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Answers from 20+ years of real commercial project data. Your Owner's Rep, on call.
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📎 survey.pdf
Built on real project data
We add new project data every month, so these numbers keep growing.
The #1 cause of change costs? Owner changes.
of change-event dollars in our project data were driven by owner-initiated changes
In our project data, owner-initiated changes drove 52% of change-event dollars—more than design gaps or surprises in the field. Most of that is preventable when you lock decisions early.
Lock in a clear vision, pick finishes and equipment before construction, confirm the budget, and bring a builder in early (GC early involvement). This bot helps you spot and lock those decisions before they turn into change orders.
Your architect draws what you want. But no one prices it until bids come back, and by then, changes are expensive. A builder with current market pricing, involved early, keeps design and budget moving together.
Change costs and delays usually come from poor program management—not managing scope, budget, and schedule as one plan.
Ask how to avoid owner change ordersThe problem with early planning (Phase 1)
Most owners don't lose money on the build. They lose it before the build, trying to find out whether the project works.
Too many hands in the pot
Broker, lender, architect, engineers, consultants, contractors, city staff. Each sees one piece, and nobody owns the whole picture for you.
Cash and time just to learn if it works
Owners pay for design before they know the building fits, the parking works, or an easement nobody checked kills the plan.
Permitting takes longer than planned
In our experience in our local market, permitting often runs 4 to 6 months. Schedules and loans that assume less get squeezed.
Bid, cut cost, then wait (value engineering)
Design it, bid it, find out it's over budget, then redesign. That loop costs months. Early cost input and clear priorities help avoid it.
Why not just ask a general AI?
Honestly, a general AI chatbot gives decent textbook answers. It can explain what an easement is or list questions to ask an architect. Where it falls short is the part that costs you money: local numbers, local permitting, and judgment from building real jobs.
| General AI chatbot | Chief Construction Agent |
|---|---|
| National averagesCost and schedule figures pulled from the internet, with no telling where, when, or what scope they came from. | Local cost and schedule rangesBuilt on 20+ years of commercial construction experience and hundreds of actual commercial bids across Florida. |
| Textbook answersWhat the books say should happen. | A builder's judgmentFrom pricing and building real jobs, like switching from bar joist to hollowcore plank to finish months sooner. |
| Generic permitting guessesOne-size-fits-all timelines that don't know your county. | Real local permitting experienceThe founder's experience permitting projects across Florida counties. |
| Confident guesses, nobody accountableIf the answer is wrong, there's no one behind it. | Accountable, written adviceAdvice is grounded in real commercial-building experience, and the written Feasibility Review is a fixed-scope deliverable you can take to your team. |
Your project gets a builder's judgment, not a generic guess.
How it works
An on-call advisor that answers in writing, any time.
Type your issue
Describe the project or the problem in plain English: a site you're looking at, a proposal you don't understand, a budget that feels light.
Upload a photo or plan (Plus)
On Plus, attach photos and plan sheets for more specific answers. Everyone gets one free upload to try it. Typed questions work on Basic.
Get expert answers, no meetings
You get the bottom line, why it matters, what to check next, who should confirm it, and the questions to ask, all in writing.
What we help with: early planning (Phase 1 feasibility)
The questions to answer before you commit to full design.
- Does the building fit the siteBuilding, parking, stormwater, and fire access on the buildable area.
- Is your use allowed (zoning)Approvals, hearings, and entitlement steps if needed.
- ParkingRequired counts, accessible and loading spaces, and tenant or lender expectations.
- Rights across the land (easements & title)What's recorded against the property, and does any of it run under your building?
- UtilitiesAvailability, capacity, distance to connection, and fees.
- Soils & site history (geotech & environmental)Soils, groundwater, Phase I environmental check, wetlands, and demolition hazards.
- Access & setbacksDriveways, road authority, traffic studies, buffers, and height limits.
- Approval path (permitting)Which agencies, in what order, and a realistic timeline.
- ScheduleThe date that drives the project, long-lead items, and loan or funding deadlines.
- Who to hire, and whenWho to bring on now vs. later, and one clear lead on your side.
- Picking an architectA clear early-planning (Phase 1) scope, and how to keep them driving.
- How you hire the builder & budgetCommon delivery methods (design-bid-build, CM at risk / CMAR, design-build), plus the costs owners forget.
Four rules every owner should answer
Four plain questions the advice is built on.
Do you understand your vision?
"Markets change fast. A local builder (GC) helps you pick the right construction method for today's market, not last year's. On one project we switched from steel bar joist to hollowcore plank. It cost more, but we finished months sooner and saved on job overhead (general conditions) and fee."
Is your financing in place, or are you ready to put it in place?
"Stalled financing or equity partners cause massive delays. Have the money lined up, or a clear path to it, before the clock starts."
What do you expect for occupancy?
"Design and permitting can take as long as construction. Permitting alone can take 4 to 6 months. Work back from your move-in date and be honest about it."
Bring a builder in early (GC early involvement).
"Bid it to 4 or 5 builders (GCs), come in over budget, then cut scope with the low bidder (value engineering)? That stalls approvals and delays completion. Bring a builder in early so design and budget move together."
Built on 20+ years of building
Chief Construction Agent is built on 20+ years of commercial construction experience across government and private projects across Florida.
That experience covers hundreds of commercial bids across a wide range of project types. That's where the questions in this tool come from: the ones owners wish someone had asked them sooner.
- A degree in building construction management from a top-ranked program
- Florida certified general contractor for 20+ years
- 20+ years on public and private commercial projects
- Active in community and foundation leadership
What we won't claim
We won't inflate project counts, quote invented statistics, or pretend an AI can replace your architect, engineer, or attorney. The bot gives practical advice and tells you which licensed professional should confirm what. When it doesn't know something about your jurisdiction, it says so.
Simple pricing
A traditional owner's rep is often priced as a percentage of construction cost. This is a flat fee for answers when you need them. Your first question is free. Try one free photo or plan upload. No card required. Cancel anytime.
Basic
- Typed questions only
- Unlimited questions (fair use)
- One free photo or plan-sheet upload to try Plus
- Plain-language answers from 20+ years of commercial experience
Plus
- Everything in Basic
- Upload photos and plan sheets for more specific answers
- Try one free photo or plan upload
- General guidance on what you upload (not a full plan review)
Custom review
- Contract documents, drawings, or a specific issue reviewed
- Written issues list and recommended next steps
- Fixed scope, quoted separately — not part of Basic or Plus
Free: "Will my project work?" checklist
A printable early-planning (Phase 1) checklist: vision, financing, site fit, zoning, parking, easements, utilities, environmental, approval timeline, team, and the budget items owners forget.
Frequently asked questions
Does this replace a traditional owner's rep?
On a large project, probably not entirely. It's built for the early, expensive, confusing stage: figuring out whether the project is viable, what to check, who to hire, and what your budget is missing. Many owners use it to decide when and where they need human help.
Is it a licensed architect, engineer, or attorney?
No. It gives practical construction and project advice, not legal advice, engineering judgment, or licensed design sign-off. When a question needs a licensed professional, it tells you which one and what to ask them.
Will it tell me how much my project costs?
It won't make up a number. It works toward a defensible budget by asking the right questions and walking you through every cost category, including soft costs, contingency, FF&E, and financing. Then it tells you how to get a real estimate.
What can I upload?
Plus ($199/month) lets you upload photos and plan sheets for more specific answers. Everyone gets one free photo or plan-sheet upload to try it, including on Basic. Uploads get general guidance only—not a full plan or contract review. For a quoted custom review of contract documents, drawings, or a specific issue, ask for that separate service.
Will there be meetings or calls?
No. Everything happens in writing, on your schedule. A quoted custom review is also delivered in writing.
Does it work for public and government projects?
Yes. It asks early whether you're a public or private owner, because procurement rules, delivery-method options, and approvals differ. Your agency's counsel and procurement office have the final word.
Is my information kept confidential?
Your documents are used to answer your questions and aren't shared with other users. [Final data-handling terms pending platform selection and attorney review.]
Can I cancel?
Yes. Basic and Plus can be canceled anytime. [Refund terms pending.]
Independence
This service is independent and never recommends or steers work to any contractor. It gives balanced pros and cons for every delivery method and contractor-selection approach so you can choose what fits your project.
Disclaimer
Chief Construction Agent offers advice based on our experience building commercial projects in Florida. It answers specific questions. It does not review your full project, assess its overall risk, or replace your architect, engineer, attorney, or lender. Nothing here is legal, engineering, financial, or design advice, and no professional relationship is formed by using this service. Codes, permitting, and costs vary by location, so guidance outside Florida may not apply. Cost and schedule figures are typical ranges, not quotes or guarantees, and you are responsible for verifying them with licensed professionals before acting. This service is independent and never recommends or steers work to any contractor.
Need more than answers?
If you want your contract documents, drawings, or a specific issue reviewed, send a request and we'll quote that as a separate service.