PROJECT RESCUE · GREATER HOUSTON
Your GC walked off. Your project doesn’t have to stall.
Get an owner-side assessment of the work, payments and remaining costs so you can decide how to move forward. Epex helps owners, investors and developers address unfinished work, unclear scope, mounting costs and payments that have run ahead of progress.
Book a Free Project Rescue Call →
Free 20-minute introductory call. Detailed Rescue Assessments start at $1,500, with scope and fees agreed separately before work begins.
When your project needs a rescue assessment
- The contractor stopped showing up: document current conditions and clarify the remaining work.
- The scope was never clear: review exclusions, changes and unfinished items before comparing completion bids.
- Payments ran ahead of progress: compare draws and invoices with work actually in place.
- Your GC is still working, but costs keep climbing: add independent review of progress, payments and change orders.
The Rescue Assessment
Understand what has been built, what has been paid and what it will take to move forward.
1. Existing conditions
Site walk and photo log, current conditions and work in place.
2. Permits and scope
Review available permit and inspection records, plans, contract scope, exclusions and change orders.
3. Payments and progress
Compare draws and invoices with completed work to identify questions before further payments.
4. Path to completion
Remaining scope, cost-to-complete estimate, scheduling risks and next steps.
Starting at $1,500. The fee depends on project size, condition and review scope. Pricing and timing are agreed before assessment work begins. Estimates depend on available records and project conditions.
From uncertainty to a clear next step
- Talk: bring your immediate questions to a free 20-minute introductory call.
- Agree the scope: confirm the review scope, fee, documents and timing.
- Decide: use the findings to plan completion, evaluate a new GC or discuss ongoing owner-side management.
Further services require a separate agreement. For ongoing support, explore owner’s representation, construction management and draw administration.
What to bring to the call
Your questions, project location, contract, plans, invoices, draw history, recent photos and any permit paperwork you have. You do not need a complete or polished document package to start the conversation.
The first week after a contractor walks off
What an owner does in the first few days often decides how much the rest of the job costs. These are the steps we walk owners through, before anyone signs with a replacement contractor:
- Stop further payments. Hold the next draw or invoice until the work in place has been checked against what has already been paid. If a lender is funding the job, let the lender know before the next draw request goes in.
- Secure and document the site. Lock up materials and equipment, protect open framing or roofing from weather, and take dated photos and video of every area before anyone else touches it. That record matters for insurance, bonding, lender and contract discussions later.
- Collect the paper trail. Contract, plans, change orders, invoices, draw history, lien waivers, permit numbers and inspection results. Gaps in this file are often the first sign of where the money went.
- Check who has not been paid. In Texas, unpaid subcontractors and suppliers can send the owner notices and may file liens even if the owner paid the general contractor. Keep every notice you receive and keep the statutory retainage (generally 10% of the contract price, held until 30 days after completion) in place.
- Get legal advice on the contract. Whether you can terminate, what notice is required and what happens to deposits are legal questions. We work alongside your construction attorney; we do not replace one.
Why finishing someone else’s job costs more
Completion contractors price in risk they did not create: work they have to open up and verify, defects they may inherit, missing documentation and a schedule that has already slipped. Expect completion bids to come in higher per unit of work than the original contract, and expect them to vary widely between bidders. A clear scope of what is actually left, with photos, quantities and known defects, is what narrows that range. That scope is the core of the Rescue Assessment.
Who we work with
Most rescue calls come from homeowners building a custom home, small investors with townhome or multifamily projects, and business owners in the middle of a commercial buildout across Greater Houston, including Cypress, Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, The Woodlands and Spring. Projects range from a single residence to small multifamily developments.
Common questions
How quickly can you get out to the site?
After the introductory call and an agreed scope, a site visit can usually be scheduled within days. Timing depends on location, access and the records available.
Can you help me find a new contractor?
Yes, as part of a separate scope. We can prepare the remaining-work scope for bidding, help compare completion bids on the same basis and review the new contract from the owner’s side before you sign.
Is the assessment useful if I end up in a dispute?
A documented record of conditions, payments and remaining work is usually useful to your attorney, insurer or lender. Whether and how it is used in a dispute is a decision for you and your attorney.
My GC is still working. Can you help?
Yes. Owner-side oversight can review progress, payments, scope and changes while your contractor remains on site. Contractor responsibilities remain subject to the applicable agreements.
What if required permits were not pulled?
We review available records and help identify questions and next steps for the local authority and appropriate professionals. Requirements depend on the project and work already completed.
Do I have to hire Epex for the next phase?
No. The assessment informs your next decision. Ongoing management or construction work requires a separate scope and agreement.
Get someone on your side
Project rescue and GC oversight for Greater Houston residential projects, townhomes, multifamily developments and commercial buildouts.
Book Your Free 20-Minute Call →
See the Project Rescue inquiry page to share project details, or email [email protected].
Epex Consulting provides construction advisory, project management and owner’s representation. Architectural design and engineering services are provided by independent licensed professionals retained by the owner. Your attorney handles legal advice and contract termination.