Early Cost Estimates - behind the numbers
There's more to making a cost estimate than just numbers.
The bottom line is of course the most important number, telling you how much you need to borrow is the first and most obvious bit of information a Cost Estimate is telling us and that's fine. Some people are happy with that information and can move forward with their financing and build from there - or not.
For a while, I was satisfied with producing the most accurate and comprehensive Cost Estimates I could and handing that over to my clients whether they were Builders, Architects, Sub-contractors or Private people looking to mange their own new house build or renovation.
Interpreting Cost Estimates
My key business rule for constantly improving what I do and produce each time has lead me to accompany my Cost Estimate reports with insights and advisory on your building project as standard.
A Cost Estimate from Sketch or Concept drawings could also be accompanied by an mini-addendum on possible Risks and their cost impact on the budget, different building scenarios that can look at any range of options from building sizes, single-level versus 2-storey, swapping cladding or finishing materials to name a few examples.
Doing this up front and making any changes early on in the design process will inevitably be less expensive than making changes later on or during the actual construction phase.
There's advice and advice!
The aim here is to give you more information than just chucking a number at you.
It's to give you options and their cost impacts on your build.
Why?
It's to look at the high-cost drivers in your project and suggest alternative solutions if you need to bring the cost lower.
It's to flag potential risk areas which can cause budget-blowouts, use all of your contingency allowance and result in delays and stoppages.
Do the quotes and estimates include all that's required for your home or building to function as it should. Is your wish-list items included or extra ?
Even if your budget is sufficient to cover the build and design, most people still want value for money, and that is what a good Quantity Surveyor can deliver.
Yes, you can get costs, estimates and quotes from your Builder, your Architect or your Group Home Company.
But is probably won't tell you the whole story behind the numbers.
