Bang For The Buck
CB STANLEY Photos: Jimi Smith Photography Build / Design Credits: Tipton Spires Design, Green Couture Co., CB Stanley
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o, you are looking for professional design? Or, at the very least, something thoughtful, creative, and well-planned? Seems simple enough, right? Not so fast.
There is an adage that says, “you get what you pay for,” one of a few dozen similar sayings, and all of them are still very relevant to present-day products and services. The first question is always, “How much will this cost?” Well, that depends on if you are looking for the cheapest possible outcome or one that is well-thought-out with careful planning. I always say, “bang for your buck,” and “quality” are never to be used in the same sentence, unless it is this sentence, right here. Fortunately (from a consumer perspective), if you are looking for the cheapest possible outcome, there are
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POOL MAGAZINE - VOL 2, ISSUE 1
an abundance of options to choose from. But don’t be upset when you see the product, or when three revisions later, you’re still not happy, and now you’ve wasted three weeks of time. So, what are the potential pitfalls of going down the path of cheap? They can vary from minor inconveniences, to impacts on lead-times, and to issues that may result in legal action. ANY quality product has appropriate costs associated with it. When these costs are cut to achieve the cheapest outcome possible, it is never a good thing. Benjamin Franklin was quoted as saying “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten,” which is still true today, especially when those change orders start rolling in after the contract is signed. You might think you saved 30% in costs up-front, but you should have saved 60% with the quality of the product that you got. It’s not wise to pay too much for a product, but it is certainly worse to pay too little, or (from the design perspective) nothing at all. When clients are setting a budget for their project, there are variables such as property value and resale to consider when designing the space.
