Helpful info!

Thanks Matt, appreciate the comment.

You hit the nail on the head. In the industry, we understand what's involved, however, we have come across many homeowners wanting to complete projects with unrealistic expectations regarding the budget or timeframe.

Hopefully, someone reading the story with a project in mind will get a better understanding of what's involved and what to look for when getting quotes. There really is more to moving an external wall than taking a sledge hammer to it and then magically putting up another one with no other tie in work.

Thanks Pazz, your comments regarding custom vs project builders is invaluable. Hopefully, readers will take heed of your experience :)

But, and I absolutely mean this, don't think just because the builder is a custom builder that the default position infers quality. Take a look how badly I've been burned with a "custom" builder. Just one example of many areas this house has gone badly awry.

Oh gosh... what actually is that?... and was the house meant to be on the boundary?

Is that the slab at the bottom and if so shouldn't the frame be at the edge of it?

Garage's are considered zero lot, so very close to the boundary. No it's the waterproofed retaining wall. The dark blue stuff is termite protection. The brick veneer wall goes on top.

This builder actually has quite a spiel on Houzz. I'm currently exchanging solicitor's letters with him. There has been remediation work over several areas. Quality builder you think? As for a custom builder establishing an excellent client rapport - let's see if we end up in court.

Hmmm... yeah not fun... let's hope the builder comes good and you can find a resolution... good luck!

Hi DTS
Indeed, bad apples in every pack. No inference against all custom builders intended just making others aware the mere fact a builder is a custom builder is evidently not a singular guarantee of quality. Due diligence, seeing builds at frame stage, extensive searching and meeting previous clients are all necessary steps in the assessment of your builder's suitability. I obviously needed to do more.

Excellent article that parallels many of the same issues faced by professionals in other trades and related or aligned industries.

1. On the subject of Budget.

There seems to be an almost universal reticence on the part of potential clients to withhold information on their budgetary constraints. In my many years of experience in business within my own industry, I have yet to find, or even hear of a story, of a reputable provider who has intentionally 'padded-out' a quotation to meet the limits of a budget disclosed by the client.

Obviously, trust is the issue here, and I suppose understandable. However, you can build confidence in your selection of providers by checking carefully their credentials and, preferably customer testimonials/recommendations if they are available to you.

With a 'known' budget limit a provider can design a solution that provides the best value for money. The correct trade-offs can be made over elements that make up your eventual quotation in a way that does not compromise the overall quality of the solution you are presented. You may not be able to incorporate all elements of your 'wish list' but you give the provider/supplier the opportunity to work with you in arriving at a quality solution that doesn't skimp on the important, and often required, elements of your solution design.

From the supplier/providers point of view the amount of time and effort providing you with a solution quotation that provides optimal value can be vastly minimised. - I don't know how many times I have provided quotations to potential clients who are unable or reticent in disclosing their budget, only for them to fall over, when the quoted price is way beyond the amount they are willing or able to spend. When this happens, it leaves a rather bad taste in the mouths of all parties; with the provider/supplier now perceived as 'over the top' with their pricing, and the provider having to 'rework,' (if lucky enough to be given the opportunity to do so), the quotation in light of the 'now disclosed' budgetary constraints.

Of course, often as not the potential client moves on to another provider/supplier, educated and informed by the first provider and is able to direct the second provider with a revised specification (and associated design decisions) courtesy of their interactions with the first provider who will ever be thought off as 'over the top.'

I can only emphasise the point, that providing an indication of your budgetary range or limits, is so very important and may well save you from missing out on the benefit of working with a reputable supplier/provider.- Instead, you may be left with a provider that has made an easy sale having being given a shopping list or manifest of the required solution components, with the hard work and expertise required to define the solution, already completed and provided by the client.

2. On the subject of quotation detail,

I have always provided a complete quotation breakdown so that the customer can clearly see what is included and what is not. In my business branding is as important as feature lists and component specifications, as the information detailed in the quotation should speak of the calibre, quality and functionality of the solution you have been quoted on.

For a supplier/provider. this can sometimes be a two-edged sword, as it provides an easy pick-list for the next supplier/provider, who once again may simply counter-quote the solution and undercut pricing on the same components that make up the first provider's quotation. Alternatively, cheaper, often inferior elements of the solution may be substituted, in order to provide a clear price advantage, which 'sad to say' at least 50% of the population will opt for (imho); with claims of superior quality, reputation and after sales, warranty and service benefits, sacrificed by clients who value price over just about anything else. Of course, in many cases these are not the clients we are targeting with our own business, but that does not prevent a lot of time, effort and expertise being wasted; and in a lot of cases, as already described, expertise that is simply given away to a usually, lower-tier player in our market.

3 On the subject of Project vs Custom.

I will not repeat the excellent points made in both the article and some of the comments above. In my own business we only manufacture custom product (Drapery). One point I will make is that reputable suppliers/providers in any market have usually been in business for a considerable time (30+ years in my case). If you produce crap, you do don't tend to survive in business over the long haul. Reputable providers/suppliers have built quality long-term relationships with the providers in their supply-chain, and often as not it is word-of-mouth recommendation that provides much of your custom. Word-of-mouth recommendations are typically the product of an 'impressed' and 'happy' customer. You will pay more, but with the reputation of the provider/supplier on the line each an every day, there is little scope for 'finger pointing' when we the supplier gets it wrong, or if a problems or issues are experienced post sale. - We have far more on the line, and as a result, do very much 'give a damn' as do our delivery partners with whom we work, to ensure that no chinks develop in our collective 'reputational armour' and that you receive the premium value you paid for.