Remodeling - February 2009 - (Page UR48)

Start Right Photos from Metropolitan Design & Build, in St. Louis, signal prospects that the company is about beautiful and creative solutions to oftenthorny design problems. Hill Construction, in Manchester, N.H. In that instance, the ability to provide timely electronic updates — room by room, via Web site or e-mail — helped secure the job. MONEY MATTERS and professionally, you’ll have a quick resolution and be able to move to the next step.” STEP BY STEP You’ll also have to know, by the end of that first meeting, what the prospect expects to pay. That will be the most difficult piece of information to come by, but without it you won’t be able to tell if the project is feasible. “Money is No. 1, even with high end,” says Cobb Hill Construction president Tom Avallone. It’s also a subject requiring finesse. “The first thing you don’t do is ask them how much they want to spend,” Clark says. What he brings to that first meeting is 8-by-10 before-and-after photos and, as he walks prospects through kitchens, baths, additions, and renovations, he gives a price range for each. If there’s a discrepancy between what the homeowners want and what they feel they should spend, be frank and respectful. “If people are unrealistic in their needs and expectations, I’m going to tell that to them as quickly as I can in as nice a way as possible,” Avallone says. If you do that honestly, politely, Jim Cory is the editor of REPLACEMENT CONTRACTOR, a sister publication of UPSCALE REMODELING. UR-48 Remodeling February 2009 remodelingmag.com PHOTOS: RICHARD SPRENGELER For many remodelers, the next step comes at the conclusion of that first meeting, when they ask prospects to commit to paying for design. Sylvestre names a ballpark price and charges $500 for preliminary designs. If prospects give the go-ahead, Clark returns for a second meeting with an Initial Concept Agreement that includes design concepts, scope of work, and an estimate. But nothing happens unless clients agree to work with you, which is why that first meeting is key. “To get to that Fine Design Agreement — your first benchmark — there needs to be a huge amount of trust,” Rochman says. And each meeting, and phase, usually involves increased buy-in, as well as additional selling. “There’s always the thought that maybe there’s someone out there who can do it cheaper,” Clark says. “But more than 80% of the time we get that Initial Concept approved, and the person goes all the way with it.” http://www.remodelingmag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Remodeling - February 2009

Remodeling - February 2009 Contents First Word Market Watch Linda Case Mark Richardson Shawn McCadden Ways + Means Bottom Line Sales + Marketing Field Notes By Design Tech@ Work Good Form Close Up Second Look Going Green Clinic Specbook Upscale Remodeling Start Right People, Process, Profits Interview: Sara Ryan Duffy, President of SRD International New + Notable Products Final Touch Green Speak Green Spec In Focus First Look Benchmark

Remodeling - February 2009

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.