every bid looks better after my red pen

A licensed architect reads your contractor bid line by line, signed or not.

I go through it line by line and mark, in red, what's missing, what's underpriced, and what's vague. Then we talk it through, so you can go back to your contractor with specific questions.

Book my review, $295 or email dan@redpenarchitect.com
An illustrative bid, the way you'd get it back. Each note is a specific question to raise with your contractor.

What you get

1

Send me the bid

Upload up to three contractor bids, plus any drawings you have.

2

I mark it up line by line

Within three business days you get the bid back with my red-pen notes: missing scope, low allowances, vague terms, payment risks.

3

We walk through it in 30 minutes

A video call to go over every note, plus a short list of questions and changes to take to your contractor.

A bid review is $295. If I don't find at least three issues worth raising with your contractor, there's no charge.

Daniel Hutchins, Architect · Licensed in Illinois and Florida · 20 years, much of it as a forensic architect in construction disputes

Book my review, $295

Other reviews

Plan review

Your drawings, marked up: layout, egress, code risk, structural coordination, and where the design is likely to cost more than expected. Includes a 45-minute call. Five business days.

$695 up to three rooms$1,250 whole house or addition

ADU feasibility

For a Chicago coach house or basement or attic unit: whether your lot qualifies, site constraints, sketch-level options, a rough budget range, and the permit path. Includes a 30-minute call. Five business days.

$495

Buy-or-renovate walkthrough

We walk an older house you're considering for about 90 minutes, and I tell you what's realistic, rough cost ranges, and what would concern me. Written summary within two business days. North Shore and Chicago.not a home inspection; hire an inspector too

$750

Owner's advocate

Once construction is underway: review of change orders and pay applications, two calls a month, and questions by email. Cancel anytime.

$1,250 per month

To ask about any of these, email dan@redpenarchitect.com with a line about your project.

How to send documents

  1. Upload your bids, drawings, or photos at my secure upload page. No Dropbox account is needed.
  2. Put your last name at the start of each file name.
  3. Send a short email to dan@redpenarchitect.com telling me what you uploaded and when you need to decide.
Upload documents

Contact

Emaildan@redpenarchitect.com

Phone310-210-6674

If I can't pick up, leave a message or send an email with a line about your project, and I'll get back to you.

About the architect

Daniel Hutchins, Architect
Dan

Daniel Hutchins, Architect

Licensed in Illinois (Lic. 001.023385) and Florida (Lic. AR104689)

I've been an architect for 20 years, and much of that time has gone to investigating construction disputes as a forensic architect, including work as an expert witness. Many of the problems I see in that work were visible in the paperwork before anyone signed.

Red Pen Architect is that same reading, done earlier. I work only for you, and I don't take referral fees or commissions from contractors or suppliers.

Florida reviews are performed by Daniel Hutchins, Architect, FL Lic. AR104689.

Questions

What do I get back?
Your bid as a PDF with my handwritten red-pen notes on it, a short list of questions to ask your contractor, and a 30-minute video call to go through it. With more than one bid, I also note where they differ in scope.
How long does it take?
Three business days after your documents arrive for a bid review; five for plan reviews and ADU feasibility.
Where do you work?
Illinois and Florida projects only. Document reviews are done remotely; walkthroughs are on the North Shore and in Chicago.
Do you review storm-repair bids in Florida?
Yes. Roof, window, door, and exterior repair bids get the same line-by-line markup: scope that's missing, quantities that don't add up, vague terms, and payment schedules that run ahead of the work. Already signed? Send the contract anyway, and I'll mark up the changes worth asking for as an amendment.
Is this a home inspection?
No. It's an architect's review of documents, design, and feasibility. For the condition of a house, hire a licensed home inspector.
Is this legal advice?
No. I'll point out terms worth questioning from a construction standpoint, but I'm not a lawyer. For legal questions about a contract, talk to an attorney.
Will you redesign my project?
No. These are reviews. I don't prepare construction drawings or permit sets.