One of the hardest parts of being a contractor is that moment when your client tells you their vision and you know it just won’t work in their space or it is way beyond their budget. What’s a contractor to do? Check out these home remodeling ideas that will help you meet your client where they’re at.
1. The Budget
Good communication will mitigate many budgeting issues. Most homeowners don’t know how much home improvement products actually cost, especially with the unpredictable inflation we have been facing lately.
Once you have a clear idea of their vision and budget, do your research to determine if their dream is affordable. Make sure they are specific about what they want, and if there are any places in which they are willing to make allowances.
By helping your client budget and plan ahead, you will help keep the budget on track by preventing delays in material acquisition due to changing plans, wasted work hours and other inconveniences.
As much as we’d all love that million dollar paycheck, your client will appreciate you keeping the project within their budget by appropriately sourcing materials and being clear about labor costs.
Remember to leave at least 10% of your budget incase materials break or you make a mistake. It’s also important to be upfront about the possibility of making change orders in case you need to buy more of something!
In the era of online reviews, having good rapport with your client is SO important!
2. Professionalism
Of course it’s important to maintain professional communication with your clients, but have you considered other ways to make yourself look more professional?
Signing up with the Better Business Bureau definitely gives you more credibility as a contractor and makes you a more competitive business. It increases your visibility by listing you as an accredited and trustworthy business.
Another way you can appear more professional is by partnering with a company that offers financing. Especially with the rising costs of materials, many homeowners have pretty severe sticker shock when they see that proposal. Offering zero to low interest financing through a private company can both make it look like you really have it together AND become more accesibile to clients.
3. Cost Effective Materials
One radical home remodel idea is that not everything has to be new or prefab. There are definitely ways you can lower the cost without sacrificing the quality of the product. Instead of replacing the entire door jamb, consider getting just the slab and customizing the hardware. EightDoors’ sells single door leaves so you can get the best quality product without breaking the budget.
You can also have your client go to rebuilding centers to pick up some cool vintage elements.
4. Big Picture Vision
Help your client maintain big picture vision. It’s important for a house to be harmonious. Do the colors of the hallway align with all of the rooms it attaches to?
5. End Goal
Does the client want to live in their house forever, or is it more of a starter home they will sell in 5 years? This will influence the design of the home. A home that will be sold should be redesigned with the latest trends in mind. Figuring out the ROI of each design element will help them get the most bang for their buck. Check out the latest trends here.If the client plans to age in place, it should be designed however they like!
6. Saving on Disposal
Throwing materials away is expensive! When you have to pay per pound, you definitely want to minimize the amount of demo material that ends up in the trash. Not to mention the environmental benefits of keeping things out of the landfill!
Donating items to the re-store or to local charity groups can help reduce costs.
7. Apply for Permits Early
Getting caught up in the bureaucracy of permitting is every contractor’s nightmare. Permitting can delay projects for weeks, or even months! You don’t want to be caught in the middle of a project without a permit. Apply for permits before the promised start date to ensure there are no unnecessary roadblocks while you are in the middle of a home remodel.
8. Portfolio
Your clients will want to know what your work looks like! Keep an up to date portfolio of your latest remodel projects. You can even include photos of concepts you like and contemporary style so they know that you are savvy!
A bit like looking through style books at the hair salon, you want your prospective clients to have some ideas of what is possible. They may have only seen a few Pinterest photos. If you can provide them with product catalogues or your own private portfolio, it will help them figure out their style.
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