Independent pre-construction review

We find what your GC
will price before
they price it.

DesignGuard™ (patent pending) is an independent pre-construction document review service — exclusively for project owners. We review your drawings and specifications before bid, identifying coordination conflicts, specification gaps, and contract exposures that become change orders.

Protect your project budget See how it works
$150K–
$400K in change order risk identified on a typical $5M project
10
business days from document receipt to written report
0.22%
of construction cost — DesignGuard™ (patent pending) fee on a $5M project
The problem

Your GC finds gaps in your documents.
Then they price them.

Every set of construction documents has coordination conflicts, specification gaps, and contract exposures. When your GC finds them — and they will — they become change orders. The question is whether you find them first.

The change order problem
A coordination conflict between structural and MEP systems costs $2,000 to resolve at design stage. The same conflict found in the field — after framing, after mechanical rough-in — costs $15,000 to $75,000. The math is not subtle.
The pre-bid window
There is a window between when your documents are complete and when your GC prices them. Inside that window, every conflict is fixable at design cost — a call, a revised detail, a clarifying specification. Once bids are in, the leverage shifts entirely to the contractor.
"In the current market, a GC who bids your project today can legitimately claim material escalation on steel, aluminum, and MEP equipment within 60 days. We identify the contract gaps that make those claims stick — before you sign."
65%
of contractors reported at least one project delayed or cancelled in 2026 — owners who moved forward need every dollar protected
How it works

Three steps.
Ten business days.

DesignGuard™ (patent pending) is designed to fit inside your pre-bid schedule without disrupting your design team or your timeline.

01
Share your document set
You share your current construction documents — drawings, specifications, and any owner-contractor agreement — via a secure link. We confirm scope and begin intake the same day. No disruption to your design team.
02
We review — independently
An experienced construction professional reviews your complete document set through the DesignGuard™ (patent pending) three-lens process — examining coordination conflicts, specification gaps, and owner risk exposures including 2026 material escalation vulnerabilities. Every Critical and Significant finding is independently verified before your report is issued. We work exclusively for you.
03
You receive a written report
Within 10 business days, you receive a prioritized written finding report — every issue rated by severity, consequence described, and resolution recommended. Take it to your design team before bid. They fix it at design cost, not change order cost.
Your deliverable
Written finding report
Every finding rated Critical, Significant, or Minor. Sheet references. Cost exposure estimates. Specific resolution recommendations.
Your protection
Owner-side only
We work exclusively for project owners — never for architects, contractors, or construction managers. No conflict of interest.
Your timeline
10 business days
Designed to fit inside your pre-bid schedule. We can begin intake the same day you share documents.
The math

Design-stage cost vs.
change order cost.

The same issue costs a fraction of the price to resolve before construction begins. DesignGuard™ (patent pending) finds these issues while they are still cheap to fix.

Finding type Change order if unresolved Fix at design stage
MEP vs. ceiling height conflict$15K–$100K~$2K–$5K
Curtain wall rough opening conflict$25K–$150K~$2K–$8K
Specification section missing for drawn work10%–20% of scope cost~$1K–$4K
Missing price escalation clause2%–5% of contract value~$1K–$3K
ADA non-compliance — path of travel$25K–$200K~$3K–$15K
Structural vs. architectural conflict$25K–$300K~$2K–$10K
DesignGuard™ (patent pending) fee
$15,000
flat fee · $2M–$5M construction value
Complete three-area review — coordination, constructability, and owner risk
Written finding report with cost exposure estimates on every finding
2026 material escalation risk review included — stale allowances, missing escalation clauses, petroleum-derived specs
Delivery within 10 business days of document receipt
$5M–$10M: $20,000–$25,000  ·  $10M–$20M: $28,000–$35,000  ·  $20M+: contact us to scope.
Who engages DesignGuard™ (patent pending)

Anyone who controls
the construction budget.

If change orders land on you, DesignGuard™ (patent pending) is designed for you.

Owner · Developer
Commercial owner-developer
You control 1–10 commercial projects per year. $2M–$25M construction value. You've had change order problems before and you're not having them again. DesignGuard™ (patent pending) is the protection layer your architect doesn't provide — because they work for both of you.
Institutional
Institutional owner
Healthcare, higher education, government, nonprofits. Fixed budgets with no tolerance for cost overruns. Projects that are moving forward in 2026 despite a volatile materials market. Every dollar of change order exposure identified before bid is a dollar that stays in your project.
Owner's Rep
Owner's representative
You manage projects on behalf of owners. When you recommend DesignGuard™ (patent pending) and we identify $200K in change order risk before bid — you're the hero. When the change orders come and you didn't recommend an independent review — you're explaining why. We make you look thorough.

Ready to protect
your project budget?

The most valuable time to engage DesignGuard™ (patent pending) is 4–8 weeks before your bid date — while the documents are complete but the GC hasn't priced them yet. That is the window.

Or reach out directly — we typically respond within one business day.

kim@caerisdesignadvisory.com 303.917.9864