How Revival Delivers Faster, Better, and More Affordable Projects with a Modified CMGC Model

A Case Study on Cutting $22,875 in Fees and Four Weeks of Schedule

In commercial development, the two questions that matter most are simple:

How fast can we get this done—and how much will it cost?

After years of watching traditional delivery methods slow projects down and inflate budgets, we built a model that solves both problems. And it’s working.

Revival Development has been refining a modified Construction Manager / General Contractor (CMGC) delivery method that shifts one key responsibility:

Designers report contractually to us instead of the owner.

This subtle change creates an enormous difference in cost, speed, accountability, and results. Here’s how—and why it works.

The Problem with the Traditional Process

In a typical setup, the owner hires the architect and engineers directly. While this is common, it often creates:

• Misalignment between designer and contractor
• Slow turnaround times
• Expensive fees with little incentive to reduce costs
• A&E teams working in silos
• Confusion around who is driving decisions
• Change orders that appear late in the process

Revival redesigned the model to eliminate these friction points.

Our Modified CMGC Delivery Method

Under our approach, Revival directly manages the architectural and engineering teams, while the owner remains fully informed and engaged.

This gives us the ability to:

• Select and manage A&E teams based on proven performance
• Streamline communication and approvals
• Speed up design iterations
• Deliver more accurate documentation for permit submittals
• Cut unnecessary fees that burden owners
• Reduce the “mystery gap” between design and construction

The result? Faster projects. Lower costs. Better outcomes.

Case Study: 5,847 SF Daycare Project

The owner requested pricing under both the traditional process and Revival’s modified CMGC model.

The comparison couldn’t be clearer.

Traditional Delivery Costs

• Architecture firm: $16,875 (≈ 4 weeks, finish selections left to GC)
• Engineering (MEP): $9,000
• Revival (as-builts, layouts, project interface): $6,000

Total: $31,875

Revival’s Modified CMGC Delivery Costs

We ran the project through our streamlined process:

• Architecture bids: $3,000–$4,000
• Selected architect: $3,000 (submitted for permit in 36 hours)
• Revival management fee: $6,000

Total: $9,000

Final Impact

• Total Savings: $22,875
• Schedule Saved: 4 weeks
• Quality: Higher accuracy, faster permit, cleaner coordination

That’s not abstract value—that’s real money and real schedule owners can immediately feel.

We believe this model is sellable, scalable, and wildly beneficial for developers and operators in today’s tightening construction environment.

Sharing Savings, Increasing Alignment

We’re taking this one step further.

Revival is evolving this model by creating financial partnerships with our clients throughout the construction process.

Under this structure:

• Clients see everything we see
• We make decisions together
• Any savings are shared
• Transparency replaces guesswork
• Incentives stay fully aligned from start to finish

It’s a radically collaborative approach that flips the traditional competitive-bid model on its head.

Why This Matters to Developers

Competitive bidding is slow. It’s fragmented.

And it pits partners against each other from day one.

Our modified CMGC delivery method—and the financial partnership model behind it—creates a better alternative:

✓ Faster schedules

✓ Lower fees

✓ Shared incentives & transparency

✓ Higher-quality documentation

✓ Fewer surprises

Developers get what they’ve always wanted:

A partner who thinks like an owner—because we are one with you.

Where We’re Going Next

We see a clear path to scale.

We plan to bring this model to our network of developers and show them why this partnership approach beats the traditional process.

The results speak for themselves—and this daycare project is only the beginning.

If you’re evaluating a project and want to explore a faster, more cost-effective delivery method, we’d love to show you how this model works in practice.

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