Every Brott Development Group engagement follows the same disciplined sequence — from plan review to final reporting. The work below is an anonymized example of what a recent Pacific Northwest custom home looked like at the end of phase one.
We comb every page of the architectural, structural, geotechnical, performance, and interior design drawings. Each scope item is marked, each assumption logged, and a structured list of questions is produced for the next meeting. Nothing enters the budget that hasn't first been seen and documented.
Held early in the design process, this exercise eliminates assumptions. Architect-directed and client-directed finishes are recorded line by line. Decisions made here protect the architect's design intent before the budget gets near a value-engineering knife.
| Division | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape plan | Available? | In progress |
| 3D SketchUp model | Available? | Architect to send |
| Structural drawings | Available? | Not yet, ETA tbc |
| Geotech report | Available? | Not yet, ETA tbc |
| Civil drawings | Available? | Confirmed |
| Site survey | Complete? | Confirmed |
| Envelope engineer | Engaged? | Architect to send |
| Wildfire consultant | Required? | Confirmed |
| Mechanical engineer | Engaged? | In progress |
| Electrical engineer | Engaged? | Confirmed |
| Acoustic consultant | Required? | Not required |
| Lighting designer | Engaged? | Architect to send |
| Window package | Specified? | In progress |
| Cabinetry allowance | Set? | Owner to confirm |
| Appliance package | Specified? | Owner to confirm |
| Stone & tile selections | Made? | In progress |
| Pool / spa | Included? | Confirmed |
| Demolition | Required? | Confirmed |
| Driveway finish | Specified? | Not yet, ETA tbc |
| Site retaining | Engineered? | In progress |
All areas, quantities, and linear takeoffs are marked directly on the drawings and used to populate the budget. The same takeoffs are deliverable in digital format for direct use in request-for-quote packages with trades.
The detailed budget is walked through line by line with the architect, builder, and owner. Value-engineering candidates are identified and priced — not as cuts, but as informed decisions. Stakeholders approve, defer, or reject each one with the cost impact visible.
| Executive summary | As-designed | VE budget |
|---|---|---|
| Category subtotal | $7,250,000 | $6,512,689 |
| Contingency (10%) | $725,000 | $651,269 |
| Contractor fee (10%) | $797,500 | $716,396 |
| Subtotal | $8,772,500 | $7,880,353 |
| GST (5%) | $438,625 | $394,018 |
| Grand total | $9,211,125 | $8,274,371 |
From the moment the issue-for-pricing drawings are released, we run the tendering process across all trade scopes. The objective: lock seventy-five percent of the budget at fixed price before construction starts.
| Scope | Budget | Trade A | Trade B | Trade C | Trade D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foyer & entry | $4,200 | $3,840 | $4,210 | $5,375 | $4,090 |
| Powder room | $2,100 | $1,920 | $2,180 | $2,640 | $2,015 |
| Mudroom & laundry | $5,500 | $5,260 | $5,840 | $7,120 | $5,395 |
| Primary ensuite | $13,000 | $12,475 | $13,290 | $17,840 | $12,995 |
| Family bath | $8,000 | $7,640 | $8,275 | $10,490 | $7,855 |
| Outdoor terrace | $14,200 | $13,715 | $14,980 | $20,320 | $14,250 |
| Total | $47,000 | $44,850 | $48,775 | $63,785 | $46,600 |
Throughout construction, a single-page summary on cost and schedule is delivered on a defined cadence, backed by the supporting detail. Owners stay in the driver's seat. Builders stay focused on the build. Architects stay focused on design.
| Executive summary | Value |
|---|---|
| Approved construction budget | $3,975,420 |
| Total change request value | $812,640 |
| Forecasted contingency usage beyond fund | $0 |
| Forecasted contingency as % of budget | 0% |
| Current budget expectation | $4,788,060 |
| Forecasted budget expectation | $4,712,335 |
| Costs to date | $3,234,890 |
| Costs to come | $1,477,445 |
| Percentage complete | 68% |
| Percentage remaining | 32% |
| Total contingency | $186,520 |
| Contingency used to date | $84,170 |
| Contingency used (% of contingency) | 45.1% |
| Forecasted contingency usage | $96,840 |
| Forecasted contingency usage (% of contingency) | 51.9% |
| Forecasted contingency remaining | $89,680 |
We are happy to discuss your project further.