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Niner AdvisorsCapital Infrastructure Advisory
The exposed concrete frame of a building under construction against the sky

Independence is the product.

Our only economic relationship is with the owner. Everything below explains what that means in practice, and what it costs us to hold.

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What we do not do

No compensation from anyone but the client.

Niner Advisors accepts no commissions, referral fees, rebates, markups, or compensation of any kind from contractors, subcontractors, vendors, equipment suppliers, design firms, or brokers.

We do not resell products. We do not hold trade contracts. We do not co-invest in the projects we advise on.

Why it matters

A second set of interests surfaces at the worst moment.

An advisor compensated by anyone other than the owner has a second set of interests.

On a project of consequence, that second set of interests surfaces at exactly the moment the owner most needs an unconflicted opinion.

What we do instead

Fixed fee, retainer, or phase-based. Agreed in advance.

Our compensation is fixed-fee, retainer, or phase-based, agreed in advance, and paid solely by the client.

Where incentive compensation is used, it is tied to defined milestones within our control.

Conflicts

Disclosed before the engagement begins.

We disclose any relationship that could reasonably be perceived as a conflict before an engagement begins, and we decline engagements where a conflict cannot be managed.

Our role

Niner Advisors is an owner-side advisor.

Niner Advisors is an owner-side advisor. We do not provide licensed architecture or engineering services. We review, analyze, and advise; we do not certify design, and we do not direct construction means, methods, sequences, or site safety.

Common questions about independence

What does independence mean at Niner Advisors?

That the firm's only economic relationship is with the client. Niner Advisors accepts no commissions, referral fees, rebates, markups, or compensation of any kind from contractors, subcontractors, vendors, equipment suppliers, design firms, or brokers. It does not resell products, hold trade contracts, or co-invest in the projects it advises on.

Why does it matter who pays the advisor?

An advisor compensated by anyone other than the owner has a second set of interests. On a project of consequence, that second set of interests surfaces at exactly the moment the owner most needs an unconflicted opinion.

How is Niner Advisors compensated?

Fixed fee, retainer, or phase-based, agreed in advance and paid solely by the client. Where incentive compensation is used, it is tied to defined milestones within the firm's control. No fee figures are published; fees are scoped per engagement.

How are conflicts of interest handled?

Any relationship that could reasonably be perceived as a conflict is disclosed before an engagement begins, and the firm declines engagements where a conflict cannot be managed.

Does independence mean the firm will not work alongside contractors and designers?

No. The work happens alongside contractors, designers, and vendors on every project — governing those interfaces on the owner's behalf is the job. Independence is about who pays the firm, not about who is in the room.

Ask us the uncomfortable question first.

If you want to test whether independence is real, ask about it before you engage us. We would rather answer it then.

Request a Confidential Consultation