Lancaster offers a distinctive blend of historic character and growth opportunity that makes it increasingly attractive to business owners. As the seat of Fairfield County, the fourth fastest-growing county in Ohio, Lancaster provides rural tranquility within 35 minutes of downtown Columbus. The city's Destination Downtown Lancaster initiative has transformed the urban core, closing a central intersection for family programming throughout summer and attracting new restaurants, retail, and revitalized historic buildings to the area.
Fairfield County was ranked the No. 1 large county in the Midwest for talent attraction, a recognition that reflects both quality of life and economic opportunity. The Fairfield 33 Corridor puts businesses within one day's drive of 60% of the US population, attracting manufacturing, healthcare, and professional services employers. With over 3,000 businesses and a population exceeding 146,000, the county offers community settings ranging from the sprawling suburbs of Pickerington to Lancaster's historic downtown.
Whether you're renovating a building in the downtown historic district, developing commercial property along the US-33 corridor, or expanding a manufacturing facility, Lancaster projects benefit from experienced oversight. An independent Owner's Representative ensures that the mix of rural complexity and growth-market pressure doesn't compromise your project's success.
Every construction project involves three core parties: the Architect, focused on design and code compliance; the General Contractor, focused on means, methods, and their own profitability; and the Owner, who funds everything but often lacks the technical expertise to protect their investment. This creates what we call the Leadership Vacuum, where no one is truly accountable for the owner's budget and schedule.
DeVore Consulting fills this vacuum. We work exclusively for you, never holding trade contracts or self-performing work. Our role is to translate your business objectives into construction outcomes, providing a single point of accountability from pre-design through project closeout.
We bring disciplined methodology to navigating Lancaster's unique development environment.
We treat your construction budget with the same scrutiny as an operating budget. Every pay application is verified against work in place. Every change order is dissected to ensure you're paying only for legitimate scope changes.
Projects in the $500K to $50M range are our specialty. These are often too complex for business owners to oversee part-time but may not attract attention from national firms focused on larger metropolitan deals.
We never build; we only manage. This means our advice is never influenced by a desire to self-perform work or protect a margin. When we flag a problem, it's because it affects your outcome.
We support the full range of commercial construction activity in Fairfield County:
Converting and renovating buildings in Lancaster's revitalized downtown core while navigating preservation considerations and maximizing the value of historic character.
Providing budget protection for new construction and tenant improvements along the Fairfield 33 Corridor and throughout the growing county.
Assisting manufacturers with facility expansions that must proceed without disrupting ongoing operations while meeting quality and timeline requirements.
Supporting medical office and healthcare facility construction that must meet regulatory standards while controlling costs.
We also serve nearby communities including Circleville, Logan, and Zanesville in Southeast Ohio.
The greatest value we provide comes from early engagement, before you've committed to a property or finalized designs. Our Fatal Flaw Analysis investigates infrastructure capacity, zoning constraints, and site conditions while there's still time to negotiate or walk away.
If your Lancaster project is already underway and facing challenges, we can help stabilize the situation through rigorous change order review and contractor accountability. But prevention is always more cost-effective than cure.
Reach out to explore how independent oversight can protect your Lancaster investment.
We provide comprehensive project oversight for business owners and developers who need expert guidance through the construction process. With 20+ years overseeing the design and construction of residential and commercial, we know where problems hide and how to prevent them.
These FAQs are a starting point, but your project has specific goals, risks, and financial stakes. My role is to be your trusted guide.I protect your time and money by simplifying the process, providing experienced oversight, and preventing costly mistakes before they happen.
The Fairfield 33 Corridor intersects Interstate 70 and provides access within one day's drive of 60% of the US population and 50% of the Canadian population. This logistics advantage attracts manufacturing, distribution, and commercial development. For construction projects, this means a competitive but active market where professional project management helps capture opportunities while controlling costs.
Lancaster's Destination Downtown initiative has revitalized the urban core with new restaurants, retail, and renovated historic buildings. Downtown renovation projects may involve preservation considerations, coordination with pedestrian programming during summer months, and work within structures that have been modified over decades. We ensure contractor bids account for these realities and that construction proceeds without disrupting the vibrant downtown environment.
Lancaster offers a unique development environment where historic downtown renovation coexists with growth-corridor commercial development along US-33. Projects may involve traditional downtown buildings with preservation considerations alongside modern greenfield development. An Owner's Representative helps navigate these different contexts, ensuring appropriate contractor selection and project management approaches for each environment.
Fairfield County's recognition as the No. 1 large county in the Midwest for talent attraction reflects quality of life and economic opportunity. For construction projects, this means access to a growing workforce and consumer base, supporting commercial, retail, and housing development. However, growth also means contractor competition. We help you capture opportunities while managing the challenges of developing in a desirable market.
Yes. An owner's rep with a strong financial background is invaluable here. With an MBA in Real Estate Finance, we help you prepare the realistic, bank-ready documents lenders need to see. We create defensible pro formas, validate construction budgets, and manage the loan draw process, which builds essential trust and credibility with your lender.
Absolutely. While we add the most value by being involved from pre-construction through closeout , we can tailor our services to your specific needs. We are often brought in just for pre-construction planning, to help with contractor selection, or to get a troubled project that's already underway back on track.
Depending on scope, fees typically range from 0.5% to 1% of the total construction cost, depending on the project's complexity, timeline, and the specific scope of services you need . Studies have shown this investment typically saves clients 3-5% on total construction costs through rigorous contractor management, change order review, and problem prevention, meaning the service more than pays for itself.
Yes. Our service doesn't end when the contractor hands over the keys. Our "Phase 4: Closeout" process includes comprehensive warranty management and post-occupancy support to ensure your building functions as intended. We ensure all final documentation and manuals are collected, which is the foundation for your long-term facility management.
Yes. While some firms only focus on large institutional projects, we specialize in guiding small business owners and first-time developers. The need for an owner's rep depends more on your project's complexity than its size. A complex $2M restaurant renovation often has more risk than a simple $5M warehouse. We can help you assess if professional oversight makes financial sense for your specific project .
Of course. We'll provide you with all the free advice you can handle. But to get started formally, we'll have to make sure our services align with you needs. We'll get to know your project aspirations and put together a proposal. Until we have an agreement no payment is expected.
This information goes to a real human being. Its a great way to learn more and start the conversation without any obligation. We will never provide your personal or contact information to a 3rd party.
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