CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS _ FEATURE
challenge our processes and prices based on what they read, which requires extra time to explain.” For Gutierrez, the most recent occurrence was when a client challenged an underfloor heating quote. “He called a meeting and said, ‘According to ChatGPT, it should cost this much.’ What he hadn’t factored in was that the system required five zones. “AI will only respond to the information you put in. If you don’t include all the relevant details, it won’t give you an accurate answer.” Gutierrez told the client why the price was wrong – which the client then understood. Handling objections Gutierrez reveals why he thinks clients choose to use such tools or take these approaches – and it comes back to the ongoing challenge of cowboy builders. “I understand why people seek second opinions,” he says. “We’re not a licensed or fully regulated industry in the UK. Can you blame consumers for wanting reassurance?” If people in our “search-engine society” Google their symptoms when they feel ill, Gutierrez says, it’s no wonder they’re seeking clarity on quotes and building works. The key, regardless of the AI tool used or the aspect of the project being challenged, is transparency about processes and costs. “Most clients are realistic
To put it more simply, Gutierrez says: “If you want to give me a mood board, that’s great. But that’s where it ends. We won’t build something off the back of an AI design.” Clients knowing what finishes they’re interested in before the first brick is laid can be helpful. Atkins says. “We can address challenges early on. If something isn’t realistic within their budget, it’s easier to have that conversation upfront. “The challenge arises at the quoting stage when they show me an AI-generated image, and I have to provide a negative response, which can dampen their enthusiasm. The biggest challenge is translating AI-generated images into what is realistic and budget-friendly.” Undercutting the budget A trend that Atkins and Gutierrez have seen is clients using ChatGPT for pricing and challenging budgets – “and often it’s wildly off”. Atkins points out. “Every business has its overheads and profit margins,” Atkins says. “While we used to see clients using Google, we now get screenshots from ChatGPT. They often
one thing meeting their expectations; it’s another making sure it’s actually doable.”
AI – what is it good for? While it won’t always be this straightforward in practice, Gutierrez says when AI tools are used for style and finishes – tiles, different windows, remapping rooms, wardrobes, media walls – where there aren’t any planning implications, then the client will gain from its use. When it comes to using AI for anything structural, like a gable built from glass, he says: “We’d need to refer that to an engineer to confirm it’s doable, what
once I break costs down for them,” Gutierrez explains.
Atkins says the same: “I believe in transparency and being direct yet polite. It’s important to discuss what is realistic and what they can expect for their budget. When they understand the standard materials and products available, they often realise that their desires may not be achievable.” Despite the obvious issues that can arise – expectations versus reality, budgetary constraints, structural impossibilities, disagreements between client and builder – both Atkins and Gutierrez ultimately see clients’ adoption of tech as a positive shift.
steel is required, whether the ground conditions allow it, and so on. “We need to make sure it’s achievable and that planning permission can be obtained before we move
forward. The client isn’t the principal designer.”
Master Builder 35
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