A client's wife asked me a question that made me stop and think

I was doing a final walkthrough on a big custom build in Asheville last week, just me and the homeowners. The husband was asking about the warranty on the standing seam roof, but his wife, Sarah, looked at me and said, 'I love the house, but did anyone ever ask you what you would change about it? Like, if you lived here?' I just stood there for a second. In 12 years of this, no client has ever asked me that. I told her the truth: I would have pushed for a bigger overhang on the south side for summer shade, even though it would have cost more. She said that was the kind of real world advice they needed from the start, not just yes-men. It hit different because it made me realize we get so focused on giving clients what they ask for, we sometimes forget to give them what they don't know to ask for. How do other builders handle that balance without sounding like you're just upselling?

2 comments

2 Comments

daniel5521mo agoMost Upvoted

It's a trust thing. You have to earn the right to give that advice. Early on, I stick to their list. Once they see I'm not just marking up every little change, they're more open to hearing my two cents. I might say something like, "My last client skipped the extra insulation in the garage ceiling and really regretted it come winter." It shows I've seen the real life results.

black.amy1mo ago

That is such a good question from her. It cuts right to the heart of the problem. You want to be helpful but you also don't want to come off like you're just adding costs or being difficult. Maybe it's about framing it as a "for what it's worth" kind of thought, not a sales pitch. Like you just did with the overhang. That feels honest.