Design & Preconstruction
Feasibility, Estimating & Budgeting
Feasibility studies, estimating, budgeting and value engineering that tell you what a project will realistically cost before you commit to it.
Overview
Before design is finished – sometimes before it starts – most owners need to know whether a project makes sense. Feasibility and budgeting answers that question: what can be built on this site or in this space, what it is likely to cost, and which decisions move that cost the most.
We build budgets from quantities and scopes, not from a single rate applied to the whole building. Early budgets are organized by division – site work, foundations, structure, envelope, systems, finishes – so you can see where the money goes and how each assumption affects the total. As the design develops, the budget is refined into a detailed estimate with trade-partner pricing.
Value engineering is part of the process, not a cutting exercise at the end. It means finding ways to deliver the same function and design intent for less, or deciding deliberately where extra spending is worth it.
Who it’s for
- Buyers evaluating a lot or a property before purchase who want to understand what it would take to build or renovate
- Owners with a concept who need a realistic budget before investing in full design
- Owners with completed plans who want an independent, itemized estimate
- Business owners comparing locations or build-out options for a new space
- Projects where the design is over budget and options need to be found
What’s included
Typically included
- Review of the site, existing structure or space and any available drawings, surveys and reports
- Identification of known constraints: zoning, setbacks, flood zone, HOA rules, utilities and access
- A conceptual budget organized by construction division with stated assumptions
- Detailed estimates from drawings, with quantity takeoffs and trade-partner pricing
- Allowances and contingency shown separately and explained
- Value-engineering options with the cost effect and the trade-off of each
- Budget updates at defined design milestones
- A list of risks and unknowns that could change the cost, such as soil conditions or hidden damage
Common exclusions
- Surveys, soil testing and engineering studies needed to resolve unknowns, coordinated as separate scopes
- Appraisals, financing analysis or investment advice
- Legal review of zoning, title or deed restrictions
- Design fees for drawings produced to support the estimate
Every proposal lists its own inclusions and exclusions in writing.
Materials, design options & upgrades
How pricing works
Feasibility and estimating work is priced per project. The scope depends on how much information exists – a lot with no design needs a different study than a full set of permit drawings – and on how many estimate updates you want as the design develops.
When you go on to build with us, preconstruction work is typically folded into the project rather than treated as a separate cost on top; the exact arrangement is set out in the proposal.
What changes the cost
- Project size and type: residential, commercial, new construction or renovation
- How developed the design is when estimating starts
- Number of budget updates and value-engineering rounds
- Site or building unknowns that need investigation before pricing
- Number of alternatives or locations being compared
- Whether trade-partner bids are required at each stage
If this work is part of a larger project, it’s priced within that project’s budget — please don’t add separate estimates together. Read the pricing guide.
Typical stages
Information gathering
We collect what exists – surveys, drawings, photos, HOA documents, utility information – and visit the site or space.
Constraints review
Known limits on the project are listed, with items that need professional investigation identified.
Conceptual budget
A budget by division is prepared with clear assumptions, allowances and contingency.
Design-stage estimates
As drawings develop, quantities are taken off and trade partners price defined scopes.
Value engineering
Where the estimate exceeds the target, options are presented with their cost effect and trade-offs.
Final estimate
The estimate is reconciled with the permit drawings and becomes the basis for the construction proposal.
What affects the schedule
- Availability of surveys, drawings and existing-condition information
- Speed of trade-partner pricing, particularly for specialty systems
- Whether investigations such as soil borings are needed before a budget can be meaningful
- Number of design iterations and budget updates requested
Questions & answers
Can you tell me what my project will cost per square foot?
Square-foot figures can be misleading because site work, foundations, systems and finishes vary so much between projects. We prefer a division-by-division budget that shows what is driving the cost, then refine it as the design develops.
What is the difference between a budget and an estimate?
A budget is set early from limited information and includes broader allowances and contingency. An estimate is built from drawings and quantities with trade-partner pricing, and becomes more precise as the design is completed.
Does value engineering mean lower quality?
It should not. Good value engineering looks for the same performance and design intent at lower cost – a simpler structural layout, a different but equivalent product – and shows you the trade-off before anything changes.
Can you price plans that another builder has already bid?
Yes. We estimate from the drawings and specifications as they are, and we note any scope gaps or assumptions so you can compare proposals on the same basis.
Start here
Planning feasibility, estimating & budgeting?
A short form — three steps, a few minutes. Share plans or photos if you have them. We’ll review it and follow up using the contact details you provide.