Before any heavy machinery moves in or foundations are poured, engineers need to understand what’s happening beneath the surface. This process involves drilling into the ground, collecting soil and rock samples, and analysing their composition, strength, and stability.

The goal is to find out whether the ground can support the proposed structure and what type of foundation will be needed. It also helps identify any potential issues—like soft soils, groundwater, or contamination—that could lead to delays or added costs later on.

Environmental assessments and remediation

Environmental assessment and remediation usually involves testing the soil, groundwater, and air for contamination, especially if the land was previously used for industrial purposes. If pollutants are found, a remediation plan is put in place to clean up the site and make it safe for construction. This could involve removing contaminated soil, treating groundwater, or safely containing hazardous materials.

Environmental assessments also help identify protected ecosystems, wildlife habitats, or heritage sites that need to be preserved.

Example: Early Works – Melbourne Airport Rail

Earthworks

This process includes cutting (removing earth), filling (adding earth), compacting soil, and grading the site to achieve the correct levels and stability for construction. In large-scale infrastructure projects, earthworks also involve building embankments, excavating for drainage, and preparing haul roads for construction vehicles.

The first stage, excavation, involves removing soil, rock, or other materials to reach the required depth or level. This may include stripping topsoil, digging trenches for foundations or utilities, or even breaking through rock layers.

Next comes filling, where excavated or imported material is placed back into areas that need to be raised or levelled. This might be necessary for building embankments, creating platforms for structures, or ensuring correct drainage.

The third stage is compaction, which is crucial to ensure the fill material is stable and can support heavy loads. Specialised equipment is used to compress the soil or rock layers, eliminating air pockets and increasing density. Proper compaction prevents future ground movement, which is especially important in infrastructure projects expected to carry constant traffic or heavy machinery.

The final stage, grading, ensures the site has the correct slope and shape for construction. This includes creating a level surface or designing gradients for proper water runoff. In road and rail projects, grading is essential for safety, durability, and ensuring long-term performance.

Temporary access roads and fencing

Construction of temporary roads may be required to ensure construction vehicles, equipment, and workers can safely and efficiently reach different areas of the site. These roads are usually made from compacted gravel or other stable materials that can handle the weight and frequency of heavy machinery, even in poor weather conditions.

Fencing plays an important role in keeping a construction site safe and organised. It marks out where the work is happening, helps keep people who shouldn’t be there out, and protects both the workers and the public. It also helps stop dust and debris from spreading too far, and in areas where the environment is sensitive, it can help protect nearby land and wildlife.

Early Contractor Involvment – ECI

Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) is a project delivery method used mainly in large-scale infrastructure and construction projects where a contractor is engaged early in the planning and design phase—before the final design or scope is locked in.

ECI is commonly used in major infrastructure projects across Australia and New Zealand, including transport upgrades, tunnels, bridges, highways, water treatment plants, and rail developments. Projects like Sydney Metro, Cross River Rail in Brisbane, and various water infrastructure developments in regional NZ have all benefited from early contractor involvement.

An early contractor can contribute valuable input into construction methods, materials, risk mitigation, sequencing, and budgeting and can help identify and solve problems before they become costly.

In Auckland, New Zealand, an Early Contractor Involvement process on the downtown infrastructure redevelopment program enabled robust, iterative design improvements – resulting in savings of over NZ$30 million across the programme through value engineering without compromising the project’s goals​ (source: downergroup.co.nz ).

In sectors like transport, utilities, and energy, where projects are complex and public expectations are high, ECI provides a way to de-risk projects and drive innovation without sacrificing competitive tension or accountability.

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