Why is it difficult to give a reliable “Ballpark Price” and what are the Pros and Cons?

Asking for a “Ballpark Price” is a favorite question from potential customers that come into our showroom, “Just looking.” We all have some form of a ‘spending plan’, more commonly referred to as a budget. Most of us go into a store to make a purchase, even shopping for groceries, and one of the first things we do is to look for the price. It is no different when starting to investigate the possibilities of a home remodel.

So, the customer comes into our showroom, talks briefly about the scope of their project, looks at a
cabinetry and countertop option that catches their eye as they do their best to describe the size and
shape of their kitchen and asks, “Can you just give me a ballpark idea on what this would cost? I won’t
hold you to it, just a ballpark?”

The question is reasonable in that the customer desires to have some idea of what a kitchen remodel
will cost. We also realize that when this question is asked early in the conversation that chances are
pretty good this customer has not spent much time researching the process and is really just trying to
figure out if they have the means to get serious about pursuing a kitchen remodel. This is not a bad
thing. Most people who are just getting started on the process have no idea what it will cost.

Avoiding False Expectations

We are not high-pressure salespeople. We do not like to be sold, and as such, we do not want to try to
“sell” someone on a home remodel. Our desire is to educate the customer, and provide as much
information as they desire so they can make an informed decision. We tend to shy away from giving a
“ballpark” price because it typically sets false expectations.

If we guess too high, we will scare off the customer who is not prepared for the reality of the cost of
construction in 2025. If we guess too low, we may later anger the customer who entertained our
“ballpark” price expecting that guess to be at the top end of the spectrum. When our actual bid is
presented after carefully factoring in all the variables, if the customer finds our bid exceeds the
“ballpark” price we guessed at earlier, we are viewed as incompetent or trying to cheat the customer.

Estimated Range of Pricing

We prefer to discuss “ballpark” guesstimates in the context of a range of pricing based on an ‘average’
home remodel we have completed recently. For example we would prefer to say, “Our experience with
remodeling a kitchen of your size ranges from $45,000 to $75,000, depending upon final selection and
entire scope of the work. If this seems to be in the general price range you were expecting, we would
love to take the time to work through more details of your project where we can then provide a more
accurate and reliable price estimate for your project.”

Our greatest desire in this transactional conversation is to provide the customer with some good
information that will leave them with a range of pricing to expect when we take a deeper dive into all
aspects of their remodel project. In the end, we want to give a new customer a remodel project they will
be pleased with for years to come. We do not want to attempt to open a new relationship with false
expectations and unrealistic hopes for a minimalistic financial commitment.

Contact Us Today to Book Your Remodel

If you are ready to take the steps for a home remodel? Lloyd’s Remodeling & Cabinetry is here to help!
Once we have given you an estimate that sounds reasonable to you, we will get started right away.
Contact us today in Sandy, UT to learn more about our services and get your remodeling project scheduled.

lloydscabinet

Mike has been in the cabinetry business since 2003 where he started as a CNC Machine operator in his father’s commercial production cabinetry factory. He has experience in all aspects of manufacturing cabinets from machining, assembly, and finishing. Mike Joined Lloyd’s Remodeling & Cabinetry as a co-owner in 2013 where he specializes in hands-on retail showroom sales. Mike’s expertise is in designing and developing all of our interior remodel projects. Mike is masterful at designing and executing full scale kitchen and bath remodels and has been very successful in meeting the needs of even the most meticulous customers. Mike doesn’t believe in “Selling a Job”, rather he builds a relationship with each customer who chooses to engage in the process with Lloyd’s Remodeling because he understands that “people buy from people”.