JoLynn Johnson, owner of Crystal Kitchen Center, in Minneapolis, says that providing potential clients with information helps them better evaluate their needs and create more realistic budgets for their kitchen and bath projects. “If [the home-owner] has never done this before, they do not have a clue,” she says.

So Johnson posted a budget-estimating spreadsheet on her website for prospects to use. “Asking clients for their budget can be a huge sticking point,” she says, noting that the form is a great starting point for answering this question.

She provides a similar form for bath remodels, with a different set of investment percentages and bath-specific materials. A copy of the forms, with an average home value and budget, are handed out to potential clients who attend her seminars, and Johnson then directs them to the company’s website to create their own form.

To alleviate sticker shock, the form also quotes the average price of a kitchen and bath remodel and an upscale kitchen and bath remodel from REMODELING’s Cost vs. Value Report. “I love to use REMODELING’s numbers. Then I am not the bad guy,” Johnson says.

Clients enter their estimated home value and budget on the form and can see an estimated total and material costs for a kitchen remodel. The form automatically calculates the cost of a kitchen remodel at 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% of the homeís value or the homeownerís specific budget. For each of those scenarios, it calculates the breakdown of materials based on Crystal Kitchen Centerís past jobs. “We pulled the breakdown [on materials] for 20 jobs and averaged them to come up with these numbers,” Johnson says. This helps potential clients see where the money goes. “If the appliances are $4,400, they know that if they select a $1,600 Viking range, they will have to revise the budget.”
Clients enter their estimated home value and budget on the form and can see an estimated total and material costs for a kitchen remodel. The form automatically calculates the cost of a kitchen remodel at 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% of the homeís value or the homeownerís specific budget. For each of those scenarios, it calculates the breakdown of materials based on Crystal Kitchen Centerís past jobs. “We pulled the breakdown [on materials] for 20 jobs and averaged them to come up with these numbers,” Johnson says. This helps potential clients see where the money goes. “If the appliances are $4,400, they know that if they select a $1,600 Viking range, they will have to revise the budget.”