Renovation project consulting: work delivered at the right price, on time, with no bad surprises.
More than 1,550 projects delivered — units, common areas, building envelope, parking structures. We represent your interests, not the contractor’s: needs assessment, plans and specifications, call for tenders, site supervision and final inspection, by a single team of engineers and project managers.
- More than 1,550 projects delivered
- Units, common areas, envelope, parking structures
- From the initial need to final acceptance
Your interests first
We are not a contractor: our only mandate is to get your work delivered at a fair price and the right quality.
One point of contact
From the initial need to final acceptance, the same team runs the project and answers to the board of directors.
Engineer-signed documents
Plans, specifications, bid schedules and signed reports: comparable bids and verifiable work.
Every type of building
Condominium syndicates, rental, commercial and institutional buildings, portfolio managers.
What a renovation project demands of a board of directors
A renovation project in a condominium or a rental building is not just about picking a contractor. It means defining a need, turning it into technical documents, obtaining genuinely comparable prices, controlling the execution, then accepting work that complies. Each of these steps engages the directors’ liability — and each one gets expensive when it is improvised.
1. Define the needRepair, replace or improve? A prior technical diagnosis avoids paying for unnecessary work — or overlooking work that will soon become urgent.
2. Document the projectWithout plans and specifications, every contractor bids on his own interpretation: prices are not comparable and extras show up during construction.
3. Select the contractorRBQ licence, insurance, references, financial capacity, bid compliance: a comparative analysis protects the board from the “lowest bidder” who ends up costing the most.
4. Control the executionSite visits, verification of compliance with the plans, management of unforeseen conditions and change requests, approval of progress payments.
5. Accept the workFinal inspection, deficiency list, holdback until corrections are made, warranty and close-out documents filed in the building register.
Directors’ liabilityThe board of directors must act with prudence and diligence (arts. 1077 and 2138 C.C.Q.). Retaining an independent professional is the best way to demonstrate it.
In numbers
1,550+
renovation projects supported since our beginnings
1
single point of contact, from diagnosis to acceptance
0
ties to contractors: an independent recommendation
Good to know: work on the envelope or the structure — balconies, guardrails, masonry, roofs, parking slabs — often requires engineer-signed plans to obtain a permit and to engage the contractor’s warranty. Our structural engineers prepare them in-house.
Does your project need professional support?
Not every project needs a consultant. Check the statements that describe your situation: the result tells you whether full, partial or one-off support is indicated.
This tool gives a general indication. Our project managers assess your situation free of charge and propose the appropriate level of support.
Your project
From the idea to final acceptance, in 6 steps
A process proven on more than 1,550 projects, a single point of contact, and documents your board of directors can present to the co-owners’ meeting with confidence.
1. Meeting and diagnosis
We listen to your need, visit the building and review the existing reports (maintenance log, reserve fund study, façade reports). You receive a clear opinion: repair, replace or wait.
2. Program and budget
Scope of work, options, class estimate and a realistic schedule: the board has everything it needs to decide and, if required, to put the project to a vote.
3. Plans and specifications
Our engineers prepare the plans, the technical specifications and the bid schedule. Every contractor bids on the same basis: prices become comparable.
4. Call for tenders and recommendation
Selection of qualified contractors, mandatory site visit, question period, comparative analysis of the bids (compliance, price, exclusions, references) and award recommendation.
5. Site supervision
Kick-off and site meetings, supervision visits, verification of compliance with the plans, management of change requests, review and approval of progress claims.
6. Final inspection and acceptance
Deficiency list, holdback until corrections are made, warranty documents, as-built drawings and close-out in the building register. You close the project with peace of mind.
Documents made for deciding, comparing and controlling
At every step, a concrete deliverable the board can read, understand and file in the register — and that protects the syndicate in the event of a dispute with a contractor.
Work program and estimate
Scope, options, class budget and schedule: the basis for the board resolution or the vote at the meeting.
Plans, specifications and bid schedule
Technical documents signed by our engineers, ready for the permit and the call for tenders.
Bid analysis report
Standardized comparison table, verification of licences and insurance, reasoned award recommendation.
Supervision reports
Dated and photographed site reports, tracking of changes and progress payments.
Final inspection report
Deficiency list, certificate of completion, warranties and as-built documents for the building register.
Envelope and structure: the work you don’t entrust to just anyone
Most costly projects in condominiums involve the envelope or the structure. That is where design errors and poor workmanship cost the most — and where our structural engineers make the difference, from design to the final certificate.
Balconies and guardrails
Slab repairs, membranes, anchors and code-compliant guardrails: signed plans and supervision by an engineer.
Masonry and façades
Repointing, brick replacement, lintels, sills and sealants — consistent with your Bill 122 façade report.
Roofs and waterproofing
Membrane replacement, insulation, drainage and flashings: precise specifications to avoid extras and leaks.
Parking structures and slabs
Concrete repairs, parking membranes, drainage and joints: work planned from your in-depth verification.
And also: windows and doors, corridors and common areas, mechanical and electrical systems, code upgrades, reconstruction after a loss. We coordinate architects and specialized engineers when needed — you still have a single point of contact.
What our clients find from one project to the next
Complete independence
No ties to contractors or suppliers. Our award recommendation is based on analysis, not on a commission.
Measurable savings
Comparable bids and controlled extras: the support usually pays for itself through the gap between the prices obtained and the first quote received.
Condominium know-how
We work every day with boards of directors and managers: resolutions, meetings, special assessments, reserve funds — we speak your language.
The big picture
Maintenance log, reserve fund, façade reports: your work fits into a long-term plan rather than a series of emergencies.
From diagnosis to construction, and beyond
Our façade reports and reserve fund studies identify the work to be done; our project management team gets it built. Same file, same team, from the first finding to final acceptance.
Project consulting and management
Diagnosis, plans and specifications, call for tenders, supervision and acceptance: full or à-la-carte support, depending on your project.
Inspection and corrective work
Verification report by a structural engineer, then design and supervision of the work through to the certificate of compliance.
Reserve fund and maintenance log
Plan and fund your work over 25 years: the reserve fund study tells you what to do, when, and at what cost.
Everything we get asked about renovation project management
What is the difference between a renovation consultant and a general contractor?
The contractor performs the work and has an interest in selling as much work as possible at the best price for him. The consultant represents the owner: he defines what needs to be done, prepares the documents, organizes the competition between contractors and verifies that the work delivered matches what was paid for. Groupe Darheim does not perform construction work: our only compensation comes from you.
From what budget is professional support worthwhile?
As a rule, as soon as the project involves several trades, affects the envelope or the structure, or represents a significant expense for the building. For simpler projects, one-off support (technical opinion, review of a quote, end-of-work inspection) is often enough. The gap between the bids obtained with plans and specifications and the first quote received usually covers our fees.
Do we have to take the full support package?
No. You can entrust us with a single step: diagnosis and estimate, plans and specifications, call for tenders, site supervision or final inspection. We recommend the appropriate level after a free initial meeting.
How are your fees calculated?
According to the scope of the mandate: a fixed fee for the defined steps (diagnosis, plans and specifications, call for tenders) and hourly fees or a fixed fee per visit for site supervision. You receive a detailed proposal before committing, with no charge for the preliminary analysis.
Do you choose the contractor for us?
No: we prepare the call for tenders, analyze the bids and give you a reasoned recommendation. The award decision always belongs to the board of directors or the owner. Our independence is complete: we have no business ties with contractors.
Which work requires engineer-signed plans?
Anything affecting the structure or the envelope: balconies, guardrails, parking slabs, load-bearing masonry, roofs with structural changes, openings in load-bearing walls. Municipalities require them for the permit, and insurers or lenders may ask for them. Our structural engineers prepare them in-house.
Can you help us get the project approved at the meeting?
Yes. We prepare a clear work program with options and a budget estimate, and we can present the project to the co-owners and answer their questions. A well-documented project is much easier to adopt — and to finance through the reserve fund or a special assessment.
What happens with extras or unforeseen conditions during construction?
Change requests are analyzed, priced and approved before execution, never after. Complete plans and specifications greatly limit extras; for genuine unforeseen conditions (hidden condition of the structure, for example), we validate the need, negotiate the price and document the decision.
Do you supervise the site full time?
The frequency of visits is adapted to the project: at critical stages (demolition, membrane installation, concrete pours, wall closure) and at regular intervals for follow-up. Every visit results in a dated and photographed report sent to the board.
Do you get involved after a loss or for an insurance claim?
Yes. We assess the damage, prepare the restoration program, review the estimates of the claims adjuster and the contractor, then supervise the reconstruction work.
Do you work with rental and commercial buildings?
Yes. Condominium syndicates, owners of rental, commercial, industrial or institutional buildings, managers of several buildings: the method is the same, adapted to your operating constraints and your tenants.
Which region do you serve?
Mainly Greater Montreal, Laval, the North Shore, the South Shore and the Montérégie, as well as Quebec City, Gatineau and the Eastern Townships depending on the project. Contact us to confirm availability in your area.
Tell us about your project
Describe your building and the work you have in mind in two minutes. A project manager calls you back to assess your situation and propose the right level of support — no obligation.
- No obligation, no charge for the preliminary analysis
- You speak directly with the project manager who will handle your file
- Full or à-la-carte support, depending on your project
Prefer to call us?
514-929-8752 · info@groupedarheim.ca