For “What are we founding on”, provide the exact location and current references, state the governing criterion and decision required, identify affected interfaces and irreversible work, give a genuine need date and record the answer in controlled project information.

Before acting on “What bearing capacity can we use”, confirm the controlling value and basis, datum where relevant, operating or construction condition, tolerance and margin, actual site information, adjoining interfaces and source document.

Before acting on “How deep is rock”, confirm the controlling value and basis, datum where relevant, operating or construction condition, tolerance and margin, actual site information, adjoining interfaces and source document.

Before acting on “What groundwater should we expect”, confirm the controlling value and basis, datum where relevant, operating or construction condition, tolerance and margin, actual site information, adjoining interfaces and source document.

Before acting on “Can we found higher”, confirm the current design basis and reason for the change, test effects on bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, coordinate structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, and identify work already released, approvals, testing and the smallest safe hold point.

Before acting on “Can this footing type change”, confirm the current design basis and reason for the change, test effects on bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, coordinate structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, and identify work already released, approvals, testing and the smallest safe hold point.

Before acting on “Is this fill suitable”, confirm the controlling value and basis, datum where relevant, operating or construction condition, tolerance and margin, actual site information, adjoining interfaces and source document.

Before acting on “What compaction is required”, confirm the controlling value and basis, datum where relevant, operating or construction condition, tolerance and margin, actual site information, adjoining interfaces and source document.

Before acting on “Can we reuse excavated material”, confirm the current design basis and reason for the change, test effects on bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, coordinate structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, and identify work already released, approvals, testing and the smallest safe hold point.

For “Do we need dewatering”, confirm the temporary and permanent conditions, prerequisites, sequence, access, protection, hold points and evidence before the next activity removes options.

Before acting on “Is this excavation stable”, confirm the controlling value and basis, datum where relevant, operating or construction condition, tolerance and margin, actual site information, adjoining interfaces and source document.

For “What temporary support is needed”, confirm the temporary and permanent conditions, prerequisites, sequence, access, protection, hold points and evidence before the next activity removes options.

Before acting on “Can we reduce undercut”, confirm the current design basis and reason for the change, test effects on bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, coordinate structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, and identify work already released, approvals, testing and the smallest safe hold point.

For “What should we do with soft ground”, preserve the site evidence, protect the affected work, compare the actual condition with the design basis, involve the relevant parties across structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, then obtain a controlled disposition before concealment or irreversible work.

For “Does this condition match the report”, preserve the site evidence, protect the affected work, compare the actual condition with the design basis, involve the relevant parties across structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, then obtain a controlled disposition before concealment or irreversible work.

For “Do you need to inspect the founding surface”, preserve the site evidence, protect the affected work, compare the actual condition with the design basis, involve the relevant parties across structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, then obtain a controlled disposition before concealment or irreversible work.

Before acting on “Can this retaining approach change”, confirm the current design basis and reason for the change, test effects on bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, coordinate structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, and identify work already released, approvals, testing and the smallest safe hold point.

Before acting on “What settlement should we allow for”, confirm the controlling value and basis, datum where relevant, operating or construction condition, tolerance and margin, actual site information, adjoining interfaces and source document.

Before acting on “Does rain change the recommendation”, confirm the current design basis and reason for the change, test effects on bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, coordinate structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, and identify work already released, approvals, testing and the smallest safe hold point.

To close “What is the final geotechnical response to the site condition”, identify the controlling document and responsible owner, list every design, client, statutory, contractual and evidence gate still open, then issue one position that construction and handover can rely on.

A seemingly simple request can depend on several disciplines, the client, a certifier or a specialist trade.

They can provide a view but cannot commit the client, company, regulator or another designer.

Consultants test positions privately because the interface is shared or politically sensitive.

Trust can accelerate honest coordination; history and alliances can also distort the current decision.

The apparent delay may be an unresolved design-leadership issue rather than simple inaction.

A consultant may qualify a response instead of openly contradicting a peer.

No appointment clearly owns the missing design, coordination or evidence task.

Acceptance may extend beyond available information, competence, authority or fee.

Earlier briefs, approvals and conversations may still shape the consultant response after the delivery model changes.

Commercial pressure cannot remove duties around competence, safety, compliance and records.

A genuine site need still requires adequate facts, checking and the right signatory.

The consultant may be waiting on survey, selections, another design, client direction or trade data.

Redesign, unpaid work or changed scope can appear as a technical delay.

The people producing information may not know assumptions held by project leaders.

A small design response can disrupt sequence, fabrication, access, rework and programme.

Foundation type and bearing assumptions.

Bearing capacity, fill classification.

Deep piles, barrettes or caissons add specialist plant, mobilisation, spoil, concrete, reinforcement, testing and programme constraints.

Retain bore, test-pit, sampling, laboratory, survey and groundwater data and understand the gaps between points.

A practical change may affect geotechnical engineer performance, approvals and connected design assumptions and obligations beyond the immediate trade.

For “Can we use shallow footings”, set the non negotiable performance and approval criteria first, then compare whole of project cost rather than package price alone.

Before agreeing to “Can we reduce pile depth”, confirm the original demand and margin, then test effects on bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, future flexibility and acceptance evidence.

Before agreeing to “Can we reduce number of piles”, confirm the original demand and margin, then test effects on bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, future flexibility and acceptance evidence.

For “Can we use ground improvement”, quantify what is being removed and what must replace its function elsewhere in the design or operating strategy.

For “Can we reuse site material”, test the proposal against bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, interfaces with structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, evidence and work already procured.

Before agreeing to “Can we reduce imported fill”, confirm the original demand and margin, then test effects on bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, future flexibility and acceptance evidence.

Before agreeing to “Can we reduce undercut”, confirm the original demand and margin, then test effects on bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, future flexibility and acceptance evidence.

For “Can we simplify dewatering”, remove components, geometry or labour only where bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, access, testing, maintainability and adjacent packages remain protected.

For “Can we use a different retaining system”, quantify what is being removed and what must replace its function elsewhere in the design or operating strategy.

Before agreeing to “Can we reduce rock excavation”, confirm the original demand and margin, then test effects on bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, future flexibility and acceptance evidence.

For “Can we optimise pavement subgrade treatment”, remove components, geometry or labour only where bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, access, testing, maintainability and adjacent packages remain protected.

Before agreeing to “Can we reduce temporary support”, confirm the original demand and margin, then test effects on bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, future flexibility and acceptance evidence.

For “Can we use proof rolling instead of replacement”, group genuinely equivalent requirements before standardising; do not erase differences created by function, exposure or compliance.

For “Can we alter founding levels”, quantify what is being removed and what must replace its function elsewhere in the design or operating strategy.

For “Can we accept higher settlement”, test the proposal against bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, interfaces with structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, evidence and work already procured.

For “Can we use local fill sources”, set the non negotiable performance and approval criteria first, then compare whole of project cost rather than package price alone.

For “Can we simplify testing frequency”, remove components, geometry or labour only where bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, access, testing, maintainability and adjacent packages remain protected.

For “Can we stage excavation differently”, group genuinely equivalent requirements before standardising; do not erase differences created by function, exposure or compliance.

Before accepting “Can we use contractor alternative foundation methods”, compare bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, evidence, compatibility, warranty, lead time, commissioning and approval status before calling it equivalent.

Before agreeing to “What geotechnical change removes the most excavation cost”, confirm the original demand and margin, then test effects on bearing and settlement, excavation stability, groundwater behaviour, earthworks and compaction, structure and foundations, civil earthworks and retaining, environmental and spoil, temporary works, future flexibility and acceptance evidence.