About Xenofan
The riskiest decisions on a project are made before construction starts.
Before the lease, the budget, the contract. That's where I work.
Most early numbers come from someone with a role in the project. Each one is useful. None is built to be defended in front of a finance committee.
The broker's fit-out estimate, the designer's first budget, the contractor's budget price. Xenofan exists to give your organization an independent number before you commit.
— Martial Youadjeu
Both sides of the table
I've seen your kind of project from both sides. Xenofan brings that to the moment you decide.
Many budget problems are set before design starts: a lease signed on an untested allowance, a budget nobody priced, a scope still moving. I've watched them play out for the client and for the contractor, so I know what to check before you commit.
01 Lease or site · 02 Budget · 03 Design · 04 Tender · 05 Construction · 06 Close-out
Where this comes from
Xenofan
2026 – presentPrincipal
Independent cost opinions for organizations planning an office move, a renovation or a capital asset renewal: budget opinions before design, budget reviews, options analysis and renewal planning. Xenofan also delivers commercial renovations in Québec, never on a project it has advised on.
BGIS
2016 – 2026Project Estimator, then Senior Project Estimator · Cost Engineer
Ten years on the corporate real estate side, estimating office, retail branch and building-system projects of up to $30 million for banks, a national telecom and government clients. My mandate included:
- Cost estimates, from early budget to tender
- Pricing analysis of contractor bids and change orders
- Benchmarking: a portfolio cost database and an annual benchmark report
- Business analytics and intelligence: designing cost dashboards and reports for data-driven decisions
I know what this work costs today, and why budgets drift. The estimating tools and benchmark database I built more than halved budget variance at completion in three years.
Constructions Devlor
2012 – 2016Cost Estimator, then Cost Engineer · Assistant Project Manager
Four years with a general contractor, pricing, scheduling and building commercial, institutional and residential projects from $0.5 million to $50 million. My role covered:
- Estimating and bid preparation, about $500 million in total volume
- Value engineering, scheduling and site engineering during construction
- Cost models by UniFormat and MasterFormat, so early budgets and trade bids can be compared line by line
Selected projects include O'Cartier Condominium in Laval, a 16-storey, $35 million tower where I was lead estimator. On Condo BANK in Old Montréal, a 17-storey tower, I prepared the cost estimates, supported value engineering and worked full time on site as assistant project manager. I know how contractors build their numbers, and what changes once work starts on site.
Who I work with
For the people accountable for the capital decision.
At law firms, accounting firms, financial institutions and professional services firms, typically with 200 employees or more.
Projects like yours
From a retail branch upgrade to a head-office relocation, the projects your organization is planning.
- Financial institutions: head offices and retail branches
- Professional and corporate offices
- Institutional and government buildings
- Commercial buildings
- Office fit-outs, relocations and renovations
- Building systems lifecycle replacement, risk reduction and upgrades: HVAC, chillers, generators, UPS and batteries, roofs, fuel tanks
- New construction
- Capital planning, budgeting and benchmarking
How I work
One project. One role. Never both.
Xenofan also delivers commercial renovations. If we give the cost opinion on a project, we don't bid on it, build it or manage it.
Fee not tied to the outcome
The same fee whether your project proceeds or not.
Principal-led
I do the analysis myself, from first call to final report.
Decision-focused
Context, costs and risks, organized around your decision.
A lease, a renovation or a capital budget ahead?
If you want an independent cost opinion before you commit, I'd welcome a conversation.