We've recently had a handful of small local jobs pop up which has been a nice serotonin boost while grinding through the multi-discipline, multi-year jobs. Two of those jobs went very different ways — and the difference came down to feasibility numbers.
Two clients, two different outcomes
One client called up and cancelled the job. The other is full speed ahead. The difference? One client had put together their feaso spreadsheet before calling us, and the other was still in the process of pricing.
Interestingly, both were local trade-business owners, so both had a reasonable idea of cost-to-build. The gap was not industry knowledge — it was whether the numbers had been laid out side by side before the planning conversation started.
Honesty about cost is part of the service
One promise we make to every client (and supplier) is that we will be completely honest and transparent — particularly around process and cost. As we started to work with the first client it became apparent there were a number of unplanned costs which, once added to the feaso, made the whole development a little more tentative.
We got the call yesterday: tools down, we'll pay for time cost to date. Awesome — no hard feelings, love the transparency. That is 100 % better than someone letting us continue with no intention (or ability) to pay.
As for the second client — the spreadsheet wizard — he is already on the tools, so we'd better get this consent lodged and granted asap before it becomes retrospective.
The takeaway
Before you pick up the phone to your planner, put your numbers on a page. Land cost, build cost, contingency, professional fees, council fees, finance, holding costs, sale or rental yield. A feaso spreadsheet does not need to be sophisticated — it needs to be honest. Once those numbers are in front of you, the planning conversation becomes a feasibility conversation. And a feasibility conversation gets to a clear go/no-go faster than a hopeful one ever will.