Before you sign a $500,000 contract, spend $750 understanding it.
A builder’s proposal is easy to read and hard to evaluate. The bottom line is the least informative number on it — the allowances, exclusions, and assumptions underneath are where the real price lives. We read those for a living. Send us the proposal; get a written second opinion before you commit.
Allowance audit, line by line. Which allowances are realistic for this market, which are lowballed, and roughly what the honest number looks like — the difference is the change-order bill you would otherwise meet mid-build.
Missing-scope check. The items proposals most often leave out — site work, utility runs, driveway, landscaping-adjacent scope, permit and tap fees — flagged if they are absent or vague.
Buffer check. Whether the price carries visible contingency and escalation protection, or whether every surprise lands on you.
Your question list. The specific questions to take back to your builder, in writing, before signing — the review pays for itself here alone.
A written report, usually within 5 business days of receiving your documents. Flat $750, payable on delivery.
Independent means independent: this is an educational document review. We do not re-price your project, we do not provide a competing bid, and we are not asking to take over your build. A good builder will not mind the questions — that is worth knowing too.
Who this is for
Anyone holding a custom-home or major-project proposal in the Lake Norman region and feeling the gap between “this looks fine” and “I know what I am signing.” It is most valuable when you are comparing two or three bids that do not line up — the cheapest bottom line is rarely the cheapest project.
Request a review
After you submit, we reply with a secure way to send the proposal documents. Prefer email? [email protected]