The good news/bad news scenario: You’re interviewing Dayton-area deck builders and you ask each one when they could get started on your project. One of them says, “Right away! Tomorrow.” The good news is the sooner your project begins, the sooner it will be ready. The bad news is … they can start tomorrow. Why don’t they have other projects in the hopper already? What do other homeowners in the area know about them that you don’t?
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Why It’s Not Great if Your Builder Can Start Tomorrow
In most professions, having a backlog of clients waiting for you is the sign of a company that does very good work consistently. People will wait for you because you are worth the wait. It may sound like a cliché, but it’s often true. If your reputation precedes you, which is the case with Archadeck of West Central & Southwest Ohio, people learn you are worth waiting for.
Clients will wait for you if they can. Now and then a client will have specific circumstances, like a backyard wedding 3 months away, that makes it impossible for them to wait. They need to get started as soon as humanly possible, so they select the builder that’s available “tomorrow.” They may meet their deadline, but they may also have to deal with shoddy work left in the wake of this all-too-available contractor.
Based on our experience building decks, porches, and three-season rooms in greater Dayton and northern Cincinnati, OH, the best builders do have a backlog. No one is “pretending” to have a backlog so they can appear to be busier than they actually are. (That’s a formula for losing money.) A projected start date that’s six to eight months away is not uncommon. Some reputable home improvement businesses have a backlog of 1.5 – 2 years. You read that right. It may take a year and a half or two years before they can start on your remodeling project.
Understanding Why Your Preferred Builder May Have a Backlog
The first reason is obvious: that builder is in demand, and the homeowners in line ahead of you are willing to wait. Other reasons complicate this scenario because they involve circumstances beyond our control. As I’ve shared with you before, building contractors face unprecedented delays after severe weather events. On top of that, if local building departments have a backlog for issuing building permits, that slows everybody down. Finally, we have encountered a shortage of experienced workers for our construction crews, and this has been the case for the past few years.
How to Plan So Your Builder’s Backlog Doesn’t Frustrate You
As a homeowner, the key to dealing with this situation is timing. I’ve written before about why timing is so important when you’re planning your outdoor living space project.
- Plan your outdoor living projects for the cooler seasons when builders are in less demand.
- Plan your project far enough in advance by factoring in plenty of “wait time.”
- Give us a call when you first start thinking about an outdoor living project, not when you’re ready to start enjoying it.
- Finally, if you have a big event coming up on short notice, choose a venue that has already been designed and built.
Archadeck of West Central & Southwest Ohio … Worth the Wait
When we design and build your outdoor living project, we take the time to get it right. Our design process includes a comprehensive needs analysis to identify what features your project must include. We help you select materials based on your preferences and your budget. The quality of our work stands out and is the primary reason we have a backlog. As we’ve said … worth the wait.
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If you are ready to talk with a top-rated designer and builder about a new or improved outdoor living space at your home, contact Archadeck of West Central & Southwest Ohio today at (937) 563-4847.
Let this be the year that Archadeck makes your outdoor living dreams come true.
