Case studies
Budgets that hold, from conceptual estimate to tender.
Two engagements that show what an independent estimate and disciplined cost control change for a capital decision: one office project, then a national portfolio.
Engagements led by Martial Youadjeu, P.Eng., PMP, before joining Xenofan's leadership. Client details are anonymized to respect confidentiality.
Case study 1 · Office renovation · Montréal
A $3.5M office renovation, awarded within 0.02% of the validated budget.
- The client
- A national media company planning a full interior renovation of an aging four-storey office building in downtown Montréal.
- The situation
- Leadership needed a reliable total project cost before the capital request could be approved. An early conceptual estimate had to confirm the project was viable within the expected budget.
- The risk
- The conceptual estimate, built from the test-fit, came in higher than leadership expected. In an old building full of unknowns, a project approved on an optimistic number would have broken budget at design or tender.
Construction cost: estimate to awarded tender
≈ +$500, or 0.02%. The target held after schematic design and after construction documents.
What was done
- 01A conceptual cost estimate from the client’s test-fit, to test viability early
- 02The number presented transparently, then cost-saving measures worked out with the real estate director that preserved the project’s objectives
- 03Scope and budget reconciled to a defined construction target
- 04Structured cost control at two critical gates: after schematic design and after construction documents
- 05Design drift from the original intent identified, with adjustments to realign scope and budget
The outcome
An approved budget with no surprises.
Total project cost, including design, construction and furniture, was validated at about $3.5M, with construction held to a $2.5M target through both design gates. At tender, the awarded contract came in about $500 from the validated estimate.
Case study 2 · National real estate portfolio
Average project cost overrun, more than halved across a national portfolio.
- The client
- A large corporation managing a national real estate portfolio, investing about a hundred million dollars a year in infrastructure and tenant-improvement projects.
- The situation
- Completed projects were finishing well over their approved budgets. At that scale, the unpredictability eroded confidence in the entire capital plan, and penalties were tied to missing the target.
- The risk
- Without reliable estimating tools and independent challenge of change orders and sole-source bids, the overruns would persist. No one in the delivery chain had an incentive to challenge an optimistic number.
Average cost overrun on completed projects
What was done
- 01Cost-estimating tools and standardized methods for the whole portfolio
- 02Project management and workplace-solutions teams trained in cost management
- 03Teams supported in challenging change orders and sole-source bids
- 04Hundreds of completed projects audited to build an evidence base
- 05Annual benchmark reports, drawing on a database of more than 3,000 projects
- 06Performance indicators to track budget variance year over year
The outcome
Defensible budgets, and a capital plan leadership could trust.
Over the four-year mandate, average project cost overrun across the portfolio went from about −85% to −65%, then to −35%: more than halved, as the estimating tools, training and cost controls took hold. Leadership finally had data-grounded budgets.
Experience built on both sides of the table.
Before Xenofan, Martial Youadjeu estimated, managed and controlled projects on the contractor side and the owner side. Your budget now gets both perspectives.
Laval · 16-storey tower
O’Cartier
A $35M project. Lead estimator.
Contractor side · Devlor
Old Montréal · 17-storey tower
Condo BANK
Cost estimates, value engineering support, then full time on site as assistant project manager.
Contractor side · Devlor
Financial institutions
Head offices and retail branches
Branch renovations, building systems lifecycle replacement and risk reduction: HVAC, chillers, generators, UPS, roofs.
Owner side · BGIS
Xenofan, since 2026
Free guide · in French
Essential insights for your next commercial renovation project.
The decisions that set the cost of your project are made before the drawings. This guide helps you make them in the right order. Available in French only.
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