It’s really simple: Cost plus a fixed fee. I try to give you a really accurate estimate of exactly what your project will cost. I don’t bid to get the job, then either use junk materials or rush the work so it falls apart, or then add on all sorts of change orders for “extras” that should have been there in the first place. I don’t bid to get a job, I simply tell you how much it will cost to do it right. Want to find someone “cheaper?” You might, but we’re less expensive than many builders of similar quality. Why?
Cost plus a fixed fee.
After you get the estimate, and we get going, there’s total transparency. Whatever the “hard costs” are, we agree on a percentage for the size and complexity of the job, and that fee is the project management fee which is then fixed. Want to add solid gold toilets? Go ahead, there’s no mark-up, so you only pay whatever the toilets cost. Want to retain more control over the finances? No sweat, you can pay all the subcontractors directly. Want to earn airline miles? Stick whatever materials can be stuck on your credit card. This can’t be done with everything, as many suppliers deal only with contractors, but you get the point.
Do I want a big deposit? I don’t want any deposit, unless it’s a small job and I have to buy materials up front. Of course, if possible, you can put them on a credit card and then I won’t need a deposit there, either. I bill each week for work already in place. You pay only for what’s been done. Every other week, a percentage of the work completed is calculated, and a percentage of the project management fee is also billed.
Total transparency, no hidden mark-ups or low-ball bids to bite you later. Easy as that. It’s worked great for 30 years, so it should work for the next 30.
