Just as every home needs a strong foundation, every enterprise benefits from a strong base of industry best practices. In the construction industry, following these guidelines will help your business run smoothly and profitably, and will help you, your team and your clients feel satisfied in projects well done.

1. Takeoffs

Getting takeoffs right is key to getting any project off on the right foot. Getting them wrong means your project quotes and estimates will be off – which will set you up for potentially costly adjustments later on, as well as a loss of trust from the client. Protect your bottom line and your business’s reputation by learning how to create takeoffs that are precise.

And you can’t take your time putting them together, either. Clients have come to expect fast delivery and turnaround times in all aspects of a construction project, and this includes takeoffs. So not only do your takeoffs have to be precise, but you have a shorter window to deliver them to clients than ever before.

2. Project Quotes

Determining what price to quote involves a delicate balance. Quote too high and you risk losing the project. Quote too low and you risk losing profits – you might even just break even or, worse, have to actually pay out of pocket.

3. Estimates

Creating estimates involves both attention to detail and a certain amount of finesse. You’ll want to account for every line item, including not just material costs but labour costs, equipment rental fees and overhead, such as office space rental, utilities and bookkeeping.

Moreover, clients these days expect to receive estimates faster than ever. And since overall client satisfaction is imperative to get the great reviews that will help you grow your business, you’ll want to provide the estimate quickly without sacrificing accuracy.

4. Workflow

Behind every great orchestra is a great conductor – someone has to keep all those instruments working in harmony and on tempo to produce beautiful music. Your business is the orchestra and your workflow process is the conductor. Having a solid and sustainable workflow means you won’t have to reinvent the wheel on every project. You and your team will have clear action items at every stage, you’ll build trust with your clients, and you won’t waste time on all the countless decisions involved in successfully completing a project.

So, are you ready to reduce the time you spend on admin, maximise your efforts doing what you love and put your business on track to have a banner year in 2023? Making sure you get these four areas just right and using a tool like Houzz Pro to help you will get you there.