Building Consultants

A building consultant is a construction industry expert who provides professional advice and guidance on construction matters without necessarily performing the actual construction work. Our services include project feasibility analysis, construction oversight, quality assurance inspections, cost analysis and verification, dispute resolution support, insurance claim consulting, owner representation, and pre-purchase building evaluations. We leverage 43+ years of construction and insurance industry experience to help clients make informed decisions.

Our building consulting services benefit a wide range of clients including property owners planning major construction or renovation projects, attorneys handling construction litigation or disputes, insurance carriers needing independent damage assessments, real estate investors evaluating acquisition targets, HOAs and condo associations managing large capital projects, lenders requiring construction progress monitoring, and municipalities or public entities overseeing construction contracts.

Frank Bragano's unique background as a former Allstate Commercial Property adjuster (1982-1989) and Executive General Adjuster for CJW-Vericlaim/Sedgwick provides invaluable insight for consulting clients. We understand how insurance claims are evaluated, how coverage is interpreted, and how disputes arise. This dual perspective in both construction methodology and insurance processes makes our consulting particularly valuable for property damage claims, coverage disputes, and restoration projects.

Our qualifications include: Licensed Florida General Contractor (CBC1262722), $10M+ bonding capacity demonstrating financial stability, 43+ years combined construction and insurance experience, $50M+ in successfully completed projects across Florida and the Southeast, former insurance adjuster credentials providing carrier-side perspective, and extensive experience with hurricanes including Charley, Irma, Harvey, and other major events.

Yes, owner representation is one of our core consulting services. We act as your advocate throughout the construction process, reviewing contractor qualifications and proposals, negotiating contract terms, monitoring construction progress and quality, verifying payment applications against work completed, managing change orders, and ensuring the project meets specifications and building codes. This service is particularly valuable for property owners who lack construction expertise or time to actively manage their projects.

Absolutely. We provide comprehensive support for construction disputes including detailed analysis of construction quality and defects, assessment of scope and cost disagreements, review of contractor performance against contract requirements, documentation of construction methodology and industry standards, support for mediation, arbitration, or litigation proceedings, and coordination with legal counsel on technical matters. Our expertise spans both plaintiff and defendant representation.

Pre-construction consulting helps property owners make informed decisions before committing to a project. This includes reviewing architectural plans and specifications for completeness and constructability, evaluating contractor proposals and qualifications, analyzing project budgets and timelines for reasonableness, identifying potential risks and mitigation strategies, recommending contract terms and conditions, and advising on permit requirements and regulatory compliance. This upfront investment often prevents costly problems during construction.

We assist insurance carriers with independent damage assessments and repair cost verification, construction quality evaluations for coverage disputes, scope of loss determination for complex claims, reserved cost analysis for large loss claims, construction progress monitoring for claim payments, and technical consultation on building systems and repair methodologies. Our experience on both sides of the claims process enables objective, defensible assessments.

While headquartered in Ruskin, Florida, we provide building consulting services throughout the Tampa Bay region including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Lakeland, Sarasota, and Bradenton. For larger projects or specialized engagements, we also accept consulting assignments throughout Florida and the Southeast United States. Travel arrangements and considerations apply for distant locations.

Consulting fees are typically structured based on the scope and complexity of the engagement. Options include hourly consulting rates for advisory services and meetings, fixed-fee arrangements for defined scope projects like pre-purchase evaluations, percentage-based fees for owner representation on construction projects, and retainer arrangements for ongoing consulting relationships. We provide detailed proposals outlining scope, deliverables, and compensation before engagement.