Keep your project True
Independent expert support with planning, managing, and guiding your project - so you can make smart choices and build the right way.
We bridge the gap between your vision and the finished project.Whether you're thinking of planning a renovation, buying a property, or managing a larger development -TrueGrade gives you clear, reliable guidance so you can move forward with confidence.
Professionals
Flexible, On-Demand Support for Your Projects.
The TrueGrade Way:
Smarter Projects for Homeowners
No Time to manage your renovation or project?
TrueGrade will handle bids, oversight, and quality checks.
Your Challenges
Lacking experience to start a home renovation or project.
Overwhelmed with confusing contractor estimates or unclear contracts.
Unsure about permitting, codes, or long-term value.
Stretched thin on time to manage contractors or review technical decisions.
Uncertain around project budgets, change orders, and construction quality.
Our Services
Plan Your Project With Confidence - We help you figure out exactly what you want, create a clear plan, and set your budget so you start off right.
Choose the Right Contractor - We collect and review quotes for you, point out hidden costs, and make sure each proposal matches your goals.
Oversight You Can Trust - We check the work as it happens, confirm quality, and keep your project on track.
Help When Plans Change - If surprises come up, we guide you through changes and keep your vision intact.
Final Walk-Through Support - Before you sign off, we inspect the work with you, list anything that still needs attention, and help ensure it’s fixed.
Our Difference
Licensed Expertise: Every project is led by a Licensed Professional Engineer with over a decade of hands-on field and design experience — from home renovations to 9-figure infrastructure programs.
Flexible Engagements: We offer as-needed support with no long-term commitments.
Independent & Client-Focused: We work solely for our clients, with no conflicts of interest.
Strategic Perspective: Our business-minded approach, backed by an MBA in strategy and finance, aligns engineering solutions with project and financial goals.
Practical Insight: Our background managing field work and construction ensures advice that’s grounded, actionable, and results-driven.
TrueGrade for Developers:
Smarter, Leaner Project Support
Your Challenges
Feeling lost while navigating the development process without prior experience.
Uncertain on zoning, permits, codes, and agency approvals.
Frustrated with blown budgets, overruns, and financial re-forecasting.
Undermined by selecting subpar design and construction partners.
Anxious on site feasibility - unsure on infrastructure, utility, civil constraints.
Under pressure to move fast with limited oversight and competing priorities.
Risk-exposed from incomplete bids, unclear scopes, and weak QA/QC.
Our Services
Feasibility & Pre-Construction Clarity - Get early, PE-led insight on site selection, zoning, utilities, and infrastructure so you can spot risks and make confident go/no-go decisions.
Bid Package & Contractor Vetting - We prepare or review bid documents and dig into contractor quotes to flag hidden scope gaps, budget risks, and misaligned proposals.
Flexible Owner’s Representation - Add experienced oversight without adding full-time staff. We monitor progress, verify quality, and keep your project on schedule and on budget.
Change Management & Risk Mitigation - When conditions shift, we evaluate scope, schedules, and costs to protect your bottom line and keep the project on track.
Our Difference
Licensed Expertise: Every project is led by a Licensed Professional Engineer with over a decade of hands-on field and design experience — from home renovations to 9-figure infrastructure programs.
Flexible Engagements: We offer as-needed support with no long-term commitments.
Independent & Client-Focused: We evaluate bids, scopes, and contractors objectively, ensuring you select reliable partners with confidence.
Strategic Perspective: We help plan realistic budgets and prevent hidden costs by combining engineering expertise with an MBA-backed, business-minded approach.
Practical Insight: We anticipate regulatory and technical obstacles early, providing actionable guidance to keep your project on track.
TrueGrade for Real Estate Agents:
Trust You Can Offer Clients
Your Challenges
Overwhelmed by confusing contractor bids, scopes, or contracts - unsure which estimates are realistic or which vendors are trustworthy.
Uncertain about permits, codes, or property improvements’ long-term value - worried that projects might hit regulatory or market roadblocks.
Stretched thin managing multiple clients and properties.
Lacking time to review technical decisions or oversee renovations closely.
Fearing client dissatisfaction with budgets, change orders, and construction quality.
Pressed by tight timelines and aggressive transaction schedules.
Seeking reliable, independent technical support, without adding overhead to the business.
Our Services
Clear Property Checkups - We look at a property’s condition, constraints, and renovation potential and explain it in plain English. Your clients get a clear picture before they make an offer or list.
Honest Contractor Comparisons - If your clients plan to renovate, we review contractor quotes and flag hidden costs or missing items so they’re not surprised later.
Independent Oversight - During a remodel or new build, we’re your client’s “extra set of eyes,” making sure work is done correctly and on schedule without adding full-time staff.
Helping When Things Change - If issues pop up mid-project, we guide your clients through the options so they can protect their budget and timeline.
Final Walkthrough Support - Before closing or move-in, we walk through the property with your clients, point out unfinished items, and make sure they get what they paid for.
Peace of Mind for Everyone - Our independent advice builds trust with your clients and helps you close deals faster and with confidence.
Our Difference
Licensed Expertise:Every project is led by a Licensed Professional Engineer with over a decade of hands-on field and design experience - ensuring technical issues are identified and solved before they impact your clients or deals.
Practical, Field-Proven Insight: Our experience managing construction and renovations means we provide actionable guidance, helping agents anticipate challenges and advise clients confidently.
Independent & Client-Focused: We work solely for you or your clients, offering objective assessments of contractors, bids, and scopes - protecting your reputation and your client relationships.
Flexible Engagements: Support is available exactly when you need it, with no long-term commitments - giving you expert guidance without adding overhead to your business.
Strategic Perspective: Combining engineering expertise with an MBA-backed, business-minded approach, we help align project solutions with budgets, timelines, and long-term value, keeping transactions on track.
TrueGrade for Architects & Engineers: Expertise On-Demand
Your Challenges
Struggling to keep up with multiple projects and client demands.
Backlogged on peer reviews, submittal responses, and QA/QC processes.
Unable to manage construction or coordination closely.
Questions about permits, codes, and long-term project impacts.
Pressured to maintain budget and costs, despite change orders and construction quality gaps.
Seeking reliable, independent, expertise without long-term overhead.
Our Services
Fast, Thorough Peer Reviews - We handle plan, spec, and submittal reviews quickly so your deadlines don’t slip.
Constructability & Coordination Checks - We flag potential field issues early and keep designs buildable and practical.
Overflow Support, On Demand - Add licensed, experienced engineering support without adding permanent staff.
Agency & Utility Coordination - We manage permits, comments, and technical agency questions to keep approvals moving.
Independent QA/QC - Responsive, PE-led checks on drawings, submittals, and field conditions to reduce risk.
Client-Facing Support - We can help your owner or developer clients with contractor coordination, safeguarding your design intent.
Our Difference
Licensed Expertise: Led by a Licensed Professional Engineer with field and design experience from small renovations to large infrastructure projects.
Practical Insight: Hands-on construction and coordination experience ensures actionable, grounded guidance.
Independent & Objective: We provide unbiased technical review of bids, scopes, and designs — protecting your projects and reputation.
Flexible Support: Available on-demand, without long-term commitments, to bolster your team exactly when needed.
Strategic Perspective: We combine engineering expertise with an MBA-backed, business-minded approach to align design, budgets, and schedules.
TrueGrade for Contractors:
On-Call Engineering Support
Your Challenges
Juggling multiple projects with aggressive deadlines and limited crews.
Unclear plans, contracts, or change orders causing rework or delays.
Uncertainty with permits, inspections, or agency requirements slowing progress.
Risk of overruns or disputes due to unforeseen costs or mismanaged bids.
Limited Resources to monitor quality, safety, and compliance consistently.
Under Pressure balancing technical updates and client expectations.
Seeking reliable, independent, technical support without hiring full-time staff.
Our Services
Clear Scope & Documents - We help review drawings, specs, and bid packages so you know exactly what’s expected before work starts.
Pre-Construction Checks - We flag potential design or site issues early, reducing costly surprises later.
Change Order, RFI & Risk Management - When conditions change or questions arise in the field, we review RFIs, scope, schedule, and cost impacts to help you resolve design issues quickly. This protects your margins, keeps work moving, and keeps owners informed.
Agency, Utility & Design Coordination - We handle technical questions, RFIs, and approvals with municipalities, utilities, and design teams. Our goal is to resolve comments and design discrepancies early so your crews can keep building without delay.
Independent QA/QC Oversight - Third-party monitoring of work quality, materials, and code compliance.
Punch List & Close-Out Support - We help document and resolve outstanding issues quickly so you can get paid and move on.
Our Difference
Licensed Expertise: Led by a PE with field experience managing projects from home renovations to major infrastructure.
Practical Insight: On-site construction knowledge ensures advice is actionable, realistic, and problem-solving.
Independent Oversight: Provides unbiased review of plans, scopes, and bids to reduce risk and prevent costly mistakes.
Flexible Engagements: Support available exactly when needed, without long-term commitments or overhead.
Strategic Perspective: We combine engineering expertise with business-minded analysis to optimize budgets, schedules, and project outcomes.
TrueGrade Services
Project Management and Advisory
Contractor Quote Review - We compare contractor bids, find hidden costs, and highlight scope gaps so you choose with confidence.
Part-Time Owner’s Rep - Flexible oversight to track progress, spot issues early, and keep your project on track.
Project Management Support - We coordinate contractors, monitor budgets and schedules, and manage communication so your project runs smoothly from start to finish.
Engineering Review, Design, and QAQC
Plan & Drawing Reviews - A fresh set of expert eyes to review constructability, provide technical due diligence, and catch mistakes before they become costly.
PE Stamp (NY Licensed, NJ Pending) - Quick turnaround for residential and small infrastructure projects.
Expert Engineering Services
Feasibility Studies - Find out early if your project is doable, affordable, and worth pursuing.
Site Reports & Forensic Reviews - Walkthroughs, documentation, and reports to support insurance or legal needs.
Site & Property Selection Advice - Technical due diligence on zoning, land use, and buildability before you commit.
A Different Kind of Partner
Why I Started TrueGradeTrueGrade Engineering & Advisory was born from experience - both professional and personal.As a licensed Professional Engineer with an MBA in strategy and finance, I’ve built my career bridging the gap between technical execution and business outcomes. Working across heavy construction, infrastructure, and project management, I saw how even well-intentioned projects can falter without clear guidance and strong oversight.The idea for TrueGrade took shape during a defining year: while welcoming my son into the world, I bought and fully renovated my grandmother’s house. Even with years in engineering, navigating design, permits, and contractors was a full-time job. Most homeowners and small developers don’t have the time, technical background, or support to manage that process effectively.Friends began turning to me for advice - reviewing quotes, explaining change orders, and serving as their “sanity check.” Then, after dealing with a contractor’s poor workmanship and extra billing firsthand, I realized the root issue: homeowners are often left to act as their own general contractor, project manager, and engineer - without the tools or expertise to do it confidently.I started TrueGrade to change that - providing independent, licensed, and business-minded project support that helps clients make informed decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and deliver successful, well-managed projects.Who I AmI’m Michael Syslo, a licensed Professional Engineer and the founder of TrueGrade Engineering & Advisory. I’ve spent my career helping people plan and manage construction and development projects - from small renovations to large infrastructure programs. I hold a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Villanova University and an MBA in Strategy and Finance from Baruch College. Licensed in New York (with New Jersey pending), I combine technical expertise with business insight to help clients make confident, informed decisions and deliver successful, well-managed projects.
Who TrueGrade Helps
TrueGrade works with people and organizations who want expert project guidance without the overhead of a large firm:
- Homeowners planning renovations or new builds.
- Real Estate Agents helping clients buy, sell, or renovate.
- Developers and builders looking for trusted technical support.
- Architects and engineers who need extra capacity or field insight.
- Contractors, Construction Managers, and Attorneys seeking independent review or due diligence.What TrueGrade Does
TrueGrade helps projects stay organized, on budget, and moving forward. This includes:
- Reviewing designs, costs, and contractor bids for clarity and completeness.
- Identifying risks and technical issues early - before they become expensive problems.
- Acting as an independent, licensed advocate throughout design and construction.
Testimonials
“When my basement flooded mid-renovation, the contractor tried to hit us with unexpected change orders. Mike stepped in and treated our project like one of his own. He reviewed the contract, pushed back on unjustified extras, and made sure the final fix was done right—without letting things spiral out of control. His technical background and calm, no-nonsense approach saved us thousands.”
— E.M., Homeowner – Northern NJ
“During our home inspection, the inspector flagged a horizontal crack in the garage wall and warned us it indicated structural failure—recommending expensive tie-backs. I called Mike right away and sent over some photos. He quickly reassured me that the crack appeared to be from frost heave, but not to a point where it compromised structural integrity. While he wasn’t able to make it out in time before closing, he still took the time to talk me through the issue and even connected me with trusted design professionals for a second opinion. His responsiveness and technical clarity helped us move forward with confidence and avoid thousands in unnecessary costs.”
— M.G., First-Time Homebuyer – Northern NJ
Contact
Let’s Talk About Your Project.Get in Touch: Use the form below or email directly at: [email protected]Location: NJ based, serving the greater NYC area. Other locations available upon request.Availability: Remote & On-Site (by appointment)
Thank you
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