The anatomy of the pricing process.

Just to give you an idea how a job starts. This is a brief timeline of what it takes to get a major remodel (kitchen remodel, room addition etc.) off the ground, just in case you have that dream for this spring. ...

1. Customer calls

2. We return their call within one day

3. We set up an appointment to meet usually within a week

4. If the customer has a good set of plans, we start preliminary pricing, usually taking about two weeks for a serious ballpark

5. If there are not any plans, that has to happen first. This usually consists of the preliminary meeting, a time of maybe two to three weeks to draft the first set, then set up a meeting. Go over the first draft; make changes, another two weeks. Meet again; hopefully to just do simple tweaks. Finally, draw up final plans, another two weeks. Add up the time. This plan process can easily take two months.

6. Now you have the plans, it's time to put them out for pricing. Most people will go for at least two prices maybe three. That means meetings with three contractors, following all of their timelines to connect with all of their subcontractors. If things move really really well, three weeks.

7. Decide on your contractor. If you are a serious buyer, you should be able to do this within a week. By this time you are so familiar with all involved, the decision almost makes itself.

8. Start! Remember, it takes anywhere from two to six weeks to get windows. Windows are part of the rough frame, needed close to the beginning of the job.

You can see by adding up all the time, it will take at least five weeks and up to three plus months to get a major project going.

Lets see…Feb-Mar-Apr, amazing how that works….      

~ The Carpenter