Over the years, I’ve had countless conversations with clients frustrated by the permitting process. Some are coming to us after working with another expediter who let them down. Others tried to handle things on their own and quickly realized how complex and time-consuming it can be. As a project manager at Burnham, I’ve seen the pain points firsthand. I’ve also seen what a difference the right team can make.
I’m sharing the top complaints we hear from clients when they come to us and how my team and I work to solve them.
"They Never Call Me Back"
The number one complaint I hear from clients coming from other permit expediters? A lack of communication.
It’s not just the jurisdictions-though that’s an issue too. It’s that their expediters disappear. I’ve had clients tell me they couldn’t get a call back for weeks, and that their project was completely thrown off because of it. We’ve seen four- or five-week delays just from radio silence after submittal.
At Burnham, we pride ourselves on responsiveness. We stay in touch, follow up on submissions, and make sure clients always know where things stand.
Mismatched Timelines and Incomplete Info
Another common complaint: the timelines and instructions they’re given aren’t realistic or complete.
Some expediters just give vague estimates without doing the research. They’ll say things like "this usually takes two weeks" without calling the city or confirming the process. Sometimes, they’ll submit with missing documents or forget key payments, which means the project never even gets logged in for review.
Meanwhile, Burnham starts by doing real research. We talk to the city or county, check our internal database, and connect with our teams across the country to make sure we understand exactly what’s needed and how long it will actually take.
The DIY Roadblocks
I also talk to a lot of clients who tried to permit a project on their own and hit roadblocks right away.
If you’re not an expediter, it can be overwhelming. You’re calling city departments that don’t pick up, or you get someone who can’t answer your questions. And meanwhile, you’re juggling everything else on your plate.
What helps at Burnham is the network and experience we have. If I’m hitting a wall with a jurisdiction, I can loop in my team. We’ll start a group chat, share contacts, tag in someone who’s worked there before. We have a whole system for getting unstuck.
Taking Ownership and Owning Mistakes
One thing I hear from clients after they start working with us? Relief.
They know someone’s driving the ship. They can trust that I know who to talk to, how the process works, and what to do next. And if something goes wrong-because it happens-we own it. I’ve made mistakes before, but I’ll find a fix, get it rerouted, and make sure it doesn’t stall the project.
That level of ownership is something we take seriously at Burnham. We don’t disappear. We don’t deflect. We get it done.
Why Choose Burnham?
So what sets Burnham apart?
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Experience and bandwidth. We have over 50 project managers nationwide and systems in place to handle a heavy volume of projects without dropping the ball.
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National knowledge base. We log and share permitting data across our team, which helps me quote accurately and move quickly, even in tough jurisdictions.
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Responsiveness. I get back to people fast. We all do. That’s a point of pride.
Need help getting your next project across the finish line? Let’s talk. My team and I are ready to help you move forward, faster.
