Win More Jobs by Helping Clients Meet Budget (Easily)
Helping clients afford construction costs has become standard fare for most builders. But, there’s an easier way to stop ‘budget balls ups’…
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With recent price increases almost every client gets a surprise when they first understand how much their dream home (or renovation) is going to cost.
Typically, they’ve briefed the designer/architect about their ideal home that has all the inclusions to support their lifestyle and now they’ve come to you for a ballpark estimate.
It’s at this point that you provide them with your indicative build cost, leaving client wondering why you’re so expensive.
Unfairly, they’ve blamed you for making their dream home unaffordable.
So how can you rectify such a difficult situation?
How to Easily Educate Clients Budget Expectations & ‘What Ifs’
>Use an Informed 3rd Party System to Inform Project Costs
Don’t allow yourself to be the ‘bad guy’ when it comes to budget. The required work will cost what it costs but most clients struggle with a shock and are looking for someone to blame.
Instead use an informed, third party that can confirm industry construction costs for their project/area. That way you’re not the person they blame.
ProCalc is an industry calculator developed on real builders’ costs for real projects. It assesses the clients project for key builders’ requirements then provides and informed range to the client. That means the client’s budget expectations are set by industry rates – not yours – at concept stage. Book a free ProCalc trial
>Help Architects and Designers Educate Clients at Concept Stage
Providing ballpark feasibility costs to architects/designers the traditional way can be extremely time consuming (full estimate) or extremely inaccurate (m2 rate or guesstimate).
Instead use ProCalc to provide feasibility costs to your architectural/designers to inform their designs from early on. You (or they) can book a free ProCalc trial to see how it works.
Imagine receiving plans where the client already understood the likely build cost….how much easier would that be for you?
>Explore ‘What Ifs’ to Reduce the Project Scope
In the event you need to support clients by reducing their scope make sure you have an efficient way to do it.
For example, changing plans from a 1st floor addition to ground floor extension for cost reduction has traditionally taken many hours.
Instead, in just 15 minutes, use ProCalc (free trial) to play out the what ifs to reduce cost, such as:
- Changing 1st floor addition to ground floor extension
- Reducing dwelling footprint
- Increasing renovation space & reducing extension space
- Reducing the number of wet areas
- Dialling down the specifications throughout
- Reducing excavation by staggering the FFL in including internal stairs in the dwelling
- Plus, more
ProCalc produces accurate, fast and informed changes to budget in just 15 minutes at your desktop. Book a free ProCalc trial.
You Might Also Like:
- Builders, Get Your Pricing Right Every-time – No More Under-Quoting
- Transform Your Building Business in 43 Mins (webinar)
- How (& Why) to Charge for First Client Meetings
- Take a Free Trial of ProCalc
- Stop All Free Client Meetings – Charge Upfront
- Want more tips like these? Attend the Webinar: Work Smarter, Not Harder
Richard Armstrong is a former registered builder who recently interviewed hundreds of experienced Australian builders to identify how they best manage clients, budgets and profitability.
