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Construction Administration & Bid Leveling in the Atlanta Metro Area

By Delano Designs

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When Three Bids Land Forty Percent Apart 

Three contractors bid your project and the numbers land forty percent apart.

One excluded the electrical. One assumed cheaper windows. One is the only person who read the drawings carefully, and their number looks the worst.

This is the moment most homeowners are asked to make the largest financial decision with the least information, and it's the reason many of our clients call us in the first place.

At Delano Designs, we level the bids, explain what the differences actually mean, negotiate on your behalf, and then stay on through construction as the person answering the field's questions and protecting the design you paid for.

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How Bid Leveling Works

  • We issue one consistent scope:
    Every contractor prices the same documented project, so nobody is bidding a different house.

  • We normalize the proposals:
    Line by line, we identify what each bid includes, excludes, and assumes, then restate them on common terms.

  • We find the real differences:
    Allowances, exclusions, and unstated assumptions are where the gap usually lives, not in labor rates.

  • We evaluate the builders:
    Licensing, insurance, relevant experience, current workload, and whether they're a fit for your project and your house.

  • We negotiate:
    Scope, terms, allowances, and schedule, with your interests as the only interests we represent.

  • Then we stay:
    RFIs, field conditions, design clarifications, site observations, inspection support, material procurement, and punch-list closeout.

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Questions About Construction Administration & Bid Leveling

Why not just take the lowest bid on a custom home or remodel?expand_more

Because the lowest bid is frequently the least complete one, and the gap shows up later as change orders. Leveling reveals whether a low number reflects genuine efficiency or an exclusion you'll pay for in month three.

Who pays the contractor?expand_more

You do, directly. We never hold construction funds or carry the build, which is what allows us to question a number, push back on a term, or flag work in the field without a conflict of interest.

What happens if something is built wrong?expand_more

We observe the work, document what doesn't match the drawings, and coordinate the correction with your contractor. Our leverage is the document set, which is exactly why thorough documentation matters before construction starts.

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Our Process

1 | CONNECT
We begin with a free fit call to talk through your home, your timeline, and the investment you have in mind. If your project is a match, we'll schedule a Design Jumpstart: a paid working visit where we walk the space with you, document your priorities, and surface the feasibility questions early. 
2 | DESIGN & DOCUMENT
We measure your home as it actually exists, then develop the layout and design with you. Once it's right, we produce the complete construction document set, coordinate any engineers or surveyors your project needs, and manage the permit filing with your jurisdiction from submittal through approval. 
3 | PRICING & BUILD
Your drawings go out for contractor pricing, and we compare the bids side by side and explain what the differences mean. We'll negotiate on your behalf and help you choose. Then we stay on through construction, answering questions from the field and keeping you updated until the punch list is closed. 

What's Included in Construction Administration & Bid Leveling:

select_check_boxBid package issuance
select_check_boxLine-by-line bid leveling
select_check_boxContractor vetting support
select_check_boxNegotiation on your behalf
select_check_boxRFI and field responses
select_check_boxPunch list and closeout

Our Work

Delano Design Services Cost Guide

Design & Project Management Cost Guide

Your project deserves the highest quality of design and expert management. To start your planning process off the right way, access our comprehensive cost guide today!

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Where We Work

We design remodels throughout metro Atlanta, with a concentration in intown neighborhoods where the homes have real architectural character and owners are investing to stay rather than move. Older housing stock takes more planning, and that's the work we're built for. If your home is outside the areas below, reach out anyway and we'll tell you honestly whether we're the right fit. 

Our Service Area

  • Chastain Park
  • Decatur
  • Druid Hills
  • Dunwoody
  • Inman Park
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Hear From Your Neighbors

Ryan Delano has an incredible eye for design. Every project by Delano Designs is thoughtfully curated, stylish, and polished from start to finish. His professionalism and attention to detail truly set him apart. You can instantly recognize his work by how seamlessly it blends creativity with function. Highly recommend!

Nini L.

I had the pleasure of working with Ryan at Delano Designs, and I can't say enough about the exceptional experience. Ryan's phenomenal design work and thoughtful floor plans truly brought my vision to life. From the start, Ryan's ability to understand my ideas and translate them into creative and practical layouts for my basement was impressive. The process was not only efficient and well-organized but also incredibly inspiring. Ryan's expertise made it easy to explore new possibilities I hadn't even considered. I highly recommend Delano Designs for anyone looking to turn their space into something special!

Brett A.

Great experience working with a talented designer and orchestrator of the project . Came up with ideas / plans that not only turned out beautifully but also added value to the property- definitely recommend him and will call again as he made it effortless for me .

Henry

Ryan not only exceeded expectations but completely pulled off the unimaginable when designing our 8,000 ft² Brookhaven property. Trying to craft ideas out of nothing for such a large space becomes a daunting task, especially when trying to keep the flow and consistency of the designs throughout the house. However Ryan pulled it off flawlessly and efficiently

Ty H.

Ryan has been great! He really helped us understand our proposed layout with 3D modeling and executed it flawlessly. His visualization tools really helped us understand what we were going to get before any construction took place. Highly recommended!

Taha A.

Don't Compare Bids Alone

Let's Talk About Your Project

Delano Designs levels contractor bids into a real comparison, negotiates on your behalf, and stays on site through closeout to protect the design you paid for. Send us your bids or your drawings and let's talk.

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