In this episode

Avoiding Budget Blowouts

All the way from sunny Nelson, Chris from CD Build is here to chat all about how to avoid budget blowouts on your reno. Chris’ varied experience in the construction sector has lended itself to tricker renos. Throughout his renovation career he’s become known for sharing innovative build solutions to interesting renovation problems in a creative way, to help educate not only homeowners but other tradies as well.

 We also cover:

• Chris’ experience and how he has built a network of professionals and suppliers across the industry
•  How Chris came to be a content creator in the renovation / building trade field
•  The different ways a budget can blowout - from the conception phase right through to construction
•  Construction budget versus whole project budget and how this often trips homeowners up
•  Chris’ onboarding process for prospective clients and how that helps to align expectations upfront
•  The tricky ‘budget’ conversation
•  “How much does that bag of groceries cost?” metaphor
•  Why only a ballpark cost range can be given up front
•  Specifying low, medium and high costs and what you get for it
•  Controlling scope creep for both the builder and the homeowner’s bottom line
•  The different ways to deal with variations and how timing and approval process can impact the cost of a variation
•  Chris’ Google Sheet for variations including a checklist for pricing and associated paperwork
•  Why renovations can’t actually be ‘fixed price’
•  The power of provisional and prime cost sums
•  True benefit of a pre-approved ‘remedial fund’ to speed up the variation process
•  The importance of capturing everything in your builder’s quote, even if the detail isn’t fully known
•  How much contingency you should include at different phases of the project
•  What contingency should actually be used for
•  When would you prefer to know what your project will cost? Upfront or at the end
•  How designers can make or break construction and budget
•  The power of ECI and why you shouldn’t be scared of it
•  How beneficial collaboration between architect, builder and engineer can he for your design and therefore bottom line
•  How renovations provide an enormous amount of variety versus cookie cutter homes
•  Why builders from cookie cutter projects are not the best candidates for your renovation
•  The different between renovations and volume building / loss of craft
•  Matching the builder to the project
•  How to find and choose your builder
•  The difference between someone who is a good builder vs a good marketer
•  Why rewarding good communication up front will pay off
•  Does the vehicle your builder drives matter?
•  Where builders spend money and whether it helps you (or scaffolding)
•  What P&Gs are
•  Typical order of works on for example a bathroom reno that needs consent
•  When to be mindful of asbestos and where you might find it
•  Things that are alarm bells for a good builder from homeowners