Case Study · Multifamily · Feasibility and Budget Review

48-Unit Infill Development

How owner-side feasibility and budget review helped a 48-unit multifamily project break ground on schedule, control civil costs, and avoid construction equity calls.

Project48-unit infill development
TypeMultifamily development
Epex roleFeasibility and budget review
Civil cost resultWithin 4% of revised budget
Capital resultNo construction equity calls

The challenge

Infill multifamily projects carry cost and schedule risks before vertical construction begins. Civil scope, utility coordination, site constraints, and incomplete assumptions can create early overruns that consume contingency before the building is out of the ground. The development team needed a realistic budget and a clear path to groundbreaking.

Our role

Epex Consulting reviewed feasibility and the development budget from the owner’s perspective. The work focused on the assumptions most likely to affect civil cost, project readiness, contingency, and the amount of equity required during construction.

How we strengthened the development plan

Feasibility review

We tested whether the proposed scope, sequence, and cost assumptions supported a practical route to construction.

Civil budget review

We separated site and civil assumptions from the broader building budget so the team could see where early cost exposure was concentrated.

Contingency planning

We aligned contingency with identifiable project risks instead of treating it as an undifferentiated percentage.

Owner decision support

We organized the information needed to resolve budget and readiness questions before they delayed groundbreaking or required additional capital.

The outcome

The project broke ground on schedule. Readiness and budget questions were addressed early enough to protect the planned start.
Civil costs landed within 4% of the revised budget. The revised plan created a more reliable benchmark for one of the project’s highest-risk cost categories.
No equity calls during construction. The owners were not required to contribute unplanned additional equity to cover construction costs.

Why multifamily feasibility must connect to the construction budget

A development can appear feasible on a high-level model and still fail when civil, utility, escalation, or sequencing assumptions reach the field. Owner-side review connects the financial model to the actual work that must be bought and built. That connection gives developers and investors a clearer view of downside risk before capital is committed.

Frequently asked questions

What does a multifamily budget review cover?

Epex reviews major hard-cost categories, allowances, civil and utility scope, soft-cost interfaces, contingency, escalation assumptions, and gaps between the development model and available project documents.

When should feasibility review happen?

Before land or major design commitments when possible, and again as the drawings and contractor pricing become more detailed. Feasibility should improve as the project definition improves.

Can Epex review a project that already has a contractor budget?

Yes. Contractor pricing is an important input, but owner-side review tests completeness, assumptions, exclusions, and alignment with the development model.

Testing a multifamily development budget?

Bring the development model, current drawings, and contractor budget. We will identify the assumptions most likely to affect capital and schedule.

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