Sad or Happy

There is a story about a remodeling contractor, who once said, “You can tell me what you think your remodeling project will cost, and I will laugh, or I can tell you what it will really cost, and you can cry.”

The Agony of Defeat.

Vinko About To Wipe Out

Not long ago, I was publicly criticized for a bad habit of mine. I was playing the part of a psychic, guessing what someone’s hypothetical project was going to cost before I knew all the details. That would be like your doctor giving you a diagnosis without any medical testing; there’s no way to do it responsibly.

When we finally worked it all out, their real project turned out to cost more than they could spend, and no amount of apologizing can rebuild that kind of lost trust. Then, it hit me. I’m a remodeling contractor, not a clairvoyant. It made me feel like Vinko Bogataj, the skier on the Wide World of Sports, wiping out on the bottom of my ski jump hill.

Always an Optimist

Over time, to avoid the agony of defeat, I tried skewing my estimates higher, frightening folks away unnecessarily. I eventually came to the conclusion that suggesting what a project might cost is a waste of time, so I stopped. Helpful information is all around us, so now I share points on a graph to lend credibility.

1. An example might come from a past project of similar magnitude adjusted for the current economy.
2. Another example might come from a remodeling journal that keeps track of these sorts of things.
3. Cost for new homes is another dot on the graph with the caveat that remodeling will always be more expensive.
   

Some people just refuse to believe what it costs cost to remodel well, and that is OK. they are not my clients.

We Have a Solid Process to Figure Out Exact Project Costs

The Great Carnac

Our process, born out of frustration, provides the accuracy that people want so why get sucked into the Guessing Game? At Levco, to reveal accurate pricing, we use a Design Development process, it starts with a “Letter of Intent to perform Pre-Construction Services.”

The entire point of a Design phase is to collect all the facts so we can figure out the price. Until we get accurate information on a hypothetical project, I’m better off keeping my mouth shut than to make false predictions.

If you can be patient, we will discover the exact correct pricing based on your decisions for design, material selections, complexity of the project, how much of the home and the systems will be affected and collecting hard bids from our vendors and specialty trade partners.

No two projects are alike. Some take longer to figure out than others. We are committed to discovering the financial ramifications of remodeling your home accurately and responsibly, eliminating the guessing game or worse, a misdiagnosis.

Your comments are welcome. To ask questions or get more information about remodeling, click here to email me directly, or call 208-947-7261

If you or someone you know is considering remodeling or just wants to speak to a trustworthy remodeling contractor, please contact me. You’ll be glad you did.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove and replace them at once.