Notes on contractor-side commercial and claims work.
Ashforte's writing is deliberately practical — patterns observed across live projects, not abstract commentary. Each article is written for contractor-side commercial and claims practitioners: what we've seen work, what we've seen fail, and what we've seen matter more or less than most contractors assume.
Written for people running live commercial pressure.
Notice regimes, delay analysis, concurrent delay, variation classification, portfolio commercial economics. The topics that come up on live projects — treated with the depth they deserve.
Notice discipline under FIDIC — what actually determines whether entitlement survives
Every FIDIC-based contractor claims practitioner will tell you notice discipline matters. Fewer will tell you precisely which elements of notice discipline determine whether entitlement survives an Employer's Representative rejection or DAB scrutiny. This is what we've seen across live projects.
When to convert a variation into a claim — and when to leave it as a variation
Not every variation becomes a claim. Not every claim starts as a variation. The distinction matters commercially — and is often confused in practice. This article sets out how experienced contractor-side commercial teams treat the decision.
The economics of shared commercial capability for mid-sized contractors
Why the maths favours pooled senior oversight over per-project hires — and how mid-sized contractors typically discover it. A structural analysis of contractor advisory economics.
Concurrent delay — what actually happens in practice
Concurrent delay is one of the most contested areas of contractor-side claims work. Legal principles vary by jurisdiction. What actually determines outcomes is often not the legal principle but the record base and the analytical discipline applied. Here's what we see in practice.
Initial Commercial Risk Assessment
By invitation, Ashforte provides qualified contractors with an initial commercial risk assessment on one live project. A structured senior review of contract, claims and commercial-control exposure, delivered as a documented briefing with a 30-day action plan. Qualification is determined in the first conversation.
A structured review of one live project — offered by invitation, at no cost, to qualified contractors.
Request an initial assessment- 01Review of selected project documents (contract, correspondence, variations, programme)
- 02Identification of key contract and commercial risk exposures
- 03Short maturity assessment across notices, variations, claims and payment controls
- 04A practical 30-day action plan
- 05Findings call with the project or commercial lead
- Contractors with active commercial pressure on a live project
- Variation or claims exposure requiring senior review
- Payment or certification issues affecting cash
- Stretched commercial teams needing external senior view
- Final account or close-out situations