Open-book, by agency. Our interest aligned with yours.
Under a conventional general contract, one company signs every trade agreement and presents you a single price; whatever sits within it — margin, contingency, the cost of the work — is invisible to you. Under the agency model, you hold each trade contract directly and the practice holds none. Because we earn nothing from the trades, nothing is marked up and nothing is hidden.
The owner holds
- Each trade contract, in your own name
- Every invoice, in full and unmarked
- Final approval on selection and on cost
- The trade relationships, yours to keep
The practice holds
- Tendering, evaluation and recommendation
- Coordination of every consultant and trade
- Schedule, quality and site supervision
- Cost reporting and the control of change
Nothing is marked up. Nothing is hidden.
Ambitious houses fail in the coordination, not the building.
Incomplete drawings
Construction begins before the design is resolved; gaps are filled, expensively, on site.
Weak procurement
Trades appointed without true competition or defined scope; the budget loses its footing.
Poor coordination
Eight or more specialists work in parallel, with no one reconciling one against the next.
Schedule drift
Sequencing errors compound quietly until months have been lost.
Change escalation
Small revisions accumulate without discipline; the final cost bears little relation to the first.
Lost visibility
The owner learns of a problem late — when the options have already narrowed.
A discipline, applied to every house.
Resolved drawings
Interrogated and reconciled before tender. Questions are raised on paper, not in concrete.
Competitive procurement
Each scope tendered on a defined basis and presented on a true, like-for-like comparison.
A single coordinator
Every consultant and trade reports through one office; conflicts caught while still cheap.
A programmed schedule
A working construction programme, reissued, with the critical path identified throughout.
Governed change
No commitment of consequence without your written authorisation; the cost record reconciled continuously.
Documented throughout
Cost, correspondence and approval recorded so the project can be read — and audited — at any moment.
Construction management, in plain terms.
What is construction management?
Construction management is a transparent project-delivery method. Under the open-book agency model, you contract directly with each trade while the construction manager governs budgeting, procurement, scheduling, quality control and coordination — from the first drawings through to final completion.
Why choose construction management instead of a general contractor?
A conventional general contract presents one price with the margin, contingency and cost of the work hidden inside it. Under construction management you hold each trade contract directly and the practice takes no markup, so you keep full visibility of cost and decision-making while still benefiting from professional project management throughout.
Do you guarantee fixed pricing?
Every project is unique, so rather than rely on broad allowances we build a detailed budget from resolved drawings and competitively tendered scopes, then monitor cost continuously. You see where every dollar is committed, and nothing of consequence proceeds without your written approval.
Do you coordinate architects and engineers?
Yes. We coordinate architects, structural and mechanical engineers, interior designers, surveyors and other consultants throughout the project, so design and construction stay fully reconciled. Conflicts are caught on paper, while they are still inexpensive to resolve.
Can you manage large, complex homes?
Yes. We specialise in complex custom residences that demand extensive consultant coordination, detailed scheduling, premium finishes and advanced building systems. The flagship Wendover Estate is a 13,582 sq ft Ottawa River residence with an insulated-concrete structure, geothermal energy and an indoor aquatic room.
Who holds the trade contracts and warranties?
You do. Every trade contract is signed in your own name, and the trade relationships, warranties and tax position remain yours to keep. The practice holds none of them and earns nothing from the trades. Begin the conversation →