Beyond the Number: What to Expect When You Work with Palacio

Whether you’re working from a full set of drawings or just an early concept, getting a handle on project costs can be a murky process. 

You share what information you have with a cost estimator, time passes, and eventually a number appears that might leave you discouraged or confused.

That’s not how we prefer to work at Palacio Collaborative. 

Our goal is understanding not just what a project costs, but why, and what to do next. From day one we advocate for the best possible outcome and help you make the right decisions along the way. 

Vision Quest For nearly 20 years, cost management has been our sole focus. With more than 3,000 estimates completed, we bring deep cross-sector experience working alongside architects, owners, and construction managers. We’ve completed hundreds of estimate reviews and reconciliations, and we come to the table prepared with the latest data to ensure pricing reflects current cost realities.

Our advocacy transcends a single moment or meeting. For owners, that means striving for the best possible building within the budget. For architects, it means protecting the integrity of the design vision, including materials, intent, and experience. Beyond the project team, we’re thinking about the ultimate facility users and communities who depend on these environments to work as intended.

The Earlier the Better

We see estimating as a collaborative team-oriented process, not a standalone deliverable. And if one thing holds true it’s the earlier cost enters the conversation, the less likely you are to lose your best ideas.  

In early stages with limited project information, we can develop a cost model using high-level inputs such as program, space types, system assumptions, and site considerations to test feasibility and guide early decisions.  

Even at the proposal stage we can use our latest cost intelligence and sector-specific experience to assess a proposed budget, if an RFP or RFQ includes a solid understanding of program and scope. 

Early involvement is also where advocacy has the most impact. With more flexibility in the design, we can help teams test options, challenge assumptions, and protect what matters most before decisions become harder to change. (Like you, we prefer to avoid painful, late-stage value engineering rounds that often reduce quality and scope!)

As the design progresses, we transition into detailed cost estimates at key milestones such as schematic design, design development, and construction documents, delivering increasing precision at each phase. 

Speaking of Time

It might seem counter intuitive, but having enough time to properly analyze drawings is more important than their degree of completeness. 

Accurate quantity take-off is critical and the most time-intensive part of estimating. For example, a three-week turnaround on a 50% set can yield a stronger result than a rushed estimate on a more developed set of drawings. Check out our Estimate Turnaround Calculator

With adequate time, we can review the documents, ask the right questions, and align assumptions with your team, resulting in a more reliable estimate.

Let’s Keep Talking

We don’t just compile quantities and move on. We want to understand the intent of the project, where decisions are still being made, and where cost pressure may begin to build. We talk through what is changing and what may be affecting the estimate as the design evolves.

Early, consistent communication is key. If something is trending higher than expected, we would rather raise that early than discover it late in the process. The same is true when a scope item has shifted, a system has changed, or a design decision is carrying more cost than anticipated. 

The 80% Check-In

Palacio schedules a working session a few business days before a final estimate is issued to reaffirm the team is aligned on scope, assumptions, and discuss any notable shifts before the estimate is finalized.

Not a redesign meeting or full reconciliation, this conversation is a walk-through of the estimate, section by section, to discuss what is included and what may still be developing. It’s an opportunity to pause, compare notes, and make sure once more that we’re all on the same page before it goes out the door. 

The result? We’ll reduce revision cycles and you’ll have greater confidence in the estimate to move forward. Read more about the 80% Check-In here!

Bottom Line

At the end of the day, an estimate should feel like a guide. Something you can react to, question, and use to move the project closer to the summit. 

When everyone understands what is driving the cost, better decisions are made, and the original vision has a much better chance of becoming reality. 

And along the way, you’ll have Palacio advocating for that outcome at every step.

Interested in learning more? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions