If you’re in the market for a custom home, which I know there are still a few of you out there. Then make sure you pick a custom builder who does estimates and not guestimates.
What’s the difference you ask? Just several months of arguments over costs and fights about change orders. If your custom builder doesn’t have his costs added up, then somebody will pay for the extras. Will it be you or them?
Reminds me of a verse in scripture. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, this fellow began to build and was not able to finish. ~ Luke 14:28-30
At P.L. Lyons, Inc. owner Perry Lyons bids every custom home and remodel himself. He takes off the plan and inputs it into his proprietary estimating program. With over 60 pages of detailed costs, formulas and options, the estimate can narrow your buildout down to the last dollar. Customers are walked through the 60 page estimate and are allowed to take the 3-page cost analysis with them. It’s such an impressive system that Perry has been asked to teach the Advanced Estimating course at the Louisville Home Builders Association the last several years.
There are many reasons why using an estimating program is a must. We’ll get into those on future posts. For now just take our word for it.
