About to Sign a Data Centre or AI Infrastructure Contract?
You could be locking in cost you don't need before the project even starts.
Most projects don't go wrong on site.
They go wrong before the contract is signed.
Data Centre Projects Are Different.
M&E dominates the spend
Complexity hides decisions
"Resilience" gets over-specified
Clients rely on contractor-led design
In most data centre projects, M&E accounts for the majority of total project cost.
By the time you get to site, the cost is already set. The risk is already embedded.
And changing it becomes expensive, slow, or impractical.
Why This Happens
No one is deliberately trying to overspend.
But the structure of these projects creates it:
- Designers design for certainty, not cost
- Contractors price what's given — with margin layered in
- "Future-proofing" is used to justify additional scope
- Technical detail becomes difficult to challenge
So decisions that look reasonable on paper create unnecessary cost in reality.
Where Projects Go Wrong
These patterns show up consistently.
Over-Specified Resilience
Tier requirements pushed beyond actual operational need.
Result: Duplicated systems, increased capital cost, ongoing operational burden.
Cooling Strategy Misaligned to Load
Cooling designed for theoretical peak, not real usage.
Result: Oversized plant, inefficient performance, wasted energy.
Power Provisioning Based on Assumptions
Capacity designed around future scenarios rather than confirmed demand.
Result: Infrastructure that is paid for but never fully utilised.
M&E Coordination Gaps
Interfaces between systems not properly aligned.
Result: Cost creep, variations, and performance issues later.
Contractor-Led Commercial Position
The contractor controls the narrative and assumptions.
Result: Limited challenge, reduced visibility, and decisions made without full commercial context.
The Leverage Window
The outcome of a data centre project is decided before the contract is signed.
That's the only point where:
- Design can be challenged
- Scope can be adjusted
- Cost can be reduced without disruption
After that:
You are managing consequences, not controlling them.
What OMMC Does
OMMC provides independent, client-side review before you commit.
No design. No build. No conflict of interest.
We Review
- Power strategy and capacity assumptions
- Cooling approach and system sizing
- Resilience logic and redundancy levels
- M&E scope and coordination
- Contractor pricing and commercial structure
We Identify
- Where scope exceeds actual need
- Where cost and design don't align
- Where risk is being transferred or hidden
- Where you still have leverage
We Provide
- Clear commercial position
- Defined risk exposure
- Practical options before commitment
30 Years Inside the System. Now Working Outside It.
30 years in construction and fit-out.
Experience working on projects where:
- M&E drives the majority of cost
- Complexity limits visibility
- Early decisions define the outcome
Craig Eldred, founder of OMMC, works as an independent client-side advisor reviewing high-value construction and infrastructure projects — including data centre construction and AI infrastructure builds — before contract commitment. Learn more about Craig Eldred.
This Is Not for Every Project
This is relevant if:
- You are reviewing a contractor proposal
- You are finalising design before tender
- You are committing significant capital
- You do not have independent commercial oversight
If you are already on site, you are likely past the point where this has maximum impact.
This isn't a general consultancy service.
It's a pre-commitment review at the point where decisions still matter.
Key Questions Answered
What is the biggest risk in a data centre project?
The biggest risk is locking in cost and design decisions before they are properly challenged. In data centre project cost terms, this typically happens at the pre-contract stage — before anyone has formally reviewed the commercial position.
When should a data centre project be reviewed?
Before signing a contract or finalising design — this is where the most leverage exists. A data centre build review at this stage can identify unnecessary cost before it becomes contractually committed.
Why are data centre projects often over-specified?
Because resilience, capacity, and future-proofing are often designed conservatively without being commercially challenged. AI infrastructure projects face the same pattern — technical complexity makes it easy to over-provision without scrutiny.
What does OMMC do on data centre projects?
OMMC provides independent, client-side review to identify unnecessary cost, risk, and over-specification before commitment. This is the same approach applied across commercial fit-out projects — structured, commercial, and focused on the pre-contract window.
If you are at the point of committing, this needs reviewing properly.
Send your proposal or design pack for review.
We'll tell you where you stand before you commit.
Or book a pre-contract call to walk through your position.
Most data centre projects don't fail because they were built badly.
They fail because the wrong decisions were locked in too early.
OMMC exists to challenge those decisions before they are fixed.