The biggest concern of clients is usually the cost of a construction project. It is common for clients to ask contractors for the cost of the project and whether it can be executed at a lower price. There are a few different factors that affect the cost of a construction project, and you can use them to understand and explain how the entire cost of the project materialized.
Client’s Priorities
The purpose of the construction work that you are undertaking is for the client’s benefit, so naturally, their expectations should be met. Different clients have different priorities, and something that is important for one client might not be the priority for others. Your job as a contractor is to make sure that your clients are satisfied, whether they prioritize quality, cost, or time.
Quality
The quality of your project is something that will leave an impact even after people forget its cost. You may be able to deliver a project on time and stay within the specified budget, but if you do not deliver on the required quality, it will be considered a disappointment. That is why it is so important that your focus remains on delivering quality during construction.
There are different aspects of quality on which you need to focus, such as the end result. It should be aesthetically pleasing and free from any defects. It should serve its intended purpose and be supported by worthwhile guarantees so that it satisfies the customer. Sometimes, aspects like durability are already available in the project design. However, some things are still dependent on how the contractor executes the project.
Make sure to keep the client’s briefing in mind when you are working on the project design and after you start construction. Using high-quality material and labor will undoubtedly increase the total cost of the project. However, if it leads to a better quality finished product then it might be worth it, depending on client priorities.
Cost
Most of the time, clients are looking to get their projects completed at the lowest possible price, but it can end up compromising the quality of the infrastructure. If the budget set out for the project is not enough, it will become a finance-driven project where the contractor is forced to find cheaper alternatives. When contractors have to work with a fixed budget, they try to control costs so they can deliver the project while staying within it. If there is a limit on the budget, the design will be restricted and unlikely to include any beneficial features that may drive up its cost.
You do not always need a high budget in order to execute a good design, however. Instead, your design should be able to provide value for money. The designer and client should work collaboratively and consider maintenance and other costs to come up with the perfect solution for all involved parties.
Time
For some clients, time is the biggest priority, and they hire contractors specifically for speedy construction work. Usually, in projects like these, the design approach is fast-tracked as well, and both the design development and construction work are done simultaneously. Time sensitive projects require intense management, different industrial equipment suppliers, subcontractors, and overtime pay, and these things end up increasing the cost of the construction project.
Nature of the Project
Since there are a lot of different design options available, it is difficult to predict the total cost of a project without knowing about other details. Usually, the cost of the project will be dependent on the characteristics that have been specified. For the construction of certain buildings like schools, you can determine costs with much more accuracy. However, what the architect chooses in terms of quality and design will have a direct impact on the cost of the project.