Work with Castle Ross

Independent construction cost & risk reviews for developers

Before you approve a GMP, release a construction package, or accept a major change, know which questions still need an answer.

I’m Bryan O’Donoghue. Through Castle Ross, I help multifamily, hospitality, and high-rise developers examine how the drawings, specifications, scope, and pricing fit together. You receive findings tied to the source documents, clear priorities, and practical recommendations to take back to your project team.

The review gives you an independent perspective on a defined decision, alongside the work of your architect, contractor, and other advisers.

Discuss a project review →

Construction Document Cost Avoidance Review

For developers preparing to finalize, price, or release a defined document package.

The review examines scope gaps, conflicting requirements, duplicated work, unclear trade responsibilities, design and specification inconsistencies, and procurement assumptions. It also considers opportunities to meet the required performance at a lower cost.

You receive a document register, prioritized findings, and a concise memo with recommended decisions and next steps. Each finding identifies the relevant document reference, explains the concern, and states the clarification or decision needed.

The engagement includes one meeting to walk through the findings and one follow-up check on the original findings.

Construction Commercial Review

For developers deciding whether to accept a substantial financial commitment. Choose one defined decision or an agreed batch of related items:

• Bid or GMP: included scope, exclusions, allowances, contingencies, and unresolved assumptions.
• Procurement: the proposed purchase and the obligations it creates for the owner and surrounding trades.
• Major change order: the supporting scope, quantities, pricing, and basis for the charge.

You receive a focused comparison, recommended clarifications, and a concise decision memo, with one findings meeting and one agreed follow-up check of the revised price or scope.

For both services, the decision, document set, disciplines, review depth, and follow-up scope are agreed before work begins. Review beyond the agreed follow-up—including expanded document packages or additional decisions—requires a separately agreed scope.

Review fees

Both review services carry a $12,500 minimum fee, fully credited toward a 25% success fee on qualifying savings.

The minimum pays for the agreed review and deliverables. Your total fee is the greater of $12,500 or 25% of qualifying savings. The minimum is payable at engagement and remains payable even if no savings qualify.

Example: $100,000 in qualifying savings produces a total fee of $25,000. If you have already paid the $12,500 minimum, the additional fee is $12,500.

What counts as savings

Before starting, we agree on the pricing baseline, eligible savings, supporting evidence, and payment milestone.

Qualifying savings must be attributable to the review and deliver a financial benefit to the owner while maintaining the agreed required scope and performance. Direct implementation costs are deducted; savings are calculated before the Castle Ross fee.

An identified issue or estimated exposure is not, by itself, qualifying savings. Evidence must show the owner’s financial benefit against the agreed baseline—for example, an accepted award, executed price reduction, or received credit.

Hypothetical avoided costs, previously identified issues, unrelated market movements, and savings retained entirely by others do not qualify. The same saving is never charged twice. Potential cost exposure is reported separately.

Developer Decision Advisory

$7,500 per quarter, for existing clients who want continuing input on one project between formal reviews.

Each quarter covers one named project, two scheduled owner calls, advance review of two agreed, limited sets of project documents for those discussions, and concise written recommendations. Review volume and response arrangements are defined in advance.

Formal document reviews, substantial awards, and major changes are separately scoped.

An annual review agreement

For developers with several review decisions ahead: four separately scoped reviews over twelve months, with a $50,000 minimum commitment.

Each review receives a $12,500 allocation credited toward its own 25% success fee. Scheduling, scope, payment terms, and concurrent assignments are agreed in advance.

Discuss your project

Tell me what you are building, where it is, the decision you are approaching, and when you need to make it. I’ll assess whether a review fits and propose a defined scope.

Discuss a project review →

Bryan O’Donoghue
Castle Ross
Publisher of Field & Ledger
contact@bryanodonoghue.com