Is it possible that your builder may not always be communicating everything you need to know? The answer is unfortunately yes. Often in receiving a quote from your builder there can be a number of discrepancies between what is discussed and the end product. As a client, clear communication with your builder is vital and the lack there of often leads to stress and in particular “more damage” to your wallet. You can really help your builder and the process by being clear and well prepared for your quote. Here are a few things to look out for that will help you navigate the process:
The Truth
“Ignorance is bliss until it shows up on your bill!”
The truth hurts but we all need it! There is nothing worse than receiving a quote that sounds pretty and pleasing but is masking painful realities. Ignorance is bliss until it shows up on your bill! A builder will tend to want to tickle your ears, as anyone trying to sell something would, however as a client you need to know the realities of your building project. Often negatives are drawn from an honest quote, which can discourage builders to give an honest picture of what the project will take. You as the client can help your builder by having a realistic expectation of what it will cost and by getting into the nitty gritty of the project. Make sure you understand the quote and feel as though you have been given an honest valuation of what the job will cost. The cheapest quote isn’t the best quote because it is full of hidden costs and delays along the way making it more expensive than an honest quote in the first place.
The Relevant Information
The more relevant information you can give your builder the better. Drawings from your architect, engineering details, council requirements and restrictions all greatly help your builder give you an accurate quote. The less prepared you are with relevant information the more likely the builder will not be able to give you a complete and realistic quote. In a lot of cases, the builder won’t give you a quote without the relevant information and DA approval.
The Timeframe
When calculating the time frame on a building project, the builder won’t be able to give you a realistic time frame until they have completed the quote and therefore shouldn’t. Remember, ABOUT isn’t a time frame and isn’t something worth hanging your hat on. Wait until you have an honest quote with the relevant information, then you can get a clearer picture of how long your project will take. Builders, if they feel under pressure to have a project done before Christmas for example, may make commitments that realistically they can’t keep but gets them the job. You can avoid this by being well prepared and allowing more than enough time to begin the process. Preparation and sufficient time allowed for the process should mostly help your builder give a truthful quote and timeframe on your project. Avoid builders who give untruthful or make unrealistic promises as it always costs more in the long run. Better to take longer and have a more expensive, honest quote initially than to run into trouble later on in the project.
If you’re after an honest builder and a truthful quote, we’d love to have a chat! You can contact us here through our online form and we’ll get back to you ASA