The Challenge

Revel, an award-winning architecture firm, believes in getting things done right. They have a record of creating beautiful, well-designed spaces for their clients. From commercial interior design to office space planning, they deliver authentic, flawlessly executed environments that shine. As the architect, Revel is responsible for managing the permitting process for their clients. 

Courtney Read is a Senior Designer and Project Manager out of Revel’s Austin office. To Courtney, permitting represented a complicated process, frequently making projects less predictable. Each of her projects is bespoke, and the rules could apply differently to every project. Not to mention the City of Austin is ever-evolving ––with permit requirements changing and being updated. It was evident that her team's time could be better spent designing beautiful spaces rather than focusing on the nuances of the permitting process. Not only did permitting feel like a bad use of her or her team’s time, but it was also a confusing and frustrating experience for clients.

“There was one project we’d previously been a part of, which turned into a bit of a mess. The office admin submitted the wrong set of plans, leading to confusing comments and complications. Even with the expeditors we’d historically used, these unpredictable mistakes and issues can arise because there is no visibility.”

The Solution

Although the permitting process was painful for them and their clients, Courtney and the Revel team didn’t know there could be a better system and, more importantly, a better outcome. In early 2023, Courtney was in the early stages of a project with JLL working as the third-party project manager. JLL hired Pulley for the project and invited Revel as a collaborator in Pulley. 

“Once we had a call with the team at Pulley and saw the platform’s capabilities, we were impressed. Frankly, we didn’t even know such a solution existed before. We were so grateful that JLL pointed us in your direction, and we haven’t looked back.”

One of the first benefits that caught Courtney’s attention was how professionally Pulley presented, not just for her but everyone else on the project, including JLL and the client. Unlike sharing information via cell phones and emails, Courtney could easily share project updates with anyone by sending the Pulley link, which only made Revel look better. 

“Instead of constant phone calls, emails, and miscommunication, stakeholders can log in to Pulley and access the information they need, reducing the need for back-and-forth communication.”

Although Pulley’s technology drew Courtney in, she was equally impressed by the Pulley team's service. Working with a team that clearly understood her work, pain, and goals made permitting that much easier. It was the combination of Pulley’s technology and service that made the switch so seamless.

The Outcome

When Courtney was invited to Pulley as a collaborator on JLL’s project, she knew immediately that they’d found a permitting solution that could truly impact their work. After completing that project, Courtney and the Revel team in Austin included Pulley in their client proposal packages for all of their Austin projects.

Revel and Pulley have since worked together on projects, including an office fit-out for a rocket company, a sandwich shop, law offices, and more. With more projects, Pulley’s benefits became more evident to Revel. A major improvement? Accuracy.

“Pulley helps streamline the project permits, making sure nothing is overlooked. The software serves in some ways as a checklist, making it easier for us to track our progress. That visibility lets us avoid mistakes and keep the project moving forward.”

Revel realized their permitting wasn’t just more accurate; it was also getting done faster. Pulley helped simplify the process and allow for more collaboration by keeping the project documents and communication in one place, eliminating the need for emails, texts, and calls back and forth.

Before switching to Pulley, Courtney averaged that a baseline building permit for her projects would usually take around a month for approval. “With Pulley, our projects have been getting approved in about 15 days––2 weeks faster than usual.”

The Value

Permitting is complicated. It’s so complicated that Courtney, who has been working in design and architecture for a decade, with most of that time working on projects in Austin, still doesn’t call herself an expert on permitting. Even so, it’s important to protect her clients from this complicated process. 

“Working with Pulley is so valuable because it allows us to stick to our area of expertise, design and architecture, and not have to overspend brain power on permitting. We can leave that to the real experts.”

Pulley has enabled Revel to take on more and more complex projects and grow their Austin business. The visibility and simple user experience, alongside Pulley’s local expertise, helped them navigate more complicated projects quickly and accurately.

The confidence, efficiency, and visibility that Pulley provides has not only benefited Revel but also their clients. “Pulley streamlines behind-the-scenes work, making our clients' lives easier, even if they don't fully understand the process.” Revel uses Pulley to ensure that they are getting things done right.

“Simply put, Pulley makes my life easier.”