It’s easy to overlook the importance of formwork during a construction project, but it can have a significant impact on how the project runs. Get it right the first time of asking, and you’ll be setting yourself up for success. Get it wrong, and you might find that you have to deal with expensive repair work at best, structural failure at worst.

Demand for formwork contractors is particularly high at the moment, especially in areas with a booming commercial building construction market, but that’s always led to an increase in the number of contractors available — and not all are created equal. Knowing what to look for is therefore essential when making a decision.

In this content, we’ll run through some of the key things to focus on when assessing your options. If the contractor ticks every one of these boxes, then they’ll likely be the right team for the job.

Tier-1 Expertise

Tier-1 expertise is a trust signal that demonstrates that the contractor has worked on large, complex construction projects. These teams are the best of the best, and it shows that, however complex your job is, they will almost certainly have the solution.

Tier-1 expertise is often accompanied by a long, proven record of excellence. The best formwork companies will have decades’ worth of combined experience on their team, which can give peace of mind that they’ve seen — and handled — virtually every issue imaginable. On their website, you should see detailed information about the projects that they’ve worked on. 

Breadth of Work

The breadth of the type of projects the formwork company has worked on can also tell you a lot. The best ones have successfully completed projects across residential, commercial, and high-rise construction projects, among others. This serves as a trust signal because it shows that they’re adaptable and they tackle each project individually, rather than just replicating the same process. 

High Safety Focus

It’s vital that whichever formwork contractor you choose has a high safety focus, and the reason for that is because any issues with formwork can lead to serious safety incidents. The best companies make sure to follow the highest industry standards, every single time. This not only gives you confidence that the job will be safe, but that it’ll be completed at the first time of asking. As anyone who has experienced formwork failure will tell you, it’s usually one of the most challenging and expensive mistakes to undo. 

Relationship Emphasis

This aspect is often overlooked, but it can be worth checking that you’re choosing a formwork contractor that prioritizes building relationships, not just serving as a vendor. It’s underrated because construction projects can be long and complicated, and it’s always best to be working with a company that you see as a partner in the project. Of course, it’s not just about relationships, but what the company can reasonably manage. If they provide all the work from concept to completion, then you’ll know that you’re working with a company that can actually deliver what you need.