Construction & Project Management — JLJ Design Studios
Studio Services · Construction & Project Management

Build With the
Right People.

The plans are only half the battle — the team you hire decides whether your project goes smoothly or sideways. Jennie Leigh helps you interview builders, review bids and contracts, run background checks, and manage the project from first handshake to final walk-through. An experienced set of eyes on your side of the table.

🏛️30+ Years in Residential Design & Build
📋P&Z Commissioner & City Council
🤝On Your Side of the Table
Why This Matters

Most Homeowners Hire a Builder Once.

You'll meet your builder a handful of times before you sign — they do this every day. That imbalance is exactly where projects go wrong: vague bids, lopsided contracts, the wrong crew for the job. Having someone who has sat on both sides of construction for three decades evens the field. You get honest counsel, the right questions asked before money changes hands, and a steady hand watching the work as it happens.

What We Help With

From Hiring the Team to Handing You the Keys.

🔍

Builder & Contractor Vetting

The wrong builder is the most expensive mistake you can make. We help you find and vet the right one.

  • Sit in on builder interviews and ask the questions that matter
  • Background checks and reference calls on prior clients
  • License, insurance, and bonding verification
  • Honest read on whether a crew fits your specific project
📄

Bid & Contract Review

Three bids that look similar can hide wildly different scopes. We make them comparable — and fair.

  • Compare bids apples-to-apples, line by line
  • Flag vague scopes, missing allowances, and hidden gaps
  • Review contract terms, timelines, and payment schedules
  • Spot red flags in the fine print before you sign
🗂️

Project Management

Once the work begins, we keep it on track — so you're not refereeing your own build.

  • Single point of contact between you and the trades
  • Schedule, milestone, and draw-schedule oversight
  • Jobsite check-ins and quality review as work progresses
  • Change-order review so surprises don't become budget shocks
🏛️

Permits & Local Know-How

As an active P&Z Commissioner, Jennie Leigh knows how this market's approvals really work.

  • Guidance on permits, inspections, and approval timelines
  • Insight into what local codes will and won't allow
  • Help navigating variances or board appearances if needed
  • A liaison who speaks both "homeowner" and "city hall"

I've drawn the plans, walked the jobsites, and sat on the board that approves what gets built. I know what a good builder looks like — and what to watch for when one isn't.

— Jennie Leigh Jones · Building Designer & Consultant
Why Jennie Leigh

An Advocate Who Has Seen It All.

  • 📐

    30+ Years in Residential Design & Construction

    Three decades of drawings, scopes, and real jobsites — she's seen what gets built well and what falls apart.

  • 🏛️

    Active P&Z Commissioner & City Council Member — Lincoln, AL

    Inside knowledge of local codes, approvals, and how this market actually operates.

  • 🤝

    One Expert, Working for You

    Not the builder's interests, not a salesperson's — yours. Independent counsel at every step of the build.

How It Works

Simple. Steady. On Your Side.

1

Tell Us About Your Project

Share where you are — choosing a builder, weighing bids, or already underway — and what kind of help you need.

2

We Scope & Quote

We agree on exactly what you want covered and confirm pricing before any work begins. Custom quoted by the project or by the hour — no surprises.

3

We Go to Work for You

From vetting and contracts to ongoing oversight, you get an experienced advocate watching your project and your money.

Let's Begin

Build With Confidence — and an Expert Beside You.

Tell us about your project and the help you're looking for. We'll talk through where you are and how we can protect your build, your timeline, and your budget.

Let's Talk About Your Build →