Land costs and unexpected expenses tool

[Manuel Moreno]

Hey Bigger Pockets community,

My family has been in commercial real estate development for years, and one recurring pain point we’ve constantly dealt with is unexpected site costs. Many developers get hit with subsurface surprises, delays, and budget overruns, even after site surveys. These hidden costs can eat into margins and disrupt timelines, yet there seems to be no streamlined way to tackle them before breaking ground.

I'm working on a solution that combines site analysis tech + cost prediction modeling to help developers get ahead of these risks. The goal is to give CRE professionals more accurate pre-construction cost estimates and prevent costly surprises.

I’d love to hear from the seasoned developers here:

How are you currently handling site cost estimation, and what’s missing?

Would a tool that gives you an early warning on site risks before breaking ground be valuable?

Not here to pitch—just trying to refine the concept with insights from the people who live and breathe CRE development. Let's discuss!

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. 

— Manuel Moreno Jr.

[Henry Clark]

OP not sure what your missing and the degree to which your missing.   

1.  Checklist- all major items should be known up front.  Sewer elevations, fire hydrants, setbacks, soil compaction, storm ponds, storm drains, easements, utilities access, road access, etc.  

2.   Discuss plan with Planning Zoning group.

3.  Your engineer should identify most issues.

4.  Mother Nature-  just have to deal with.

After that your misses will be inches and not miles.  

Please give your examples.