Start with a Conversation
Discovery: Start with a complimentary consultation call. Whether you’re at the very beginning of a decision or already deep into a complicated project, that conversation will inform the scope of available services and whether Canopy is a fit for your project.
By the Hour
For a specific question, a decision point, a project review, or a moment in a transaction where you want an experienced, unconflicted perspective. You bring the situation, Michael brings 25 years of expertise.
This works well for homeowners who are generally confident navigating their project but want expert guidance at key moments — a contractor bid that needs an independent look, a set of architectural plans to review, a purchase decision that deserves a second opinion.
On Retainer
For clients who want an ongoing advisory relationship across the full arc of a project or a transaction. Canopy becomes your standing resource — proactive, accessible, and deeply familiar with your home, your goals, and your team. This works well for clients managing a significant build or renovation who want consistent, trusted counsel throughout.
Before You Even Own It
Some of the most important — and costly — decisions occur before a project begins. They happen at the moment of purchase.
Many buyers bring a contractor to walk through a home they’re considering. It’s a smart instinct. The contractor sees what needs fixing. Canopy sees the whole picture — the structural and the strategic. What the renovation will realistically cost. Whether the lot supports what you’re imagining. What the entitlement process will look like if you want to build. Whether the asking price reflects the work ahead. Whether this is even the right house for you.
Sometimes the most valuable advice Canopy gives a client: “this one isn’t worth it.” Walking away from the wrong property before making an offer is one of the highest-return decisions a buyer can make — and it’s almost impossible to see clearly when you’re excited, on a deadline, and surrounded by people whose job is to close the deal. A pre-purchase walkthrough with Canopy is one of the most straightforward engagements there is — a few hours, a clear-eyed assessment, and the confidence to move forward or move on.
What a Typical Engagement Looks Like
No two projects are alike, but most Canopy engagements follow a natural flow:
Clarity first: Before anything else, Michael works to understand your goals, your timeline, your project, and your level of involvement. The best advice is grounded in the full picture.
The right team: Canopy can fit into an already established group of consultants or help you assemble a new team that is right for you.
Steady guidance through the process: As the project moves forward, Canopy can review proposals and translate technical language into plain English.
Your interests stay at the center of every discussion. That never changes.Long-term stewardship: Stewardship has two dimensions.
1. Property maintenance: keeping the home in excellent condition through proactive care and the right people for every task.
2. Property management: making decisions that protect and grow its value over time — so that when it’s time to sell, rent, or pass it on, the home is ready. A home this significant deserves ongoing attention, not just a great start.
A Note on How Canopy Is Compensated
Canopy works exclusively on an hourly or retainer basis. There are no commissions, no referral fees, and no arrangements with any architect, contractor, or agent. Canopy’s compensation is never connected to the scale or cost of your project.
The advice you receive is untethered from any financial outcome except one: that you got what you paid for. Like any advisory relationship, it’s built on trust — and that trust, over time, is what enhances the value of your most valuable asset.
Ready to Start?
Our first conversation is complimentary.