Running a $1.46M Project with AI
How Claude Code became my project manager, analyst, and document processor
How It Started
About 6 months into this project, I started using Claude Code. It's an AI tool made by a company called Anthropic. I didn't use it for coding. I used it to manage the entire construction project.
It started small. I asked it about my loan terms. Then I asked it to compare two lender offers. Then I asked it to read a 26-page disclosure document. Before I knew it, AI was running the paperwork side of a $1.46 million project.
What the AI Does
Reads Documents
Every PDF, spreadsheet, and email goes through Claude. It pulls out the important numbers. It flags things that don't match. When MVI sent their disclosure package, Claude found a problem I would have missed. The documents said 5 draws but the schedule showed 7.
Builds Financial Models
Claude created my exit strategy spreadsheet. It compared different refinance options at different interest rates. When Arixa sent their numbers, Claude matched their cost figure to our records within an hour. It found exactly which $27,292 item was categorized differently.
Writes Emails
The emails to Arixa's team? Claude drafted them. The Housing Commission explanation? Claude wrote it. The SDGE complaint letter? Claude wrote it. Each email used specific details from project documents that would have taken me hours to find on my own.
Makes Spreadsheets
The cost report I sent to Arixa had 4 tabs with 70+ line items. Every number matched to the penny. Claude built it from source files in one sitting.
Checks Energy Models
When Brian sent updated energy model files, Claude compared the old and new versions byte by byte. It confirmed which fields changed and caught that 2 of 5 models still showed the wrong HVAC brand.
By the Numbers
| Task Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Emails drafted | 25+ |
| Financial analyses | 15+ |
| Spreadsheets created | 8 |
| Documents analyzed | 40+ |
| Meeting prep documents | 6 |
| Status reports | 10+ |
What It Can't Do
- It can't make phone calls (SDGE required a lot of those)
- It can't visit the construction site
- It can't sign documents
- It doesn't replace expert advice on construction or legal questions
- It sometimes gets numbers wrong and needs to be checked
My Honest Take
AI doesn't replace people. My architect, contractor, broker, and attorney are all essential. But AI handles the boring stuff. The spreadsheet matching. The document summaries. The "what if" calculations. The first draft of every important email.
I work a full-time job while managing a $1.46M construction project. Without AI handling the paperwork, I'd be drowning. With it, I stay on top of everything.
The Funny Part
This blog? Built with AI too. The content came from real project emails, documents, and files. All organized by the same tool that manages the project. Even the weekly construction updates were pulled from our project management software using AI.
It's AI all the way down.