How to Ensure Your Builder Sticks to Your Budget
Are you dreading your renovation because of the budget? Or perhaps you’re hesitant to invest your hard-earned income in the process? These shouldn’t stop you from your home restoration! Let us put your mind at ease, with some pearls of wisdom from our many years of combined experience.
A Budget Doesn’t Have to Feel Limiting
Everyone has a budget. Simple as that. Some have more zeros on the end than others but essentially, everyone has a figure they’re willing to invest or part with to see their vision come to life regardless of how big or small the project is, whether that be a home addition, reconstruction or building a house from scratch!
It’s very common to speak of a budget as a limitation or something hanging over your head and to be afraid of. This can sometimes create stress towards your project when in actual fact, it can be such an exciting and transformational time (it really can, if done right!)
So how do we handle client’s budgets?
Firstly, with great respect and humility. No matter the size of the project, we believe client finances are hard-earned and deserve great respect. We do not overlook the level of trust that goes into this value exchange.
We’ve been through this ourselves (actually, we are still amongst it!) We know first hand what it’s like to fund a renovation and have to work to that set budget. It means allocating sensibly to big ticket expenses and having to adjust accordingly when things don’t go to plan (there is always a contingency for unexpected things - hello, termite damage!)
Because we know how it feels to part with that hard earned money, we have great respect for our client’s budgets so we’re certainly not about spending it just for the sake of it. That serves no one. Instead, our approach starts with functionality and then emotion - what key changes are going to make your day to day lives easier and more enjoyable in this space?
For example, a mud room for shoes and school bags, more linen storage, a second bathroom, a kitchen with island seating for kids to do homework while you’re cooking, or an outdoor entertaining space to fit all the family. These are functional changes which positively impact the quality of your daily life in the home.
Secondly, how do you want to *feel* in this space?
Let’s start there. Then, together as a team, we establish a scope of work and decide how your interior design style and vision is going to align with the budget. That’s the power of designing and quoting your build at the same time (rather than finding out the design you have fallen in love with is way over your available budget - the traditional method of building).
We’re not magicians but...
While we are all about having good honest money talks upfront, that doesn’t always mean every single thing in the wishlist can fit into the budget, however, given we’re often quoting the build at the time of designing, we have much more control over that cost and can foresee the big cost. Sometimes it might mean staging out a project and moving a bathroom renovation to “stage 2”.
At Yarrow Build, we are half design (Sarah Yarrow Interiors) and half build. Together as a husband and wife team, we are removing our client’s fears associated with “blowing the budget” and having good honest conversations up front to find a way where vision and budget can align.
Have questions? Want more info? Book a call and say hello, we’d love to hear from you!
