{
  "query": "UK construction schedule delay trends 2026 NEC contract performance benchmarks",
  "claims": [
    {
      "claim": "In the UK construction market for 2025-2026, approximately 95% of projects are delayed, with a median delay exceeding 200 days.",
      "verbatim_quote": "UK | Programme stretch | 95% delayed, median delay beyond 200 days | Price prelims for reality. Tie client dates to procurement and access, not “target” milestones. | Elecosoft, 2025",
      "source_url": "https://archdesk.com/blog/construction-delays-cost-overruns-2026",
      "relevance": "high"
    },
    {
      "claim": "NEC target cost contracts are noted for identifying performance issues earlier than fixed-price contracts by testing labour assumptions and output rates before the baseline programme is fixed.",
      "verbatim_quote": "NEC target cost (open-book pain/gain) flushes the issue out earlier. Labour assumptions and output rates get tested before the baseline programme is treated as fixed.",
      "source_url": "https://archdesk.com/blog/2026-state-of-the-uk-construction-industry",
      "relevance": "high"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Prelims allowances in winning bids for UK construction projects increased by 6% to 8% year-on-year as of late 2025, reflecting the higher cost of delays.",
      "verbatim_quote": "BCIS, late 2025: prelims allowances in winning bids up 6% to 8% YoY",
      "source_url": "https://archdesk.com/blog/2026-state-of-the-uk-construction-industry",
      "relevance": "high"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Repair and maintenance (R&M) work, which accounts for roughly 38% of UK construction output, faces margin leakage under NEC contracts due to missed notice periods for frequent small changes.",
      "verbatim_quote": "R&M generates more instructions and small changes, so you get more chances to miss notice periods under JCT or NEC contracts. That is margin leakage, not a site performance issue.",
      "source_url": "https://archdesk.com/blog/2026-state-of-the-uk-construction-industry",
      "relevance": "medium"
    },
    {
      "claim": "The UK government infrastructure pipeline as of March 2026 includes 734 planned projects representing £718 billion in investment over the next decade.",
      "verbatim_quote": "The March 2026 government infrastructure pipeline update refers to 734 planned projects and £718 billion of public and private investment over the next decade.",
      "source_url": "https://www.necplanningsolutions.co.uk/post/the-future-of-nec-contracts-in-the-uk-a-2035-projection",
      "relevance": "medium"
    }
  ],
  "market_context": "- [HIGH] In the UK construction market for 2025-2026, approximately 95% of projects are delayed, with a median delay exceeding 200 days. (source: https://archdesk.com/blog/construction-delays-cost-overruns-2026)\n- [HIGH] NEC target cost contracts are noted for identifying performance issues earlier than fixed-price contracts by testing labour assumptions and output rates before the baseline programme is fixed. (source: https://archdesk.com/blog/2026-state-of-the-uk-construction-industry)\n- [HIGH] Prelims allowances in winning bids for UK construction projects increased by 6% to 8% year-on-year as of late 2025, reflecting the higher cost of delays. (source: https://archdesk.com/blog/2026-state-of-the-uk-construction-industry)\n- [MEDIUM] Repair and maintenance (R&M) work, which accounts for roughly 38% of UK construction output, faces margin leakage under NEC contracts due to missed notice periods for frequent small changes. (source: https://archdesk.com/blog/2026-state-of-the-uk-construction-industry)\n- [MEDIUM] The UK government infrastructure pipeline as of March 2026 includes 734 planned projects representing £718 billion in investment over the next decade. (source: https://www.necplanningsolutions.co.uk/post/the-future-of-nec-contracts-in-the-uk-a-2035-projection)"
}