Project Navigator starts at $20,000, quoted per project. It includes everything in the Budget Plan plus owner-side advisory through opening: independent quote review across equipment dealers and contractor bids, floor plan and design review against the budget, lender negotiation support, and budget tracking with change-order review. Availability depends on your project's state and is confirmed before engagement.
Some states regulate construction-related services more tightly than others. Before any engagement starts, I confirm which Project Navigator services can be offered for your project's state, and I put that in writing. The Feasibility Check and the Budget Plan are available for projects in all 50 states.
Who is Project Navigator for?
Project Navigator is for a dentist who wants an independent, owner-side advisor from the first budget through opening day. It fits three kinds of projects: a de novo startup, a relocation, or a ground-up build.
The Budget Plan gives you the number. Project Navigator is about staying near that number once real documents start arriving: equipment proposals, floor plans, contractor bids, term sheets and change orders. Those documents are where budgets drift. Equipment for a standard build alone is often $100,000 to $200,000, according to a 2026 dental-lawyer guide to build-outs3. In the Alithos planning model, construction is the largest single line in the budget5. A second, independent read matters most there.
It's usually a fit if most of these are true:
- You expect more than one equipment proposal and want them compared line by line on the same scope.
- You'll get contractor bids and want to know what each one includes, excludes and leaves as an allowance before you choose.
- You're still practicing full-time and can't spend your evenings decoding proposals.
- You'll be comparing lender term sheets and want someone who knows the budget beside you when you respond.
- You want your architect, contractor, dealer and lender all working from the same verified numbers until the doors open.
When the Budget Plan is enough: if you already have a team you trust and you mainly need a verified number and a lender-ready package, start with the Budget Plan. If you're not sure the project should happen at all, start with the Feasibility Check. For a first pass on your own, run the cost estimator.
What is included in Project Navigator?
Six pieces of work, all on your side of the table. Each one ends with you making the decision.
Everything in the Budget Plan
Space requirements, a line-item equipment and imaging budget, build vs. lease vs. condo projections, Section 179 and tax modeling (educational; your CPA confirms), cash-flow and debt-service coverage analysis, and the lender-ready package.
Independent quote review: equipment
I put each dealer's proposal on the same line-item scope as your budget: what's included, what's missing, what's an allowance, and what's out of line. I call this a Quote Check. You get the questions to send back. You choose the vendor.
Independent quote review: contractor bids
The same side-by-side read across bids: inclusions, exclusions, allowances, alternates, contingency and schedule assumptions. I flag the gaps. Your architect and attorney review the contract. You choose the contractor.
Floor plan budget review
I review the floor plan and design set against the space and equipment budget: operatory count, square footage, imaging rooms, plumbing runs and finish level. I don't design. Your architect does.
Lender negotiation support
I help you read term sheets side by side and prepare your questions on rate, term, fees, reserves and prepayment. You talk to the lender and you decide. Your attorney reviews the loan documents.
Budget tracking and change-order review
I track committed and spent dollars against the plan. Before you sign a change order, I review its scope, price and effect on the budget and on your debt-service coverage.
Why quote review matters: prices, scope and terms differ between proposals, and the differences hide in the line items. My post on the costs nobody bids covers the lines that most often go missing. For what a build-out should cost in the first place, see the dental office build-out cost guide.
What doesn't Project Navigator do?
I'm not a contractor, architect, engineer or construction manager. I don't direct trades, supervise construction, sign contracts or approve payments for you. You and your licensed team make every decision.
I'm also not a real estate broker, lender, attorney, CPA or investment adviser. Project Navigator is advisory only. I give you an independent read on numbers and documents. I don't give legal, tax or investment advice. States license contractors and design professionals. In California, for example, the Contractors State License Board licenses contractors4. That is one reason Project Navigator's scope is confirmed by state before we start.
Here is who does what:
| Decision | Who makes it | My role |
|---|---|---|
| Design and drawings | Your architect, with you | Review against the space and equipment budget |
| Choosing an equipment vendor | You | Independent quote review |
| Choosing a contractor | You | Independent quote review of bids |
| Lease, construction and purchase contracts | You, with your attorney | Flag budget questions before you sign |
| Change orders and payments | You, under your contracts | Review scope, price and budget impact first |
| Loan terms | You and your lender | Term sheet comparison and question prep |
| Tax treatment | You, with your CPA | Educational modeling only |
Independence is the point. I'm paid by you alone. No commissions, referral fees or kickbacks from lenders, dealers, brokers or contractors, in either direction.
How does Project Navigator work?
The work is virtual: video calls and shared documents. It runs from your first budget to opening day in eight steps.
- Free Project Fit CallThirty minutes by video. No pitch. We talk about your project, your timeline and whether Project Navigator fits. Book one here.
- State check and written scopeI confirm which Project Navigator services can be offered for your project's state. Then you get the scope and the fee in writing before any work starts.
- The Budget PlanWe build your verified number first. Most Budget Plans are completed in 3–5 weeks from kickoff. The rest of the engagement measures everything against it.
- Floor plan and design reviewAs layouts and drawings come in, I check them against the space and equipment budget and flag anything that moves the number.
- Independent quote reviewEquipment proposals and contractor bids go on one scope, line by line. You get a written summary and questions to send back. You choose.
- Lender negotiation supportI update the lender package with real quotes, compare term sheets with you, and help you prepare for the conversation you'll have with the lender.
- Budget tracking and change-order reviewDuring construction, I keep the committed-versus-budget picture current and review each change order before you sign it.
- Opening dayYou open with a budget record that shows where the money went against the plan, so your lender and CPA see the same numbers you do.
What does Project Navigator cost?
Project Navigator starts at $20,000 and is quoted per project, in writing, before any work starts. The quote includes the Budget Plan. Availability depends on your project's state and is confirmed before engagement. No part of the fee comes from a lender, dealer, broker or contractor.
| Service | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Feasibility Check | $2,500 flat; credits toward the Budget Plan | Go / no-go screen, space and site fit, equipment range, DSCR pre-check |
| The Budget Plan | $7,500–$10,000 flat fee; scope in writing | The verified number and the lender-ready package |
| Project Navigator | From $20,000; quoted per project | Budget Plan plus owner-side advisory through opening; availability depends on your project's state |
For scale: the Alithos estimator puts a 5-operatory startup in leased space at standard finish at about $887,000 to $980,000 all-in, including $85,000 of working capital5. That's planning math, not a quote. On that range, a $20,000 fee works out to about 2.0% to 2.3% of the project. The cost benchmark table shows other sizes. See every service side by side on the services overview.
Is Project Navigator available in my state?
It depends on where your project is. Some states regulate construction-related services more tightly than others, so I confirm which Project Navigator services can be offered for your project's state before any engagement starts. If part of the scope can't be offered there, I tell you plainly and the written scope reflects it.
The Feasibility Check and the Budget Plan are available for projects in all 50 states. I'm based in California and work virtually, so your location doesn't change the process. Bring your project's state, its type and where it stands today (letter of intent, lease, drawings or bids) to the call. The FAQ covers the rest.
How does Project Navigator compare with other options?
Owners usually weigh three alternatives. Each has a place. The question is whose side each party is on.
| Project Navigator | Design-build firm | Lender's construction oversight | Doing it yourself | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who they work for | You alone | You, under the construction contract | The lender; it protects the loan | You |
| Sells construction, equipment or loans | No | Yes, construction | Yes, the loan | n/a |
| Designs or builds the office | No | Yes | No | No |
| Compares competing quotes on one scope | Yes | Varies | Not its purpose | Your time |
| Reviews change orders against your budget | Yes | It prices them | Varies by lender | Your time |
| Debt-service coverage analysis | Yes | Varies | Its own underwriting | Your time |
| Cost to you | From $20,000, quoted; availability depends on your project's state | Part of the contract | Set by the lender | Your hours |
Project Navigator doesn't replace your architect or contractor. It can sit beside a design-build firm or a traditional design-bid-build team. For how those two delivery methods differ, see design-build vs. design-bid-build. For the full menu of planning help, from DIY to full-service programs, see dental office planning options compared.
On the lender side, the debt-service coverage ratio is the number most underwriting turns on. Many dental lenders look for at least 1.25x, and one dental lender writing in ADA News calls that a guideline, not a strict minimum2. If you're using an SBA 7(a) loan, the SBA caps the maximum at $5 million and sets maturities of up to 25 years for real estate and generally up to 10 years for equipment and working capital1. Your lender sets its own terms within those rules.
Project Navigator FAQ
Is Project Navigator available in my state?
It depends on where your project is. Some states regulate construction-related services more tightly than others, so Dan confirms which Project Navigator services can be offered for your project's state before any engagement starts. The Feasibility Check and the Budget Plan are available for projects in all 50 states.
How is Project Navigator priced?
Project Navigator starts at $20,000 and is quoted per project, in writing, before any work starts. The quote includes the full Budget Plan. Availability depends on your project's state and is confirmed before engagement. Alithos takes no commissions, referral fees or kickbacks from lenders, dealers, brokers or contractors.
Do you manage my contractor?
No. Dan is not a contractor, architect, engineer or construction manager. He does not direct trades, supervise construction, sign contracts or approve payments for you. He reviews quotes, plans and change orders against your budget, and you and your licensed team make every decision.
What does independent quote review involve?
Each equipment proposal or contractor bid is put on the same line-item scope as your budget. The review shows what each one includes, excludes and leaves as an allowance, and where it differs from the plan. You get a written summary and questions to send back, and you choose the vendor or contractor.
How does change-order review work?
Before you sign a change order, Dan reviews its scope, price and effect on the total budget and on your debt-service coverage, and tells you what questions to ask. Approving it stays with you under your contracts, and your architect and contractor handle the work.
How is Project Navigator different from the Budget Plan?
The Budget Plan ($7,500 to $10,000, flat fee) produces the verified number and the lender-ready package. Project Navigator (from $20,000, quoted per project; availability depends on your project's state) includes the Budget Plan and adds owner-side advisory through opening: independent quote review, floor plan and design review, lender negotiation support, and budget tracking with change-order review.
Not sure which service fits? Book a free Project Fit Call and we'll work it out in 30 minutes. Or start with your own numbers in the cost estimator.
Sources
- U.S. Small Business Administration, Terms, conditions, and eligibility (7(a) loan program), accessed 2026.
- ADA News (M. Jerkins), "Ask the Expert: How much debt is too much when buying a dental practice?" (2026).
- Dental & Medical Counsel (A. Oromchian), A Dental Lawyer's Guide to Your Dental Office Build-Out (2026).
- California Contractors State License Board, cslb.ca.gov, accessed 2026.
- Alithos Advisory, cost benchmark table (Alithos planning model, not survey data; 2026).
Prices on this page are Alithos's published fees. Market figures come from the sources above, and model figures are labeled as planning assumptions. How we research and update this page.