What Developers Research does

Developers Research is a privately held land development consulting firm founded in 1997 in Irvine, California, that provides cost analysis and advisory services to real estate developers, home builders, financial institutions, and governmental entities. The firm operates with approximately 10 team members across offices in Irvine and San Antonio, delivering six interconnected services: Land Development Evaluation, Earthwork Grading Analysis, Impact Fee Analysis, Peer Reviews, Site Inspection Services, and Due Diligence. Its core technology is a proprietary Excel-based cost estimation model, supported by a regularly updated internal database of municipal development impact fees and 3-dimensional earthwork modeling for cut/fill and remedial grading analysis.

The firm's go-to-market is consultative, relationship-based B2B selling led by principals Scot and Laura Oldham, who acquired the company in 2022 from founder Barry Gross after 25 years as employees. Engagement pricing is project-specific and quote-based, with revenue generated through customized consulting fees tied to scope and complexity. The firm complements direct outreach with industry event participation (Builder Industry Association, Urban Land Institute), content marketing through an active blog, and presence on Facebook and Twitter/X. Documented project work spans more than 20 U.S. states plus Baja, Mexico and Ontario, Canada, with named enterprise relationships including KB Home, Lennar, DR Horton, William Lyon Homes, Trammell Crow, and Prometheus Real Estate Group. The firm has served over 300 clients across thousands of projects since inception, with no external funding rounds, parent company, or public listing disclosed.

Name

Developers Research

Legal name

Developers Research

Website

https://dev-res.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Developers Research is a privately held land development consulting firm founded in 1997 that provides cost estimation, earthwork grading analysis, impact fee research, peer review, site inspection, and due diligence services to real estate developers, home builders, and financial institutions across the U.S.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Development Consulting Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Real Estate Development & Feasibility Advisory (Highest-and-Best-Use, Entitlements Support) (BPAJANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting (BPAHAIAN), Construction Progress & Draw Inspection Valuation (BPAJAKAM)

Keywords

• Land development consulting
• Construction cost estimation
• Earthwork grading analysis
• Impact fee analysis
• Real estate due diligence

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Land Development Consulting Services: Project-based professional consulting fees for land development evaluation, earthwork grading analysis, impact fee analysis, peer reviews, site inspection services, and due diligence services. Revenue is generated through engagement-based fees tailored to individual project requirements and complexity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Developers Research is a B2B land development consulting firm that prepares detailed cost of construction analyses for real estate developers, home builders, financial institutions, and governmental entities. Its core offering is a portfolio of six interconnected services: Land Development Evaluation (cost analysis using proprietary Excel models), Earthwork Grading Analysis (3-D modeling and cut/fill analysis), Impact Fee Analysis, Peer Reviews, Site Inspection Services, and Due Diligence advisory. The firm uses state-of-the-art 3-D earthwork modeling technology, digital quantity takeoffs, and an internally maintained fee database to deliver project-based consulting engagements.

Product overview

Developers Research is a land development consulting firm offering a portfolio of six interconnected services. The core offering centers on Land Development Evaluation, which provides detailed cost analyses using a proprietary Excel model for budgeting, cash flow analysis, and digital quantity takeoffs. This integrates with Earthwork Grading Analysis (3-D modeling, cut/fill analysis) and Impact Fee Analysis. The firm also offers Peer Reviews for budget validation, Site Inspection Services for progress monitoring and fund disbursement, and Due Diligence for land acquisition support. Together, these services form an end-to-end consulting solution for real estate developers, home builders, and financial institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Land Development Evaluation Detailed cost analysis to prepare land development budgets using a proprietary Excel model tailored to individual project requirements. Includes preparation of cash flows and residual valuation analysis to determine an internal rate of return, Gantt charts for construction timelines, and digital quantity takeoffs of tract maps, construction documents, and conceptual plans for utility installation, street construction, and landscaping. Pricing is applied based on historical regional data and contractor bids. Target customers: real estate developers, home builders, and financial institutions.
• Earthwork Grading Analysis 3-D modeling to demonstrate project design and potential grading issues, with cut/fill analysis to assist project managers with earthwork import and export calculations. Includes geological evaluations to determine excavation extents, depths and quantities, and intuitive recommendations to minimize financial risk. Target customers: real estate developers, home builders, and civil engineering managers.
• Impact Fee Analysis Research into fees and other public finance issues, with a dedicated team developing strong relationships with municipalities and agencies to closely monitor fee changes. Includes regular updates and reviews of an internal fee database to ensure accurate analysis. Target customers: real estate developers, home builders, and government entities.
• Peer Reviews Reviews of client land development budgets with provision of variance details in Excel models as well as memos explaining findings. Includes consultation services to justify variances and offer recommendations, and identification of risks and deficiencies with the current plans and land development budgets. Target customers: real estate developers, home builders, and financial institutions.
• Site Inspection Services Analysis of monthly progressions for disbursement of funds, observation of progress of improvements to keep plans updated, and collation of monthly reports to demonstrate findings. Target customers: real estate developers, home builders, and financial institutions involved in land development.
• Due Diligence Advice to buyers during the land acquisition process, including articulation of the status of land improvements currently in progress, assessments of the viability and complexity of the project, research into the existence of covenants/conditions/restrictions, analysis of contractor bids on behalf of owners to identify best value for money, and identification of areas of concern and prioritization of tasks. Target customers: real estate developers, financial institutions, and investors undertaking land acquisition.

Quantifiable outcome

• Skyline Ranch: Reduced overall grading quantity by 30% and increased view lots by over 100% while reducing project footprint by 20%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with a substantial real estate and land development practice. Overlaps with Developers Research in feasibility, due diligence, and development advisory, though AECOM operates at much greater scale and across many other verticals.
• Terracon Consultants: Large national engineering consulting firm with geotechnical, environmental, and materials services supporting real estate developers. Overlaps in due diligence and site development support but is broader and more materials/geo-focused than Developers Research.

Direct peers

• Atwell Group: Engineering and consulting firm with a dedicated land development practice providing due diligence, feasibility, and cost consulting to residential and commercial developers. Closest direct peer in service mix to Developers Research, especially in feasibility and developer-side advisory.
• Westwood Professional Services: Engineering and professional services firm with a substantial land development division serving residential and commercial developers across multiple U.S. states. Directly comparable in horizontal land development cost estimating and feasibility work.
• Civil & Environmental Consultants (CEC): Engineering and environmental consulting firm serving real estate developers with land development, site civil, and due diligence services. Comparable service mix targeting the same developer/builder customer base with overlapping land development feasibility work.
• Langan Engineering & Environmental Services: Large engineering and environmental consulting firm with deep site/civil and land development practices serving developers, builders, and institutional investors. Overlaps with Developers Research in feasibility, grading analysis, and site development consulting, though Langan is much larger and broader.
• Kimley-Horn: One of the largest U.S. privately held engineering consulting firms with a major land development practice serving homebuilders, developers, and institutional investors. Directly comparable in offering cost estimating, due diligence, and feasibility advisory for horizontal land development, though at much greater scale.
• Partner Engineering and Science (Partner ESI): National consulting firm providing due diligence, engineering, and environmental consulting for commercial real estate transactions. Directly comparable in the due diligence, peer review, and entitlement/feasibility support Developers Research offers to lenders and acquirers.

Emerging players

• EBI Consulting: National consulting firm providing environmental, engineering, and due diligence services for real estate transactions and development. Comparable in due diligence and feasibility advisory delivered to developers, lenders, and investors.
• Bungo Studios / Bungo Land Solutions: Smaller, specialized land development and entitlement consulting firm serving developers and homebuilders in select markets. Comparable in niche land development advisory, though smaller in scale and geographic reach than Developers Research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DevelopersResea
• Facebookfacebook.com/devres

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 Developers Research