Dianne Pajo
The key to building a solid set of loyal clients is to offer high-quality work and reasonable prices. However, with the cost of labor and construction materials, this isn’t an easy combination to achieve. To provide good prices, managers must learn to cut costs in the right places—but how? To help you save money, retain clients, and make more on projects, let’s take a look at a few money-saving tips for construction site managers.
Make the Right Investments
It may be tempting to purchase the cheapest tools, materials, and machinery possible, but this hurts you in the long run. Cheap equipment fails faster, and shoddy materials break down easier, which just leads to spending more money on repairs. While you don’t have to break the bank, investing in the right tools can save you from a world of headaches. And you don’t have to buy everything, either. You can rent any tools or equipment you don’t often use for much lower prices.
Reduce Waste
While it may take some time, researching what you can and cannot recycle post-construction will help reduce waste. If you can remix paint and reuse wood scraps, hardware, or appliances, do so. As long as you can reuse it, and the quality is up to par, there’s no shame in doing so. But reducing waste isn’t just about recycling. It also takes a lot of money to keep the lights on, and there are plenty of ways for industrial businesses to save money on their energy bills. Simply training your crew on how to be more energy efficient can make a big difference.
Buy In Bulk
When you hire a contractor to buy your materials, you’re likely not getting the best prices—shopping around for materials yourself allows you to compare prices. Not only should you be an active participant in the buying process, but you should also consider buying materials in bulk. With the rising cost of building materials, buying in bulk is the best way to get quality materials for better prices. When you buy from wholesalers, you’re much more likely to get discounts, especially if you’re a loyal customer. Many construction sites can receive discounts of as much as 10 percent, which is significant when compared to the year-to-year rise in prices.
Stay Involved in Planning
As a site manager, you know what goes into running and maintaining a quality construction site. This means you have the knowledge to help circumvent planning errors and prevent over or underestimating costs. While you may not be an expert in engineering, you know the product best, and you may be able to find alternative methods, materials, and ways to keep costs down. Ultimately, staying active, attentive, and involved is the best money-saving tip for construction managers.
