Focused Construction Engagements
Some construction problems don't require a full project lifecycle. They require engineering, permits, a licensed general contractor, and focused execution on a specific scope.
Retaining wall failures. Slope movement. Water intrusion. Structural damage. Fire rebuilds. These problems are technically complex, but they don't need to be wrapped in a multi-year project delivery. They need someone who can coordinate the engineers, manage the permits, build what needs to be built, and close it out.
BCG scopes each engagement around your specific situation. We start with a site visit and a conversation about what you're dealing with. We coordinate the engineering, handle the permits, manage the field work, and run the process through the building department. Engagements typically range from $25K to $500K+, depending on the scope and complexity of the problem.
Focused engagements are for technically complex construction scopes that require engineering coordination, permits, and a licensed general contractor. If your situation requires full project delivery from design through construction, BCG offers that through a separate construction management path.
After you describe your situation, BCG reviews it, schedules an initial call, and determines whether a site visit or consultant input is the right next step.
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Retaining Walls
Common triggers: cracking or tilting wall, soil movement behind an existing wall, new wall required for hillside development, drainage failure, city notice.
Retaining wall construction in Los Angeles hillside neighborhoods is structural engineering, grading permits, drainage design, and site logistics compressed into a single scope. The wall itself is the visible deliverable, but the real complexity is everything around it: geotechnical investigation, structural engineering, shoring plans, grading permit applications, utility coordination, and drainage systems that manage the water the wall redirects. BCG manages the full scope from engineering coordination through construction closeout.
Common situations include existing walls showing signs of failure - cracking, tilting, soil movement behind the wall - new walls required to stabilize a slope before or during construction, and wall replacement triggered by age, damage, or changed loading conditions. In hillside areas of Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and the Hollywood Hills, retaining walls are often the most engineering-intensive element on a residential property. BCG works directly with the structural and geotechnical engineers to ensure what gets built matches what was designed, and we manage the permitting process with the city from application through final inspection.
Slope Stability
Common triggers: visible slope movement, cracking in structures near a hillside, geotechnical report recommending remediation, city or county notice, neighbor dispute over slope conditions.
Slope stability problems range from active soil movement requiring emergency stabilization to long-term remediation of hillside conditions that threaten a structure or a neighbor's property. The work is engineering-driven: geotechnical investigation determines what's happening and why, structural engineering determines the fix, and construction executes it. Typical solutions include caisson and grade beam systems, soil nail walls, soldier pile walls, subdrains, and surface drainage infrastructure. BCG coordinates the engineering, manages the permits, and executes the construction.
Most slope stability engagements begin with a geotechnical report or a city notice. The property owner receives a recommendation for remediation, and the question becomes who manages the construction side. BCG handles the translation from engineering recommendation to permitted, buildable scope, coordinating the geotechnical and structural engineers as part of the engagement. In hillside neighborhoods across Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and the Hollywood Hills, slope stability work often triggers grading permits, shoring requirements, and coordination with adjacent properties. We manage all of it.
Water Intrusion
Common triggers: recurring leaks, below-grade water seepage, staining or mold on walls, damaged framing discovered during remodel, failed waterproofing system.
Water intrusion problems are diagnostic puzzles first and construction scopes second. Water travels, and the source is rarely where the damage appears. The first step is investigation: where is the water entering, what path is it following, and what has it damaged along the way? BCG coordinates the investigative process with waterproofing consultants, structural engineers, and testing labs to identify the source and extent before defining the construction scope.
Once the problem is diagnosed, the scope typically includes selective demolition to access the intrusion pathway, waterproofing remediation at the source, structural repair if framing or substrates have been compromised, and reconstruction of finishes. In hillside construction and below-grade spaces, water intrusion is common and often recurrent if the root cause isn't properly addressed. BCG manages the full sequence from investigation through repair, ensuring the remediation addresses the actual source and not just the visible damage.
Structural Remediation
Common triggers: foundation settlement or cracking, engineer's report identifying deficiencies, seismic retrofit requirement, framing damage from water or termites, structural modifications for a remodel or addition.
Structural remediation covers a range of situations: foundation settlement, seismic deficiency, load path problems, framing damage from water or pest intrusion, and structural modifications required for remodel or addition work. The common thread is that the work is directed by a structural engineer and requires a general contractor with the field capability to execute engineered repairs accurately and safely.
BCG manages structural remediation from the initial engineering assessment through construction closeout. Typical scopes include foundation underpinning, cripple wall bracing, shear wall installation, beam and column replacement, and connection hardware upgrades. The work often requires temporary shoring, careful load management during construction, and close coordination with the structural engineer on field-verified conditions. We handle the permit process, coordinate inspections with the building department, and manage the construction sequence to maintain structural integrity throughout the engagement.
Fire Damage Repair and Reconstruction
Common triggers: structure damaged or destroyed by wildfire, insurance claim in progress, debris cleared and ready for next steps, need to determine what can be retained versus replaced.
Fire damage engagements range from targeted repair of partially damaged structures to substantial reconstruction following a total loss. The 2025 Palisades fires created thousands of situations across this spectrum. BCG works with property owners navigating the full process: structural assessment of what remains, engineering evaluation of what can be retained versus what must be replaced, insurance coordination on scope and pricing, debris management, permit applications for repair or rebuild, and construction execution.
The complexity of fire damage work comes from the overlap of structural, environmental, and regulatory requirements. Smoke and water damage often extend well beyond the visible fire damage. Structural elements may be compromised in ways that aren't immediately apparent. Environmental testing for asbestos and lead is typically required before demolition can begin. The building department may impose current code requirements on repairs that exceed certain thresholds. BCG manages all of these intersecting requirements, coordinating the engineers, environmental consultants, and subcontractors needed to move from damage assessment to completed repair or reconstruction.
Evaluation and Recovery Engagements
Foundation Certification
Foundation certification determines whether an existing foundation can support a new or modified structure. The process involves structural engineering, concrete testing, reinforcing steel investigation, and in many cases geotechnical analysis, particularly on hillside properties with caissons, retaining walls, or mapped landslide zone conditions. On fire-damaged properties, the evaluation must account for both thermal damage to concrete and the independent effects of age and corrosion on foundations that may be 50 to 60 years old. For properties with deep foundations, the California Building Code requires load testing before existing caissons can support new construction. BCG manages the full investigation process: coordinating the structural and geotechnical engineers, organizing the testing program, managing site access and equipment logistics on hillside sites, and driving the engagement through County review and approval.
Construction Defect Correction
Construction defects surface in different ways: waterproofing that was never installed correctly and now leaks, structural connections that don't meet code, framing that doesn't match the approved plans, work that was done without permits and now blocks a sale or refinance. The problem with defect correction is that the visible issue is rarely the full scope. Opening up the work almost always reveals additional deficiencies that were concealed by finishes. BCG manages defect correction from initial investigation through completed repair, coordinating engineers and forensic consultants where needed to document what went wrong, define the full correction scope before construction begins, and execute the repair without compounding the original problem.
Pre-Purchase Construction Evaluation
Before you commit to a property purchase, BCG evaluates the site from a builder's perspective. This is not a home inspection. It is an assessment of what it will actually cost to build on or renovate a property, what site conditions, structural issues, geotechnical factors, or permitting constraints could materially affect that cost, and what problems exist that a standard inspection would not identify. This is particularly valuable on hillside lots, properties with retaining walls or aging foundations, coastal sites, and any property where you plan to build, renovate, or remediate after closing. The deliverable is a written assessment with identified conditions and rough cost ranges, giving you a decision-grade understanding of what you are buying before you are committed.
Bid Review and Scope Analysis
You have contractor bids in hand and you're not sure whether the scopes are complete, whether the pricing reflects reality, or whether the gaps between bids represent real differences in approach or just things one contractor included and another left out. BCG reviews bids against the project documents, identifies scope gaps and ambiguities that will become change orders later, and provides an independent assessment of whether the pricing is consistent with current market conditions. This is for property owners or architects who want a professional read on what they're being quoted before signing a contract they'll live with for the next 18 months.
Project Recovery
A project went wrong under another contractor. Maybe they walked off, maybe they were terminated, maybe the work stopped and nobody can explain where the money went. The immediate question is always the same: what is the actual condition of what's been built, what was done wrong, what was left undone, and what will it take to finish correctly. BCG evaluates the current state of construction against the approved plans, identifies deficiencies and code violations that need correction before work can proceed, defines the remaining scope realistically, re-engages with the building department on open permits and failed inspections, and executes the work to completion. These are the hardest engagements in construction because every assumption has to be verified and nothing can be taken at face value. That's exactly why they require a construction manager, not just another contractor.
Other Complex Conditions
If your construction problem doesn't fit one of the categories above, that doesn't mean it's outside our scope. BCG takes on technically complex construction work based on the nature of the problem, not a fixed service list. If you have a situation that requires engineering coordination, permits, and a licensed general contractor, tell us what you're dealing with and we'll tell you whether it's something we can take on.
How Pricing Works
Every focused engagement is scoped to the specific situation. The ranges shown on this page reflect common engagements, not fixed pricing. Actual cost is driven primarily by engineering requirements, site conditions, permit pathway, and the amount of corrective or new construction involved.
BCG provides a detailed scope and budget after an initial site visit and engineering review. The first step is a brief conversation to understand the situation and determine whether a formal engagement is the right path.
Describe Your Situation
Tell us what you're dealing with. We'll schedule a site visit, assess the situation, and tell you what the engagement would look like.
Describe Your Situation