Value Engineering
Design review for cost-saving alternatives that preserve structural integrity, functional performance, and code compliance without compromising your vision.
Our Value Engineering capabilities
Structural System Alternatives
Steel vs. tilt-up vs. masonry vs. wood frame — we model the cost of each structural system for your building program and help you choose the one that delivers the best value for your use case.
Specification Review
Over-specified materials and systems are among the most common sources of budget overruns. We review specifications for equivalent-or-better alternatives that meet performance requirements at lower cost.
MEP Cost Reduction
HVAC system type and zoning, lighting control systems, plumbing fixture specifications, and electrical gear sizing are often where the largest VE savings hide.
Ideal for these applications
Over-Budget Projects
Projects where initial bids came in above owner budget — we identify realistic savings to bridge the gap without re-designing from scratch.
Schematic Design Review
Early design stage review before construction documents are issued, when VE changes are still low-cost to implement in the drawings.
Competitive Bid Preparation
Pre-bid VE to identify alternates the owner can use to manage bids — pricing base bid plus VE alternates gives flexibility to award within budget.
Owner-Driven Cost Management
Proactive cost management for owners who want to maximize return on construction investment and understand where their dollars are going.
Our value engineering process
Document Review
We review current construction documents, specifications, and budget breakdowns to identify where savings are most likely.
VE Study
Alternatives are developed with rough cost delta estimates — not just 'change this spec' but 'here is what it costs, here is what you give up, here is our recommendation.'
Presentation
VE items are presented in a clear matrix: current design, proposed alternative, cost savings, and impact on quality, schedule, or performance.
Implementation
Accepted VE items are incorporated into the design documents by the design team. We coordinate with the architect and engineers to ensure clean incorporation.
Frequently asked
When in the design process should VE be done?
The earlier the better. VE at schematic design costs almost nothing to implement in drawings and can save 10–15% of project cost. VE during construction documents or after bid is more expensive to implement but still worthwhile.
Does VE always reduce quality?
Not necessarily. True value engineering identifies where specifications exceed the requirements of the use case — 'over-built' conditions. A well-run VE process should have no impact on functional quality.
Do you charge for VE services?
For projects where we are the GC, VE is included in our pre-construction services. Standalone VE consulting for projects with other GCs is provided under a separate fee agreement.
Related services
Want to reduce project
cost without cutting scope?
Our VE team reviews designs, specs, and procurement strategies to find savings before construction begins.
- Early design-stage review
- Subcontractor buyout optimization
- 12-state service area