Zeke
Well-known member
This is a start of a thread purely on cost control and timing whether it be new construction, alterations, major repairs of just plain upgrading. The idea is for all to add their ideas and tell anecdotes. We begin with this:
How do you save money when building?
Hint: not by hiring the cheapest subs or buying the cheapest materials. But wait, there’s more — and we'll get to cheap later.
Have a carefully prepared plan in place. Stick to the plan.
The goal for any job is to do it on time and within the budget. Things always seem to cost more than estimated and the way to limit time and cost overrun is to understand cost control as well as hitting the figure. This takes thorough advance planning.
I recently had a client that added to the rough electrical not once, but 3 times. The cost of the additions, which were minor in nature compared to the big picture, cost him almost as much as the initial bid. Don’t think for a minute that contractors do not lie in wait for changes as such. Most changes are done time and materials (which I like*), but there is no ambition to do the extra work as efficiently as the original. Another client changed paint colors in the middle of the work. That resulted in additional labor and time running the job past the completion date. When the client makes changes, the original completion date goes out the proverbial window. Not to mention the planned budget. *I’ll talk more about cost plus later.
Shopping well before a job will save money and time. Eliminate out of stock or delayed delivery circumstances. Keep shopping for the best price for what you want, not what you’ll accept. Shop long and shop smart. Many businesses that are successful are so because of their buying habits.
Another client didn’t order tile soon enough (it’s never too soon) and by the time the tile was delivered, the preferred installer was too booked up to do the job in a timely manner. Had to settle for another, not as good and higher in price. Cost went up unexpectedly.
One additional subject I will touch upon is duplication of services (if others don't get to that with an explanation). I recently advised someone getting ready to build to understand where one trade leaves off and the next begins. But what if 2 trades need a backhoe? No need for one to be leaving the job while another is in route. If there's a LOT of excavation needed during construction, you can consider renting a machine to stay on the job. Backhoes can lift trusses to a certain height. They all have a bucket for scooping and simple grading.
Weather can play a part in the completion on-time process but shouldn’t affect the cost. Carry insurance on the project. Damage should not be a cost.
That's just the start. What do you have to say? Theory is fine as are rules.
(I'm a contractor with 44 years of experience.)
How do you save money when building?
Hint: not by hiring the cheapest subs or buying the cheapest materials. But wait, there’s more — and we'll get to cheap later.
Have a carefully prepared plan in place. Stick to the plan.
The goal for any job is to do it on time and within the budget. Things always seem to cost more than estimated and the way to limit time and cost overrun is to understand cost control as well as hitting the figure. This takes thorough advance planning.
I recently had a client that added to the rough electrical not once, but 3 times. The cost of the additions, which were minor in nature compared to the big picture, cost him almost as much as the initial bid. Don’t think for a minute that contractors do not lie in wait for changes as such. Most changes are done time and materials (which I like*), but there is no ambition to do the extra work as efficiently as the original. Another client changed paint colors in the middle of the work. That resulted in additional labor and time running the job past the completion date. When the client makes changes, the original completion date goes out the proverbial window. Not to mention the planned budget. *I’ll talk more about cost plus later.
Shopping well before a job will save money and time. Eliminate out of stock or delayed delivery circumstances. Keep shopping for the best price for what you want, not what you’ll accept. Shop long and shop smart. Many businesses that are successful are so because of their buying habits.
Another client didn’t order tile soon enough (it’s never too soon) and by the time the tile was delivered, the preferred installer was too booked up to do the job in a timely manner. Had to settle for another, not as good and higher in price. Cost went up unexpectedly.
One additional subject I will touch upon is duplication of services (if others don't get to that with an explanation). I recently advised someone getting ready to build to understand where one trade leaves off and the next begins. But what if 2 trades need a backhoe? No need for one to be leaving the job while another is in route. If there's a LOT of excavation needed during construction, you can consider renting a machine to stay on the job. Backhoes can lift trusses to a certain height. They all have a bucket for scooping and simple grading.
Weather can play a part in the completion on-time process but shouldn’t affect the cost. Carry insurance on the project. Damage should not be a cost.
That's just the start. What do you have to say? Theory is fine as are rules.
(I'm a contractor with 44 years of experience.)
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