residualGet paid for the projects you've already designed.
AI companies are paying design firms for years of drawing revisions, RFIs, calculations and coordination email. We check if yours qualify, introduce you to the right buyer and stay with you until you're paid.
Two minutes. No access to your systems. Nothing upfront.
What architecture and engineering firms like yours can earn.
It depends mostly on how many design and office staff you have, and how many years of records you keep.
Our market estimate for a US company with 8–12 years on its tools, built from three buyers' published pricing. Staff means design and office staff. Not an offer: the buyer sets the price after review.
Recent deals
CAD drawings, calculations, technical reports and specs.
The company's operational record, anonymised before delivery.
The company's operational record, anonymised before delivery.
As published in 2026 by the firms that did each deal. One engineering firm so far; the other two are construction firms. Not independently verified. Owners aren't named.
What buyers pay for in architecture and engineering
AI can read a building code. What it can't learn from the internet is how a design gets checked, changed and built.
Drawing revisions and markups
Every revision cloud is a problem, a fix and a reason. This is how AI learns how a design really changes on its way to construction.
Lives inRevit, AutoCAD, Bluebeam
RFIs and submittal reviews
The questions contractors ask, the answers you give and what you approve, reject or send back. Almost none of this is public.
Lives inNewforma, Procore, email
Calculations, design reviews and QA/QC
How a beam, a duct or a drainage run gets sized, checked and signed off, and the checklists that catch errors before a set goes out.
Lives inCalc packages, Excel, QA/QC logs
Client and contractor coordination
How clashes, fee changes and scope creep get worked out between architects, engineers, clients and contractors.
Lives inOutlook, Teams, Deltek, Newforma
Your clients and team are never named.
Before anything is delivered, an independent firm swaps every name, contact detail, address and reference number for a consistent placeholder. The work stays readable. The people in it don't.
To: Marcus Webb, Tallis Construction
Re: RFI #087, transfer beam at grid F-6, 1200 Alder Ave
Yes, you can substitute a W18x55 for the W16x57 at grid F-6. Keep the 3/4" bearing plate and add stiffeners both sides; see revised detail 7/S-501, rev 2. Questions to me on 503-555-0142.
To: [Contact_12], [Contractor_03]
Re: RFI #[RFI_ID], transfer beam at grid F-6, [ADDRESS]
Yes, you can substitute a W18x55 for the W16x57 at grid F-6. Keep the 3/4" bearing plate and add stiffeners both sides; see revised detail 7/S-501, rev 2. Questions to me on [PHONE].
To: Mechanical team, cc Grace Liu
Re: QA/QC review, project 24-118, Harlow Medical Pavilion, 90% CDs
Sheets M-201 to M-204. VAV-3 is undersized for the revised imaging room load (now 1,450 cfm); go from a 10" to a 12" inlet. Supply duct at grid 7 clashes with beam B-14; drop it 6". Ana Ruiz at Northvale Health needs the revised set by 3 March.
To: Mechanical team, cc [Engineer_15]
Re: QA/QC review, project [PROJECT_NO], [Project_08], 90% CDs
Sheets M-201 to M-204. VAV-3 is undersized for the revised imaging room load (now 1,450 cfm); go from a 10" to a 12" inlet. Supply duct at grid 7 clashes with beam B-14; drop it 6". [Client_Contact_05] at [Client_07] needs the revised set by [DATE].
To: Rachel Moore, Lakemont School District
Re: Additional services, Cedar Hill Middle School, project 23-042
Adding the second science wing means 14 more sheets and a revised energy model. Fee for the change: $38,500 and three extra weeks. Once you sign, we'll issue revision D to the contractor. Call me on 617-555-0193.
To: [Client_Contact_09], [Client_14]
Re: Additional services, [Project_22], project [PROJECT_NO]
Adding the second science wing means 14 more sheets and a revised energy model. Fee for the change: $38,500 and three extra weeks. Once you sign, we'll issue revision D to the contractor. Call me on [PHONE].
Illustrations; all names are made up. Before you sign anything, you see the method and a de-identified sample of your own records.
Nothing upfront. You only pay if a deal completes.
Our success fee is agreed privately, in writing and under a mutual NDA, before we introduce you to anyone. No deal, no fee.
Four steps. About five hours of your time.
Check if you qualify
2 minutesTalk to us
20 minutesMeet the buyer
1 callSign and get paid
8–16 weeksArchitecture and engineering firms with years of decisions in writing.
- 30+ design and office staff (engineers, architects, drafters, PMs, admin), now or at your peak
- 3+ years on the same email and project tools
- Projects run in writing: RFIs, markups, design reviews, email
- Drawings and calcs your firm owns or can license; client-owned work can be left out
- US or UK, mostly in English
Engineers, architects, drafters and admin all count toward size. Survey and site crews don't need to. Operating, winding down or closed: all can qualify.
Questions owners ask us
Who owns our drawings, and can we license them?
It depends on each client contract: some leave copyright with your firm, some assign it to the client. Anything your firm doesn't own or can't license is left out, and you approve the scope in writing.
What about stamped and sealed documents?
Seals, signatures and licence numbers are removed along with names and addresses, so nothing delivered can pass as a sealed document. The engineering inside stays readable.
Will our clients be named?
No. Clients, contractors, project names and addresses become consistent placeholders like [Client_07], and projects under a confidentiality clause are left out unless the contract allows it. You approve a sample of your own records first.
We work on public infrastructure. Can we still qualify?
Often, yes. Security-sensitive work, such as critical infrastructure under a security requirement, is left out entirely, and the rest of your record can still qualify. We check this on the first call.
What does it cost?
Nothing upfront. If a deal completes, you pay our success fee, agreed in writing under a mutual NDA before any introduction. No deal, no fee.
Find out in two minutes if your records qualify.
Check if you qualifyOr email hello@joinresidual.com.