Simple steps required to get the best building quotes for you
Ideal way to present your needs vs your wants to your builder.
Unlock savings and improve satisfaction: learn how to get the best building quotes
Are you on the cusp of embarking on a construction project?
Are you ready to make your dream home or commercial space a reality?
One of the most important things you will need to do throughout your journey is to obtain accurate and competitive building quotes. Building quotes are an opportunity for you to learn what the approximate cost of your project will be from your chosen builder and the opportunity for the builder to show the costings for the project, so that it may be turned into a reality.
But what is the purpose of obtaining the building quotes other than an approximated cost of your project? Why is it so important to get building quotes? How do you get a competitive building quote?
Some of the questions you will get more insights in this blog post about – for getting an accurate and competitive building quotes and knowing in and out of how to present your needs and wants to the builders appropriately.
Easy Ways to Get the Best Building Quotes:
Research and Short List: Commence your project by researching and short-listing potential building contractors who specialize in projects such as yours. The internet, contacts and the local directory are all good ways of finding builders.
Request more than one bid: Don’t just settle for the first bid. Request testimonials and go look at homes that the builder-built years ago and homes that are currently in the process of being built. Make sure that the prices are alright. Compare the cost of the homes that you go and look at, because while homes might look the same on the outside, the insides can be twice as different. This means that it might cost you more if you go with a cheaper home to live in with your family. What I would recommend then is to base that decision off of your work and your lifestyle. If you work overtime and make some extra money, then you may want to turn a 5-bedroom home to a 7-bedroom home.
Give the Builder What They Need: The more information you offer, the more precise your quotes are. Builders will require detailed plans including architectural drawings, specifications, make sure you’ve included everything you want and any additional features or requirements.
Clear and open communication is key with each builder who is providing you with a quote. Answer their questions promptly and provide any additional information they request.
Site Visits:
Inviting the proposed builders to visit the site of construction enables them to contemplate the disposition of the characteristics of the site with which they may not be familiar beforehand. It this way they will be able to offer more representative quotations.
Ask for Referrals: Request a list of previous clients from the builders and check the references. You should speak to a few of the people who have built with the builder; they are your best sources of information about quality and professionalism.
Compare the proposals by reviewing the items that are included and excluded in each. Make sure that you are making an apples-to-apples comparison because different builders include different items in their bids+.
Think about Experience and a Reputation: Do not ignore the work history or name of the builder just to save money. A builder with a track record of quality work and satisfied clients will cost money, but they are always worth it.
Check Your Builder’s Insurance and Licensing
One of the first steps in choosing a home builder is to check for both a contractor’s license and proof of insurance. Stipulations regarding both can vary slightly for each state, so be sure to familiarize yourself with any specifics relevant to your location. By checking your builder’s license, you can guarantee the building company is reputable (i.e. they have no outstanding judgements against them) and that it also has worker’s compensation.
Bloody expensive. Everything. Speak to several suppliers and get a price, then knock 10 per cent off. If your builder offers you a quote that meets your budget on a pro-rata basis, he has either seriously ballsed up or is using crap stuff. Make sure you negotiate a good deal. It should be a mutually beneficial agreement, and neither party should feel ripped off or a mug. A conjectural stream of pies will hit the fan when it becomes apparent you’ve both signed up to different things. Make sure you go through every aspect of the quote to clarify how things are to be done, what stages of the job fall under each payment and what the hell is going on.
Telling your builder what you need and want.
Get things right with the builder and it will be much easier for them to get things right for the project. There’s a big difference between needs and wants, and making this clear upfront will give you a firmed up quote and help the builder do what you hired them to do: bring your vision to life.
Needs vs wants.
Define your priorities: Ensure you know what you must haves vs. nice to haves are with any home you build. This helps your builder understand what your non-negotiable requirements are for your new home
Here are some important items to think about when deciding what your list of priorities will be:
Detail: Provide a full project brief. Describe the objectives of the project.
Provide a clear and comprehensive design brief, including details any visual preferences,
functional requirements or specific materials and finishes to be used.
Budget Clarity – Be transparent about your budget constraints. A builder can keep you focused on better options and alternatives when they understand the parameters of your financial boundaries.
Be flexible: The builder may have suggestions for stretching your budget or making improvements to the design that will enhance the look or improve the home’s functionality.
Ongoing Communication: Losing touch with your builder is never a good idea. Stay in touch to make sure you’re available when a builder has a question or needs additional information to submit with the plans.
Obtaining the best building quotes and presenting your needs / wants properly to your builder are the first and most crucial part of any successful building project. To get the right quote, you need to talk to at least four or five builders and get a written quote from each. You also need to provide them with a written copy of what you expect them to build (your specification). Be certain you attach any plans or engineering to the quote. Spending a few hours preparing a solid request for quote will save your project 40 hours or more latter.
Preparing a quality request for quote should not be very difficult, but it may take a little time to coordinate the effort. You can start with a builder who built your last project or a client who already had a successful building relationship. Referrals are a great way to start. Friends and existing clients of the builder will usually tell you if the builder is the right type. If you are thinking about a commercial project, try to visit other projects in your area and talk to some construction people on site.
The second part of the quote process is organizing your quote responses so it is easy to compare your project to similar projects the builder has done. Whether you use my spreadsheet or you make your own, be prepared to visit a couple of your top ranked builders. You will probably be calling them every week for months. Pick people who are good to work with and that will explain the process to you.