Discovery Phase – What You’re Getting
The Discovery Phase is a paid feasibility study for your project.
It helps determine what you can build, what constraints exist, and what your next step should be — before you invest in full design or construction.
What We Do
During the Discovery Phase, your builder and your designer work together to:
Review zoning, setbacks, and jurisdictional rules
Evaluate site constraints (lot size, topography, utilities)
Identify risks and limitations
Assess overall project feasibility
Align design ideas with budget realities
What You Receive
A professional review of your property and goals
Clear guidance on what is possible and realistic
A one-hour presentation meeting with your builder and designer
Defined next-step options for design and budgeting
Planning Your Space Before Construction
Why Invest In Pre-Construction
Why Pre-Construction Matters
Bathroom Selections
Kitchen Selections
What This Is (and Isn’t)
This IS:
A feasibility study
A risk-reduction step
A way to avoid budget surprises
A clear decision point
This is NOT:
Full design
Construction documents
A construction contract
What Happens Next (Optional)
After Discovery, you may choose to proceed in phases:
Conceptual drawings + budget
Schematic drawings + budget
Construction drawings + final price
Construction contract
Each phase includes a cost check and requires your approval before moving forward.
Why do you charge for this when others don't?
Because the work has to happen somewhere. Someone needs to coordinate the plans, selections, pricing, engineering, vendors and hundreds of decisions before construction begins. We treat that work as a professional service rather than hiding it in the construction price—or leaving you to manage it yourself. You’re investing in certainty before making a much larger investment in construction.
Why isn't this included in the construction price?
Before we can give you a reliable construction contract amount, we have to define what we’re actually pricing. Preconstruction is how we get from an idea and an early budget to a construction-ready project with a defined scope, selections and price.
How much is this going to cost?
There is no flat fee associated with our preconstruction effort, but we charge hourly. If the effort comes together quickly with fewer decisions, it costs less money. If there is lots of back and forth, it costs more money. Ask your Precon Manager what their estimation is for what it will cost for your project – we will be able to give you a range.
What will BEC do and what am I still responsible for?
You make the decisions about what you want. We manage the process required to get you to realize those decisions and to stay on track for the desired timeline, budget, constructability and overall aesthetic.
What happens if the budget starts getting away from us?
We don’t want the first real conversation about budget to happen after you’ve spent months designing your project. Throughout preconstruction, we’re evaluating decisions against the overall construction budget so we can make adjustments while they’re still easy to make.
Does preconstruction guarantee there won't be change orders?
What happens if I decide not to build or renovate?
When am I actually ready for construction?
At the end of preconstruction, we want to know:
- What are we building?
- How are we building it?
- What are we putting in it?
- What will it cost?
- What needs to be ordered?
- What needs to be permitted?
- And are we actually ready to start?
If the answer to these questions is known, you’re ready for construction.