The owner's
seat at the
construction table.
We represent developers, family offices, and institutional owners through every phase of construction — protecting capital, holding the schedule, and translating builder-speak into clear decisions. Three decades of general contractor expertise, now squarely on your side.
We sit on your side of the table — and we know exactly what's on the other side.
Most owners hire a general contractor and hope for the best. The result: budget surprises, schedule slips, and pay applications they can't fully verify. We change the equation. With deep experience inside one of the Southeast's most respected GCs, we know where the friction lives, where money is lost, and where to push.
Builder fluency, owner allegiance
We've sat in every seat — preconstruction, project management, project executive — for some of the region's largest construction firms. That knowledge now serves only you.
Decisions before dilemmas
The most expensive problems are the ones discovered in the field. We surface risk in design, scope, and schedule months before the trades arrive — when correction is still cheap.
Independent. Always.
We do not accept commissions from contractors, suppliers, or designers. Our compensation comes from one place: our clients. That independence is the entire product.
From feasibility through final punch list.
Engage us for a single phase or the entire arc of a project. Each service is designed to translate construction complexity into the kind of clarity that lets owners make confident decisions.
Feasibility & Pre-Construction Strategy
Before commitment, before contracts. We pressure-test the business case, validate budgets against current market reality, and de-risk the project before capital is at stake.
- Site feasibility & constructability review
- Independent budget validation & cost benchmarking
- Schedule logic & milestone development
- Permitting and entitlement strategy
Designer & Contractor Procurement
The team you assemble determines the project you'll get. We design the RFP process, vet qualifications honestly, and negotiate contracts that protect your downside.
- Architect & engineer selection
- GC qualification & RFP management
- Bid leveling & competitive analysis
- AIA contract negotiation & drafting support
Construction Phase Oversight
Boots-on-the-ground representation throughout the build. We attend every meaningful meeting, scrutinize every dollar, and hold every party accountable to the schedule and the documents.
- Weekly OAC meeting attendance & advocacy
- Pay application review & retainage management
- Change order analysis & negotiation
- Schedule monitoring & recovery planning
Closeout, Warranty & Post-Occupancy
The final 10 percent is where projects often unravel. We drive substantial completion, secure warranties in writing, and return at month eleven to enforce the warranty period before it expires.
- Substantial completion verification
- Punch list & warranty management
- Final payment & lien release coordination
- Eleven-month warranty walkthrough
Built for owners without in-house construction teams.
Our clients are sophisticated allocators of capital and stewards of mission — but they do not build for a living. We become the construction expertise inside their organization for the life of the project.
First-Time Developers
Emerging real estate developers building their first ground-up project, where every decision sets a precedent for the portfolio to come.
Family Offices
Private capital deploying into real estate without internal construction infrastructure, requiring trusted oversight and disciplined reporting.
Faith Communities
Churches and ministries building sanctuaries, schools, or expansions — stewarding congregational resources with the gravity they deserve.
Independent Schools
Private schools and academies undertaking capital campaigns, where boards and headmasters need a construction translator they can trust.
Healthcare Practices
Physician-owned groups building medical office, surgery, and clinic space — where downtime translates directly into lost revenue.
Build-to-Rent & Multifamily
Operators and out-of-state capital deploying into Carolina BTR and multifamily portfolios who need a local set of trusted eyes.
Three ways to work together.
Most owners ultimately choose the hybrid model — predictable monthly oversight paired with a small percentage fee that aligns our success with yours. Pricing is shaped by project size, complexity, and duration.
Pre-Development Study
- Defined-scope feasibility, budget, or selection engagement
- Two to eight week duration
- Written deliverable & executive briefing
- Often the on-ramp to full representation
Hybrid Representation
- Monthly retainer covering active oversight
- Percentage fee aligned to project value
- Optional success bonus on schedule & budget
- Full lifecycle representation, pre-dev through warranty
Monthly Retainer
- Ongoing advisory throughout construction phase
- OAC representation & owner reporting
- Pay application & change order review
- Best for projects $1M – $15M
Shaine Montgomery
I spent two decades inside the general contractor's office. I know precisely where owners lose money — and I know precisely how to stop it.
Shaine Montgomery founded Laurel Brook Advisors after years as a Project Executive for one of the Southeast's most respected commercial general contractors, where he led complex builds across multifamily, commercial, healthcare, and institutional sectors.
The firm exists to give owners the same caliber of construction expertise that builders have always kept for themselves — paired with the independence that only comes when there's no ladder to climb except the client's.
The best decisions are made before the first concrete is poured.
If you're considering a project — or already in motion and want a second set of expert eyes — we'd welcome a conversation. The first hour is always complimentary, and there's never a fee for clarity.