Frequently Asked Questions
What is an EPC contract, and how does it benefit my project?
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An Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) contract is a turnkey delivery model where a single contractor is accountable for design, procurement of materials/equipment, and construction through to handover. Benefits include single-point responsibility, clearer risk allocation, predictable costs (often via lump-sum turnkey / LSTK), and stronger schedule certainty. For owners in the UAE, KSA, and wider GCC, this reduces interface risk between designers, vendors, and builders. Stonehaven’s EPC supervision (acting as Owner’s Representative) adds governance, independent QA/QC, and programme oversight to keep scope, cost, and time aligned with your business case.
How does EPC handle design changes during a project?
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Because EPC is typically lump-sum with fixed deliverables, scope changes can affect price and schedule. Experienced EPC contractors mitigate this by front-loading design development, conducting value engineering, and locking critical requirements before long-lead procurement. Stonehaven enforces a disciplined change control process: impact assessments, updated cost & programme, risk register entries, and client approvals before instruction. This keeps variations transparent and prevents design adjustments from cascading into delays or claims.
How does hiring an EPC supervisor like Stonehaven reduce project risk?
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EPC contracts transfer key risks (cost overruns, delays, performance shortfalls) to the contractor; however, owners still face strategic risks around scope clarity, compliance, and asset performance. Stonehaven reduces these by providing independent supervision: requirements traceability, technical submittal reviews, factory acceptance tests (FAT), site inspections, and HSE oversight aligned with ISO 9001/14001/45001. We monitor critical path, long-lead procurement, cash flow, and quality benchmarks to surface issues early—protecting budget, schedule, and operability at handover.
How do EPC contractors ensure that the project stays on schedule?
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EPC integrates engineering, procurement, and construction under one programme so design deliverables, vendor awards, and site works are sequenced without handoff gaps. Contractors are incentivised to meet milestones through liquidated damages and performance guarantees. Stonehaven strengthens schedule control with front-end planning, realistic baselines, look-ahead schedules, early warning notices, and interface management across civil, structural, architectural, and MEP systems. We coordinate recovery plans when risks emerge—expediting approvals, re-sequencing works, or unlocking parallel activities to maintain the critical path.
Which type of projects are best suited for EPC contracts?
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EPC is ideal for large, complex assets with strict performance and time requirements—industrial plants, logistics hubs, data centres, utilities, renewables, transport infrastructure, and multi-use developments. Owners gain single-point accountability and performance guarantees, while meeting regulatory and authority approvals in the UAE, KSA, and wider GCC. Stonehaven supports these programmes as EPC Supervisor / Owner’s Engineer—aligning specifications, verifying commissioning, and assuring quality so the facility meets throughput, efficiency, and compliance targets from day one.