The Hidden Cost of Cheap Consultants in Design and Permitting

In the world of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC), there’s a hard truth that savvy businesspeople are learning the hard way: cutting corners on design and permitting consultants can cost you far more than you save. If you’re considering your first commercial or industrial project, it’s essential to understand that the decisions you make at the very beginning set the trajectory for your entire project. And a trajectory based on flawed or incomplete information can steer you into costly, time-consuming pitfalls.

 For those entering development for the first time, the design and permitting process can seem straightforward—hire a consultant, get plans, secure permits, and build. But this simplistic view can lead to an understandable mistake: assuming that all consultants are essentially equal and that the smart move is to select the cheapest option. Here’s why that approach often leads to exponentially higher costs, unnecessary delays, and significant frustration.

 Why Choosing the Lowest Bid Isn’t Always Smart Business

It’s natural for any businessperson to look for cost savings. However, design and permitting are areas where the cheapest option can ultimately be the most expensive. A consultant’s fee may represent only a fraction of your total project cost, but the quality of their work will impact nearly every other expense that follows.

Here’s the reality: the lowest-cost consultant is often providing a lower fee for a reason. They may be cutting corners on research, experience, or thoroughness—and that lack of diligence can have devastating consequences for your project.

The Domino Effect of Incorrect Information

When you hire a consultant, you’re not just paying for a set of plans or permit documents. You’re paying for their knowledge, judgment, and expertise to guide your project forward in the right direction. Their recommendations and decisions on your behalf create the foundation of your project, and any errors in that foundation will compound as the project progresses.

Here’s an example:

Faulty Site Research: A low-cost consultant may perform only cursory site research, missing critical information like easements, zoning restrictions, or outdated utility data.

Design on Errant Information: Your project team begins designing your project—spending thousands of dollars and weeks of time—based on that faulty information.

Discovery of Issues: As the project moves into permitting or construction, those hidden problems emerge. Suddenly, the design has to be revised, utilities relocated, or zoning variances sought—all of which cost far more than the consultant’s original fee.

Time Delays: Revisions to the design and permitting process don’t just cost money—they cost time, potentially delaying construction schedules and creating ripple effects for your overall project timeline.

The few thousand dollars you saved up front are quickly overshadowed by tens (or even hundreds) of thousands of dollars in design revisions, permitting roadblocks, or construction workarounds. And that’s not even accounting for the stress, lost opportunities, and erosion of stakeholder confidence that can accompany major project disruptions. 

Quality Consultants Set the Right Trajectory

What separates a quality consultant from the cheapest option is often their commitment to setting your project on the right trajectory from day one. Here’s what they bring to the table:

Thorough Research: A reputable consultant will leave no stone unturned when researching your site, jurisdictional requirements, and potential challenges.

Expert Advice: Their experience enables them to anticipate problems before they arise and offer solutions to keep your project moving smoothly.

Accurate, Complete Deliverables: Their plans and reports are reliable, ensuring that downstream efforts—from permitting to construction—are efficient and accurate.

Long-Term Value: While their fees may be higher, quality consultants save you money in the long run by minimizing surprises, revisions, and delays.

At our firm, we strike the right balance between cost and quality. We aren’t the most expensive consultants, but we offer the experience, industry engagement, and personalized service that your project deserves. With us, you get the expertise and capability you’d expect from the largest firms—but without the large-firm price tag.

The Cost of Doing It Right vs. Doing It Twice

A common saying in construction is, “You can have it cheap, fast, or good—but you can only pick two.” When it comes to design and permitting, “cheap” is rarely the right answer. Paying a little more for the right consultant ensures that you’re building on a solid foundation of accurate information and expert guidance.

Conversely, trying to save a few thousand dollars up front often results in paying for the same work twice: once to do it cheaply, and again to fix the mistakes.

For the savvy businessperson, the path is clear: prioritize quality and expertise at the outset. It’s not just a wise investment—it’s the difference between a project that succeeds and one that stalls.

Final Thought: Choose Consultants Who See the Big Picture 

Your project is an investment. The decisions you make at the beginning have a ripple effect on every phase of development and construction. By partnering with quality consultants who approach their work with diligence, experience, and a focus on long-term value, you set your project up for success—saving money, time, and headaches along the way.

When you work with us, you get a team that understands the importance of setting the right trajectory. We combine the experience of large firms with a focus on practical, efficient solutions tailored to your project’s needs and budget. Our goal is simple: to take your project forward in the right direction, ensuring that your investment pays off.

In the AEC world, the lowest bid may look tempting on paper, but it’s rarely the smart business move. Choose consultants who see the big picture and have the expertise to guide your project toward its true potential.

Because in development, like in life, doing it right the first time is always cheaper than doing it twice.