Where does all the money go in a new build project?

WHERE DOES ALL THE MONEY GO IN A NEW BUILD PROJECT?

You nailed it - those “invisible” costs before anything vertical happens are a real gut punch. I’ve seen folks get blindsided by the pre-construction phase more than once. It’s wild how fast things add up: surveys, soil reports, engineering reviews, city fees... and you’re still staring at dirt.

On engineering fees, there’s sometimes a little room to negotiate, but it depends on your municipality and the complexity of your plans. If you’re working with a structural engineer directly (not just through your builder), you can sometimes shop around or ask for a breakdown of what’s truly required versus “nice to have.” Some engineers will offer a basic package and then tack on extras for things like energy calculations or site-specific wind analysis. If you’re comfortable, ask them to walk you through each line item - sometimes there’s overlap with what your architect or builder is already providing.

Landscaping requirements are a headache everywhere lately. Municipalities are getting stricter about stormwater runoff, native plantings, and even pollinator-friendly species. I’ve seen people try to push back, but unless you’re in a rural area or have a really compelling case (like an existing mature tree that meets the intent), most cities won’t budge much. Sometimes you can phase things - get the minimum done for sign-off, then swap out plants later if you want something different. Just double-check that there aren’t penalties for removing required species down the road.

Curious if anyone here has had luck with alternative approaches to utility hookups? Infill lots especially seem to have wild variations in cost depending on how far they have to trench or tap into mains. Has anyone managed to split costs with neighbors or time their build to coincide with city upgrades? That’s one area where I’ve seen some creative solutions save real money.