You're the Developer. I'm the One Who Makes Sure Nobody Takes Advantage of That.
Residential and commercial developers hire me when they need someone with deep construction knowledge in their corner, reviewing bids, holding subs accountable, catching problems before they become expensive, and making sure every decision serves the project's bottom line.
✔ Decades of hands-on construction and development experience
✔ Residential & commercial, subdivisions, spec homes, retail, mixed-use
✔ Independent advisor, I work for you, not the contractor
Development Is Where Fortunes Are Made, and Lost
You already know how to find land, structure deals, and get projects financed. What eats your margin is everything that happens between groundbreaking and certificate of occupancy.
Contractors who pad bids knowing you're too busy to scrutinize every line item. Subs who cut corners because nobody with real construction knowledge is watching. Value engineering decisions made on gut feel instead of hard numbers. Scope creep that quietly turns a profitable project into a break-even one.
Most developers don't have a construction expert on staff whose only job is to protect the owner's interests. That's exactly what I do.
Independent Construction Intelligence, On Your Side
I'm Jeph Burnett, and I've spent decades on both sides of the table. I've been the contractor, the developer, and the investor. I know exactly how margin gets eroded on a project, who's doing it, and how to stop it.
When you bring me in, you get an independent set of eyes with real construction expertise, someone who can read a bid the way a contractor reads it, walk a site and know immediately what's wrong, and tell you with confidence which value engineering decisions will hurt quality and which ones are pure savings.
I'm not a project manager who learned construction from a textbook. I'm a construction professional who understands development. That difference protects your budget, your timeline, and your reputation.
What I Do For Developers
Bid Review & Cost Control I go through every bid line by line, the way a contractor would, because I've been one. I identify what's padded, what's missing, and what's priced at market versus what's opportunistic. Most developers recoup my fee many times over in the first bid review alone.
Owner's Rep & Site Oversight I'm your boots on the ground. I show up, I ask the hard questions, and I make sure your contractors and subs know someone who understands the work is watching. That alone changes behavior on a job site.
Value Engineering Consultation Not every cost-cutting decision is equal. I tell you exactly where you can pull money out of a project without sacrificing quality, marketability, or structural integrity, and where cutting corners will cost you far more later.
Contractor & Sub Accountability Delays, change orders, and substandard work don't have to be the cost of doing business. I review change order requests, assess whether they're legitimate, push back where they aren't, and keep your project moving on schedule and on budget.
Pre-Construction Planning Before a shovel hits the ground, I help you stress-test your scope, your budget, and your contractor selections. Catching problems in planning costs nothing. Catching them mid-build costs everything.
Simple to Start
Step 1 — Free 15-Min Call Tell me about your project, what you're building, where you are in the process, and what's keeping you up at night. No pitch, no pressure.
Step 2 — Project Assessment I review what you've got, bids, plans, contracts, scope, and give you an honest picture of where your risks and opportunities are.
Step 3 — Engagement Structure Every project is different. We agree on a structure that fits, whether that's a one-time bid review, ongoing site oversight, or full owner's rep services. Flat fees where possible. No surprises.
"We saved time and money every time we work with you."
— David Blankenship, R.E.I.T. Board Member
"Your understanding of the legal ins and outs of startups was essential to our current success. And your ability to find a win-win in a time of stress was outstanding."
— Gina Gambrero, Private Capital Investor
"When I have a client that is upset I call Jeph and let him take over. Having a knowledgeable third party find solutions that work with someone who is already upset has been vital to keeping my good name with at least 8 clients so far."
— Bradley Mitchell
"I thought for sure we would lose everything in a lawsuit but then you came in and really changed everything."
— Emily Rothstein, Construction Manager, R.E.I.T. Houston
Your Project Is Too Big to Leave to Chance
Every development project has moments where the right call versus the wrong call is worth six figures. Having someone in your corner who has seen it all, from the contractor side, the investor side, and the developer side, means you make the right call more often.
That's what I bring to your project. Not theory. Not templates. Real construction knowledge, real development experience, and a genuine interest in seeing your project succeed.
REI Guide Service | Jephery S. Burnett | Houston, TX
jeph@reiguideservice.com