Everything we get asked

The Day-Zero Diagnostic is $2,500 flat, regardless of project size. Owner Representation is 2–4% of total project value, with the $2,500 Diagnostic fee credited toward the first month if you continue into Owner Rep. The four free tools (CostWut, PermitWut, RiskWut, WattsWut) are free forever. Full engagement detail at /services.

Sixteen written deliverables across three phases over 6–10 weeks — including a market-tested budget range, a code & regulation trigger map, a site constraint analysis, a vendor strategy, a conflict-of-interest watchlist, and a 30-day action plan. Full breakdown at /process.

Yes. If you’re not satisfied with the Day-Zero Diagnostic phase (Weeks 1–2), we refund the engagement fee. The guarantee applies to the Diagnostic specifically — not to subsequent phases or Owner Representation.

2–4% of total project value, billed monthly through construction. For a $500K renovation that’s roughly $10K–$20K total over the construction period. The $2,500 Diagnostic fee credits toward the first month, so the effective starting cost is lower.

ACH bank transfer (preferred, no processing fee) or credit card (2.9% processing fee passed through). Standard 14-day net invoice terms.

The Day-Zero Diagnostic is 6–10 weeks across three phases: Phase 1 (Diagnostic, Weeks 1–2), Phase 2 (Schematic Review, Weeks 3–5), Phase 3 (Pre-Construction Handoff, Weeks 6–10). See /process for the phase-by-phase detail.

We’ve put together a detailed walkthrough with representative excerpts from prior client engagements at /process — the code & regulation trigger map, the budget pressure-test, and the 30-day action plan. All sixteen written deliverables across the three phases are yours to keep.

Our role is independent of your architect’s. You hire an architect to design; you hire us to protect your interests across the entire project. We review the architect’s work, pressure-test their budget against what the design actually triggers, and surface what they may have missed — without trying to redesign anything ourselves.

A 90-minute kickoff call, a 60-minute schematic review in Phase 2, and GC interview sit-ins and contract review sessions in Phase 3. Plus ongoing email and text communication for questions as they come up. Most clients find this cadence about right — frequent enough to stay aligned, light enough not to drown the project in meetings.

Both. Phase 1 includes an on-site property walk (or detailed remote walk for out-of-area diligence). Phases 2 and 3 are primarily remote with on-site sessions for GC interviews and pre-construction walkthroughs.

Currently focused on northern Westchester County, NY — Chappaqua, Pleasantville, Armonk, Mount Kisco, Briarcliff Manor, New Castle, Bedford, Pound Ridge, North Castle, and similar. Expanding to lower Westchester and Fairfield County, CT in 2026.

Typical scope is $250K–$1M in total project value. We’ve worked on smaller projects ($100K–$250K) selectively and larger ones ($1M+) regularly. If your project sits outside that range, get in touch and we’ll talk through fit.

We’re focused on renovations and additions. Ground-up new construction isn’t our primary scope, but we make exceptions for significant additions, teardown-and-rebuilds on existing lots, and some custom builds. Get in touch to discuss.

We consider exceptions case by case. We’re particularly open to projects within reasonable distance — Rockland, Dutchess, Putnam, lower Fairfield CT — where the local code patterns we know well apply. Anywhere further requires a different conversation.

Homeowners doing a $30K kitchen refresh with a single contractor they already trust. Homeowners who’d rather hand the project off entirely — our engagement is collaborative, where we surface decisions and trade-offs and you make the calls. Homeowners looking for someone to design or build their renovation — we don’t do either.

A role used in commercial and institutional construction for decades — an independent advisor paid by the owner whose only job is to protect the owner’s interests across the project. Architects design, contractors build, owner’s reps represent the owner. We’re built specifically for residential renovation, with AI-powered tooling that makes the role accessible at a homeowner price point.

Architects design and (often) administer construction. We don’t design. We focus on what the architect doesn’t — the budget reality, the regulatory triggers, the vendor selection, the contract terms, and the construction execution. We work alongside your architect, not instead of them.

The GC manages construction labor, materials, and subs to deliver a finished project. They’re paid by the scope of work they execute, not by your outcome. We’re the opposite — paid by you, independent of construction execution, focused on whether the work is being done well and the budget is being respected.

Most project managers work for one of the parties on the project (the architect, the GC, or sometimes the homeowner via the GC’s allocation). We work only for the homeowner, with no affiliation or financial interest in the other parties.

Because if vendors paid us, we couldn’t credibly advocate for you. Our independence pledge — paid only by you, no referral fees, no kickbacks, no commissions — is the structural foundation of the firm. See the full pledge at /services#independence.

Design-build firms package architecture and construction into a single contract — efficient but with built-in conflicts (the firm designing your project is the same firm paid to build it). We’re the opposite. We have no construction or design revenue, so our incentives stay aligned with yours.

Yes — all four (CostWut, PermitWut, WattsWut, RiskWut) are free forever for the core tool. You enter your email to receive the full report (delivered via SendGrid). We send you the report and add you to the renovation cost-sheet newsletter you can unsubscribe from at any time.

CostWut is typically within 10–15% of competitive contractor bids for standard residential scopes. PermitWut covers thousands of U.S. jurisdictions and is most precisely tuned for Westchester County. None of the tools are substitutes for a formal contractor estimate, architect review, or legal opinion on permits — they’re planning tools that help you walk into those conversations informed.

When you use a tool, your property address and project inputs are sent to Anthropic (the AI provider behind the tools) to generate the report. Anthropic does not use API inputs to train its models, and automatically deletes them within 30 days. We do not sell your address or project details. Full data-handling description at /privacy.

Yes. The reports are yours. Many clients share them with their architect, contractor, or attorney to ground a conversation in independent numbers.

Yes — CostWut and PermitWut work for any U.S. address (most precisely tuned for Westchester). RiskWut uses national FEMA and climate data. WattsWut uses national utility data.

All information you share with us is used only to provide our services. We do not sell your personal information. We use a small set of third-party service providers — Anthropic for the AI tools, SendGrid for email delivery, Kit for our email newsletter, Squarespace for hosting, and Netlify for the tool front-end — to operate the business. Full description of each provider’s role at /privacy.

Yes. Email privacy@designandbiz.com with your request and we’ll confirm in writing once complete. See /privacy for the full detail on your data rights.

We work to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. If you encounter an accessibility barrier on our site, email accessibility@designandbiz.com and we’ll work to fix it. Full accessibility statement at /accessibility.

At /terms. The terms cover use of the site and tools, the AI-tool disclaimer (tools are planning aids, not professional advice), and the governing law (New York).

You have all sixteen deliverables in writing and a clear path forward — continue into Phase 2 (Schematic Review), transition to Owner Representation once construction starts, or proceed without us if you’ve gotten what you need. The deliverables are yours regardless of what you choose next.

Yes. They’re yours. We expect you to share them with your team — that’s the entire point.

That’s a valid outcome. Some homeowners discover through the Diagnostic that the project they had in mind doesn’t actually pencil out, or that the property has constraints that change the math. The trigger map and analysis stay yours — useful for the same property later, or for a different property entirely.

We can if you want. Most clients transition out at the final walkthrough. Some hire us for periodic check-ins, follow-up projects, or as a recurring advisor on house-related decisions.

Yes. We work with returning clients regularly.