Brott Development Group

The interactive budget

The first budget presentation is where most projects stall. Every BDG preliminary budget now comes with an interactive worksheet, so client, architect and builder can shape the number together.

Launch the live demo → Watch the film

Launch the live demo → Watch with the full experience

How it works

Adjust the scope. Weigh the options. See the cost in real time.

Every value engineering option is a lever. Flip it on or off from a phone or computer and the project total updates live, with each saving carrying its share of contingency, fee and GST.

Client, architect and builder can test scenarios together before decisions get expensive: shape the scope into alignment, protect the design intent, and keep momentum toward construction.

The demo is a fictional residence with representative numbers. Every BDG Class C estimate now ships with a live worksheet built from your project’s actual budget.

Launch the live demo →

Know the numbers.
Before you break ground… submit for building permit.

Quantity surveying for architect-designed custom homes across the Pacific Northwest. With our extensive experience building and estimating costs for architectural homes, we're confident you will experience an informed and considered pre-construction budget that shapes a project of architectural significance while maintaining budget alignment.

Start a project → Book a 15‑minute scoping call

52Projects since 2019

$353M+Total project value across engagements

25+Architect firms collaborated with

12+Builders collaborated with

How we work

Three stages. One number you can build to.

Each phase is structured so the architect, builder, and owner share a single source of truth on cost and schedule.

01 · PLAN

Preliminary budgeting

Articulate scope and cost before the design is locked. Stakeholders make informed decisions while changes are still cheap — protecting the architect's intent before it meets a value-engineering knife.

02 · TENDER

Pre-construction tendering

Compete trades against a complete IFP package across architecture, structure, geotech, and interiors. The objective: 75% of the budget fixed-priced before construction starts.

03 · TRACK

Project reporting

A one-page summary on cost and schedule, backed by the detail. Owners stay in the driver's seat. Builders stay focused on the build. Architects stay focused on design.

See the full process → See a sample budget → See a sample takeoff →

Architect

“This is where Ben's experience has proved invaluable: in the absence of consultant drawings, he and his team call upon their depth of knowledge to provide reasonable allowances for things like structural steel, glazing and finishes when no specifications exist yet.”

— Cedric Burgers, Burgers Architecture

Builder

“What sets Ben apart is his dedication to leaving no stone unturned. He goes beyond what is simply visible in the drawings, ensuring that every conceivable scope of the project is discussed and documented.”

— Matt Leon, E2 Homes Ltd.

Builder

“Construction estimating is one of Ben's strengths. He consistently provides accurate and timely estimates that help us make informed decisions during both pre-construction planning and active project phases.”

— Patrick Powers, Powers Construction Inc.

About

Brott Development Group is a quantity surveying firm based in Vancouver, British Columbia. We provide pre-construction budgeting, takeoffs, trade tendering, and cost reporting for architects and builders working on architect-designed custom homes across the Pacific Northwest. Most projects fall between $3M and $40M of construction cost.

Founder

Built by a builder who measures twice.

Ben spent nearly two decades estimating and building for some of Vancouver's premier custom-home builders before founding Brott Development Group in 2022. Today, Ben and his team bring that discipline to every engagement — protecting design intent from the budget realities most projects discover too late.

Investing in this initiative provides clarity early on in the process. Some benefits include:

Saves time and money by highlighting major cost drivers or unknowns before design is further developed, and prior to permit submission.
Third-party, non-biased assessment of project costs.
Thoroughly considered takeoffs and detailed scopes of work provide clear direction for trade tendering.
Provides budget assurances via a combination of trade-validated estimates and historical costs based on past and current projects across multiple builders.
Detailed budgets provide an opportunity to value engineer options to align design intent with budget constraints.

Where we work

52 projects. Across one coastline.

Brott Development Group engagements across Vancouver, the North Shore, and the surrounding Pacific Northwest. Markers shown at neighbourhood level only — specific project addresses are not published.

Frequently asked

Questions we hear most.

When in the design process should I engage a quantity surveyor?

Earliest is best — ideally at schematic design, when the budget can shape design decisions before they're locked in. Most of our engagements begin at design development; earlier engagements allow more opportunity to align design intent with budget through value engineering before drawings are committed.

What does a quantity surveyor do?

A quantity surveyor (QS) prepares the cost framework for a construction project — measuring quantities from drawings, pricing trades, building and managing the construction budget, and reporting costs throughout the build. We sit independently from architect, contractor, and owner, providing third-party verification of cost at every phase.

What size projects does Brott Development Group work on?

Architect-designed custom homes typically ranging from approximately $3M to $40M of construction cost. Most projects fall in the $5M to $10M range. Our largest project to date is approximately $37M.

Do you work outside Vancouver?

Yes. Brott Development Group works across the Pacific Northwest including the North Shore, Whistler, the Gulf Islands (Salt Spring, Mayne, Pender), and select coastal British Columbia projects.

How is a quantity surveyor different from a general contractor's in-house estimator?

A general contractor's estimator works for the contractor. We work for the project — independently. That means we flag scope creep, identify cost risks before they become trade RFIs, and challenge a price the GC submits if it doesn't align with our market data. Owners and architects engage us when they want a number they can defend, not just a number they were given.

Start the conversation

For architects and builders who refuse to treat the budget as an afterthought.

We are happy to discuss your project further.

Book a 15‑minute call →