You have decided to build a pole barn and you are gathering quotes from different companies to build your barn. The quotes start to come back and YIKES! there is a huge difference in costs from one estimate to the other!
Is the cheapest one missing options you want? Is the most expensive trying to rip you off? Does anyone have consistent pricing?
If these thoughts are swirling through your head as you try to compare quotes, let us give you some thoughts to consider and options to check to make sure you are getting the best price as well as the building features you want!
Milmar’s Price Match Promise:
We will gladly compare our quote to any competitor’s and if we can’t match the total project price, we will encourage you to build with them if they are reputable builder! We want your project to succeed in quality and cost, even if we aren’t selected to be the builder.
Let us do the work comparing options. You can email the comparison quote to us and we will do the digging for you to make sure the options match perfectly to our estimate!
Some estimates are hard to read, with many pages, endless paragraphs and everything seemingly listed, but when you look closer, they are marked as not being included, so familiarize yourself with each quote to make sure you understand what is being offered and what is left out.
At Milmar, we try to keep it super simple to read with a 2 page quote and 2 optional info pages that detail some of our building practices and methods.
Things to watch out for when reading a pole barn estimate:
- Vague or missing info on windows and garage door openings: While entry doors are pretty standard in size (single or double) windows and garage doors can vary a lot in size and style, so make sure your estimate lists the size so you know that the builder understands what you want.
- Building footprint size: Verify your building size matches on all the estimates. Companies can make a mistake or purposely change the size to get a lower price, so make sure you are comparing apples to apples.
- Ceiling height: Some builders will quote, for example, a 12′ ceiling, but the concrete floor takes away 6″ of that height. If full clearance is important for your headroom, make sure you builder plans for that appropriately.
- Garage doors: Are they included or not? Some estimates may look like a door is included, but then, later in the document, it states that door is not included. This can change the estimate total cost A LOT! At Milmar, we don’t quote out garage doors at first so that you can compare easier with those quotes, but we have the option to add garage doors or even put you in touch with a supplier to install those directly for you if you want to save a bit on cost!
- Foundation method: Just because you see the word “Perma-Column” or “Post Protector” in the estimate, doesn’t mean it is included, so make sure it is marked “included” to compare properly. On our estimate form, it is clearly marked with “Yes” or “No” to indicate if it is included or not.
- Site prep: Depending on your site condition, this can change your estimated cost quite a bit, so make sure you know if the builder is including any site prep, and how much of a budget is included in case they need additional truckloads of fill to get your building pad ready.
- Permits: Does your builder include them pulling all the required building permits and paying for them up to a certain amount? Milmar does! We know that permits can be a huge headache. We are used to all the red tape and we are glad to assist you in getting your building permit and even including a budget for us to pay up to a certain amount towards your permit fees. This may not seem that valuable when comparing quotes, but trust me when I say that permits can take many hours! There is added value in having a builder that knows how to help you with permitting. (It should go without saying, that any builder working on your project should be licensed and insured to protect your investment.)
- Dumpster: Again, this may seem insignificant, but having a clearly listed dumpster and cost makes sure you won’t be cleaning up scrap material and junk for your builder. And if you would rather dispose of the scrap and you have your own dumpster, you can get that cost credited back to you! Cha-Ching!
These are just a few things to watch out for when comparing post frame estimates. If you are confused about a quote, (ours or a competitors) feel free to reach out to us and we will be glad to help you get it figured out.
Best of luck on your building project, gathering estimates is just the beginning of the exciting planning stage!