The Raleigh Triangle region has seen an increase in development projects, ranging from new commercial spaces to single-family home communities. Project managers, property owners, and regional developers know the cost of materials and labor has continued to rise.

Did you know there is a partner you can bring on your next project to help keep costs low while maintaining the safety, integrity, and reliability of the finished product? Value engineering is the answer.

What is a Value Engineer?

Value engineers analyze designs and plans to achieve the essential functions of a project while finding ways to save costs for the owners or developers. These small changes can add up over the course of a project and can include changes to materials, landscape design, piping placement and more to make the project more effective.

Over his nearly 40-year career, Andy Mills, PE, Senior Development Project Manager at Colliers Engineering & Design, has worked as both a land developer and a civil engineer. Having the unique experience of seeing both sides of the industry is an advantage that has enabled him to leverage his expertise in value engineering when balancing cost challenges in development projects

“As a value engineer, it is my job to work with our clients and see if we can switch out certain materials to save valuable time and money on materials and labor,” explained Andy. “When I look at plans, I think about how we can save the client money, while still providing a quality project and meeting the requirements of the various municipalities.”

Value Engineering in Practice

Andy’s previous projects show how value engineering makes a difference on a job site.

During supply chain issues during COVID-19, Andy and his team were waiting on piping to arrive, causing delays and higher costs. He decided to switch the materials to something more readily available, preventing any further delays in construction and labor costs for the installation.

“In this situation, it was a waste of time and money to wait for the original material to come in,” said Andy. “Knowing both the project area and the land this project was on; I was able to determine the new material was just as efficient as the original. Changes such as these are what value engineers are able to bring to project sites.”

Other common changes to projects in North Carolina can include finding a way to save soil materials and reusing them in the final project to save costs, rerouting a water or sewer system to save costs on materials, and using the natural slope of a project to improve drainage locations.

Why You Need a Value Engineer on Your Next Project

Value engineers such as Andy combine their civil/site experience with their knowledge of materials, local permitting and more to save clients valuable time and money on any project. From commercial to residential, value engineers can help any team keep costs down while keeping the project’s safety, integrity and reliability.

“Value engineers are here to keep your projects economical,” said Andy. “My biggest passion has been helping clients small and large continue to create quality developments while saving time and money.”

Andy Mills Senior Project Manager, Civil/Site Development at Colliers Engineering & Design will be speaking at Bisnow’s Triangle State of the Market on May 29, 2025. For additional information and to sign up to attend, visit the event page on Bisnow!