Costing Concepts at the Right Time Supports Great Design & Reduces Budget Stress
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We surveyed architects and designers to see when and how they use ProCalc in their design process to improve their design outcomes and minimise budget stress. See how others approach budget management.
Here’s when (and how) architects and designers use Procalc in their design process:
Mud Map After the first Client Phone Call
After discussing the project with the client by phone, checking for fit, project type and confirming client meeting, many create a mud map.
They then run it through Procalc to get a realistic construction price guide.
Why so early in the process? Architects & Designers tell us clients are more flexible with budget (and scope) at the beginning of the design process and they don’t want to waste time on a project that will never progress.
If the client’s provided their budget and the initial mud map calculation reveals a gap, they know they have work to do on budget, resetting the clients price expectations.
See how One Simple Email Can Dial Down Budget Stress
To Accurately Inform Fee Proposals – Charge What You’re Worth
Practitioners who charge by percentage of construction cost for their services need to know construction budgets to maintain steady practice income.
Additionally, clients are rarely happy when they learn an increased construction budget could also create higher design fees.
So, creating a realistic construction budget to inform your pricing makes sense.
Identify Concept Options Worth Progressing to Presentation
Most practitioners said they use ProCalc to identify concepts that ‘have a future’. They use it to eliminate financially unrealistic concepts while enhancing those that are closer to client budget.
They use it as a design tool to massage projects and play out the “what ifs?”
That enables them to present affordable concepts to clients that meet the brief.
Present OPC with Each Concept
When presenting concept options to clients, architects and designers attach an informed opinion of probable cost for each.
This gives clients an immediate and empowered perspective that quickly narrows the conversation to the most appropriate design option.
That means less time in deliberation and faster progress to design documentation.
To Cost Client Changes
Many design practitioners said their clients often request changes throughout the design process but regularly forget the cost impacts.
To overcome this, they use ProCalc to assess client changes and help clients understand that changes in scope or design drive changes in construction costs.
This helps clients take responsibility for the changes they request, enabling design professionals to maintain a truly collaborative approach to client design.
Compare Builders Prices
Occasionally, design practitioners need to employ a negotiated tender due to market conditions, geographic remoteness, project speciality or some other factor that limits the use of competitive tenders.
In these situations, they often use ProCalc to understand the likely competitive pricing range and to market test likely pricing.
While we always recommend competitive tenders to drive value for clients, this can get you out of a jam if options are limited.
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