When you receive an in-depth estimate for a remodeling project from R. L. Rider Remodeling, there will be items that are the homeowner’s responsibility to pick out. These different products and finishes are the non-generic items (think drywall or framing lumber) that will be what you see and use every day, and therefore we need your input on how you want your new space to look and feel.
You can read our in-depth blog post explaining what allowances are on a construction bid by clicking the link: https:/lansing-renovation-remodeling-blog/what-are-allowances-on-construction-bid Basically, allowances are a price allotted to a given item for the purpose of estimating the job’s cost and giving the homeowner a range to stay within when shopping for that item.
R. L. Rider Remodeling utilizes a system that requires homeowners to make their final selections before construction begins. This ensures the project starts in an advantageous situation for a variety of reasons that we will discuss below.
The direct benefits to the customer are significant when selections are complete before construction begins: you get a fixed price contract with zero change orders; you feel confidence in your decisions and get to envision the completed result easily; and you get a job that is completed according to schedule.
Here are some of the factors and explanations for why we require selections to be made before we even get to the job site.
Lead Times
Once all your selections are complete, we must order each item from its respective vendor. Some items are stocked and ready to go meaning there is very little “lead time,” if any. Other items, especially specialty or custom orders, could have a long lead time meaning it could be weeks or even months before we can get it into our shop. Knowing all your selections in advance allows us to order everything we need and factor any lengthy lead times into the schedule.
Availability of Selection
Making your selections early means we have more time to react if an item you fell in love with is discontinued, out of stock, or otherwise not available for your remodel. Finding out a week before installation that your perfect bathtub is no longer for sale is a lot worse than learning that information months before.
Fixed Price Proposal & No Change Orders
After we receive your completed schedule of materials and finishes, we plug each item back into the original estimate and remove the allowance placeholders. Now a fixed final price will be created for your project that will not be subject to surprise change orders. Some contractors will sell a job at a low price and then attempt to “upsell” you with numerous change orders which end up costing you money you weren’t expecting to spend. The only change orders we have occur is when a client changes their mind about something after the construction contract is signed.
Better-Prepared Craftsmen and Trade Partners
Details are incredibly important to a successful remodel or new construction. The more prepared we can help our carpenters and installers be, the smoother the project goes. One big advantage of making your selections early on is that our experts get the time to review and weigh-in on each item they are responsible for installing. For example, if you choose an unusually shaped sink, our plumber gets to plan ahead of time for what it will take to install it and if he needs anything special from the countertop fabricator to complete a proper installation.
Domino Effect of Details
A project is conceived of and estimated based on being a cohesive, orderly thought process. Once the job is finalized, any change orders create a domino effect where many other things are affected, not just the detail being changed. If you decide last minute to have a bathtub instead of a shower, it may seem relatively minor. Like a stone thrown in a lake, this decision makes ripples through the entire project such as changing other selections, the type of plumbing, the measurements, the specs and drawings, the list goes on. Anything that risks upsetting the order of the project is good to avoid.
R. L. Rider Remodeling uses simple processes and rules to avoid issues before they even have a chance to crop up. By requiring you to make your product and material decisions well before construction begins, we largely eliminate any of the negative effects from the issues we covered here. This makes life easier on every party involved throughout the construction process!