Having a remodeling business certainly has its benefits. Making clients happy and helping them create their dream home are just a few. But sometimes the day-to-day tasks can be daunting. If you want to run a successful project, make sure you and your clients are on the same page.
Most homeowners have never remodeled before, so they need an expert to guide them. Below you will learn how to create great working relationships with your clients by setting proper expectations. This way you can keep clients happy, yourself happy and lock in more projects.
1. Be Transparent and Explore All Options
Talk through all options and how they relate to the client’s budget. Make sure you discuss alternatives if necessary. Be clear about their options and custom upgrades that will cost more.
Always tell your customer if something they want will increase the quote. Help them weigh the benefits between things like custom paneling or a high-end refrigerator. They will trust you and feel more comfortable moving forward knowing you’re an expert.
2. Set Clear Goals
Learn all your clients' goals for their project. Do they want any special upgrades or unique design features outside of the norm? Create a project outline and budget that includes everything on their list and send it to them after the initial meeting. Also make sure your clients are aware of project lead times and when you can start working before moving forward with the project. As long as everyone agrees, the project should run smoothly.
3. Set Clear Boundaries
Familiarize your clients with how you work, and how you don’t work. Share when you will be available for phone calls and in-person appointments and when you won’t. Let them know that you separate work and personal time. If you have a specific work phone number, share your contact information and the hours in which you are available, for example, “between the hours of 7am and 5pm.” This will help to avoid projects creeping into your personal life.
4. Provide Generous Timelines
It’s no surprise that once homeowners start a project, they want to get it done. Get lead times for all your materials and sub-contractors, then build in extra time for revisions or additional conversations. Sometimes projects can be put on hold if a product delivery is delayed, or the client wants to re-think the design. Include some ‘wiggle room’ in the timelines you share with the client. They will be that much happier when you finish the project ‘early’.
5. Overestimate Project Pricing
Every project experiences changes and delays. Plan your pricing with contingencies to cover unexpected costs, meetings and trips. This way, your time is covered whether you have ten more meetings than expected or the cost of materials has increased. At the end of the project, if you realize your estimate was too high, your client will be thrilled to know they owe less.
6. Write Everything Down
Any project that involves structural or aesthetic changes plus large exchanges of money needs a well-documented paper trail. This is to keep all parties safe during the transaction. During each meeting, consider writing down what’s discussed and agreed upon. Send your client a copy of each meeting summary for reference.
Before committing to any work, create a comprehensive contract for the project. It should include a list of projects with breakdowns including timeless, estimates and what will not be included. For communication's sake, go over the contract with your client in person and discuss what the project will not deliver so everyone is on the same page. Once they agree, have your client sign the contract.
7. Discuss Change Orders
Change orders are fairly common. Talk to your client about changes ahead of time so they know how this could impact the project. Adjusting in the middle of a remodel means potential product delays, backorders, or affected sub-contractor schedules. It could even change the client’s project completion date. To discourage changes after contracts have been signed, build in automatic change fees for project revisions.
8. Remodel Abc’s- Always Be Communicating
Think of yourself as the client's remodeling guide. Most homeowners have never remodeled before or are relatively new to the process. Always overcommunicate. This could include clarifying requests at the end of each conversation, sending product delivery updates, and discussing each project stage as it progresses.
You can never communicate with a client too much. In most cases, they will be comforted and happy that you updated them. It shows you care about your clients and projects and will help build even more rapport with them. Happy customers also tend to spread the word about their good experiences.
9. Under-Promise. Over-Deliver.
Going above and beyond is sure to give you a happy client. Whether it’s finishing their project early or including something they thought wasn’t possible within budget, create a positive experience. Doing the bare minimums won’t help you get more referrals. Show you’re willing to go above and beyond for your clients. They will probably call you for their next few projects.
10. Be Open to Parting Ways
We all know it’s important to secure new projects. It can be tempting to just ‘get through it’, but sometimes it’s best to say no. There are multiple red flags to look for when coming across a project that doesn’t fit.
During initial talks, pay attention to your gut. If you have bad chemistry or constantly misunderstand each other, it’s probably best you each work with someone else. When a prospect says they have talked with multiple pros, this can be a sign they have impossible standards or are difficult to work with.
If the prospect is consistently postponing meetings or unrealistic about pricing, this is also a warning. Most importantly, when a prospect shows a complete lack of trust, run the other way.
You work too hard and invest many hours of your life providing high-value services. Your work ethic and determination help people achieve their dream designs. Make sure you are both on the same page about all expectations, so everyone ends up happy with the results.