You Hired a Consultant — So Why Are You Doing Their Job?

You’re a building owner. Or an asset manager. You’re already juggling capital plans, tenant satisfaction, ESG targets, and regulatory pressure — and then, you have to manage your consultants too?

It starts with good intentions — a new project, a hired expert, a promise of support. But by month two, you’re chasing updates, pushing for decisions, and doing the mental heavy lifting they were paid to handle.

And somehow, it’s become normal. The reports get longer. The calls get vaguer. And the people you brought in to reduce your workload… quietly add to it.

This isn’t a one-off experience. It’s a pattern — and it’s broken. This article isn’t about venting. It’s about calling it out — and giving you the clarity to expect more, demand better, and stop wasting time on professionals who can’t lead.

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Consultants Should Lead — Not Linger

You hire a consultant expecting leadership — not handholding. But what do you get?

• Reports padded with recycled jargon

• Vague “recommendations” hedged with legalese

• Endless back-and-forth on decisions they were brought in to make

Why? Because most consultants aren’t thinking like owners. They’re thinking like risk managers — for themselves.

They operate from fear:

• Fear of liability, so they avoid saying anything definitive

• Fear of responsibility, so they send the ball back into your court

• Fear of pushback, so they nod along with whatever’s easiest

That’s not leadership. That’s survival mode — and you’re the one holding the bag.

When “Consulting” Turns Into Babysitting

Let’s be real. You’re not just reviewing reports and attending meetings. You’re double-checking specs, pushing for clarity, nudging timelines, and redoing the thinking they were paid to do.

You were supposed to get solutions. Instead, you're stuck doing quality control. And guess what? Every hour you spend managing a consultant is time not spent on what actually matters:

• Tenant retention

• ESG performance

• Long-term value

• Capex strategy

• Operational resilience

Consultants are supposed to give you bandwidth. Not burn it.

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What’s Really Going On

This isn’t about a few bad actors. It’s systemic. Here’s what no one tells you:

No skin in the game

Consultants get paid whether they move the needle or not. Whether they deliver real value — or just tick the box. There’s zero accountability baked into the model.

Scope bait-and-switch

Firms lowball proposals to win work, then bloat the scope once the contract is signed. Change orders become their profit model. Your trust? Collateral damage.

Lack of business literacy

They know systems — but not strategy. Ask them how their spec affects NOI, ESG targets, or leasing — and watch the blank stares begin.

Outsourcing the thinking

You don’t need another AI-generated checklist or design standard dump. You need judgment. And that can’t be copied, templated, or faked.

This isn’t about incompetence. It’s about misaligned incentives. And if you’re not naming it, you’re enabling it.

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You Deserve Better — So Start Demanding It

You need someone who doesn’t just meet scope — but owns the outcome. Who understands that your building isn’t just bricks and systems. It’s a business.

Look for a consultant who:

• Speaks plainly. No buzzwords, no dodging.

• Brings strategy and technical depth.

• Makes decisions — and backs them up.

• Shows up when it’s messy, not just when it’s easy.

• Acts like they’re spending their own money.

Because that’s what leadership looks like.

Let’s Be Clear: You’re Not the Problem

Ever been told you’re “too hands-on”? Or that your expectations are “unrealistic”?

Translation: “You’re asking questions I can’t answer.”

Don’t accept it. You’re not too demanding. You’re the only one in the room thinking long-term.

Start asking the right questions:

• “How have your past recommendations performed?”

• “What happens when this doesn’t go to plan?”

• “Who’s accountable when the ROI doesn’t show up?”

• “Are you here to advise — or just bill me until you can walk away?”

The right consultants lean in. The wrong ones squirm. That’s your filter.

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Let’s Stop the Babysitting — and Start Leading

At OptiBuild Consulting Engineers, we don’t ask clients to carry our work. We take the load off. We speak with clarity. And we take ownership — even when things go sideways.

After 25 years in energy, carbon, and performance upgrades, we’ve seen the best, the worst, and everything in between. We know how to drive results — not just design them. And we don’t need a babysitter.

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Ready to Break the Pattern?

Let’s talk.You’ve done your part. It’s time your consultants did theirs.

Book a discovery call and work with someone who actually leads.