The Barton Group

What The Barton Group does

The Barton Group is a privately held construction consulting and owner's representation firm headquartered in Portage, Michigan, serving clients across Southwest Michigan. Founded by Gary Barton in 1994 and transitioned to woman-owned status in 2024 when principals Amelia Barker-King and Jennifer Sawyer purchased the founder's shares, the firm operates under The Barton Group LLC structure with a lean team of approximately 1-10 employees organized around three principals. Its service portfolio is anchored by three core offerings, Owner's Representation & Project Management, Construction Consulting, and Commercial Real Estate brokerage, supported by modular service components including Due Diligence, Pre-Construction Planning, Program Management, Move & Transition Management, Construction Draw Inspections, Project Budget Review, and Commercial Lending Services. The firm also operates Apogee Interior Solutions, a wholly-owned subsidiary focused on interior buildouts for multifamily construction.

The firm's go-to-market is direct and relationship-led, with no proprietary technology platform underpinning service delivery. Revenue is generated through professional services fees on project-based and retainer engagements, with pricing structured around free initial consultations followed by quote-based fees tied to project scope and complexity. Customers span municipal and government entities, K-12 education, healthcare providers, industrial and manufacturing firms, and nonprofit organizations across Portage, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, and Grand Rapids. Documented client outcomes include $487,000+ in cumulative savings across named cases and a $47.5M multi-year bond program for Paw Paw Public Schools. Marketing channels consist of a blog, email newsletter, and organic social media presence, with referral networks and 30+ years of community presence serving as primary demand drivers.

Name

The Barton Group

Legal name

The Barton Group LLC

Website

https://bartongroupllc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Barton Group is a privately held, woman-owned construction consulting and owner's representation firm in Southwest Michigan that serves municipalities, schools, healthcare providers, manufacturers, and nonprofits with project oversight, cost control, and commercial real estate brokerage services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portage

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Services Fees: Fee-based professional services for Owner Representation, Construction Consulting, and Commercial Real Estate. Engagements appear to be project-based or retainer arrangements for ongoing advisory services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Barton Group is a Southwest Michigan construction consulting and owner's representation firm that acts as an independent advocate for project owners. Its three core service lines are Owner's Representation & Project Management, Construction Consulting (including draw inspections, budget review, and commercial lending services), and Commercial Real Estate brokerage. The firm serves municipalities, K-12 districts, healthcare providers, industrial/manufacturing clients, nonprofits, and developers on multi-million-dollar construction projects across the region.

Product overview

The Barton Group is a construction consulting and owner's representation firm serving Southwest Michigan. The company offers a unified suite of services centered on three core offerings: Owner's Representative & Project Management, Construction Consulting, and Commercial Real Estate. The core services are supported by modular service components including Due Diligence, Pre-Construction Planning, Program Management, Move & Transition Management, Construction Draw Inspections, Project Budget Review, and Commercial Lending Services. This integrated approach provides owners, municipalities, developers, and nonprofits with end-to-end project advocacy from concept through completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Owner's Representative & Project Management Independent owner's advocacy and full-lifecycle project management coordinating architects, engineers, and contractors, controlling scope, budget, and schedule from concept through completion. Targeted at owners, municipalities, developers, and institutions undertaking commercial construction or renovation projects.
• Construction Consulting Independent construction consulting covering construction draw inspections, project budget reviews, and commercial lending services to reduce risk and validate costs for owners and lenders.
• Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Licensed brokerage services for buying, selling, leasing, and investing in commercial properties across Southwest Michigan, combining construction expertise with real estate transaction guidance for owners, investors, and occupiers.
• Due Diligence Early-stage project analysis including feasibility, site review, entitlements, utilities, and constraints assessment to set projects up for success before commitment of funds.
• Pre-Construction Planning & Services Pre-construction scope review, budgeting, scheduling, constructability insights, and delivery method recommendations (CMAR, Design-Build, Design-Bid-Build) to de-risk projects before breaking ground.
• Program Management Coordinated oversight of multi-project programs meeting larger business objectives, standardizing budgets, schedules, and reporting across portfolios such as districtwide bond programs.
• Move & Transition Management Owner-side coordination of FF&E, move logistics, vendor coordination, and change management at turnover including day-of execution for new or renovated facilities.
• Construction Draw Inspections Independent third-party draw inspections that verify completed work matches requested funds, document project milestones, and protect owners and lenders throughout the construction lifecycle.
• Project Budget Review Expert analysis of construction budgets evaluating cost line items, allowances, and contingencies to ensure budgets reflect real market conditions and reduce financial exposure for owners and lenders.
• Commercial Lending Services Independent loan monitoring, collateral verification, and funds control services for banks, credit unions, and private lenders throughout the construction lifecycle, ensuring feasibility and proper fund allocation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bond project saved $270,000 through value engineering
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thebartongroupkzoo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Barton Group