Why is everything so expensive!?

Our 3 recommendations for cutting costs?

Let’s be honest, these days projects rarely run without close interrogation of the budget. But the ongoing global pandemic and the conflict in Russia-Ukraine are having an even more significant impact on costs for build suppliers. China’s stringent rules to curb Covid-19 are continuing to unleash chaos on supply chains across Asia, Europe, and the US. In our industry as well as others, disruption will only increase. Timber prices have been skyrocketing. In the Middle East, an average sheet of plywood is 40% more expensive today compared to pre-pandemic prices.?As a flexible and agile partner, we love working closely with our clients to find the most appropriate solutions for their projects. We have some ideas to help reduce the cost of your next build.?

Production Schedule: Produce it in the Summer!

The more time you have for production, the lower your build price can be. This is because a fabrication workshop runs on a tight production schedule and to maximise efficiency, needs to remain busy, but not too busy. A longer production window allows us to plan our schedule. This allows us to keep production at normal capacity without needing to resort to overtime and additional manpower that can increase labour costs for you. The summer period in the Middle East is notoriously quiet for the events industry and can be a suitable time to plan production for projects happening later in the year. The savings in turn can be passed on to you, the client!?

Costing: Allow more time for Budget Quotes

This is perhaps the most overlooked and simplest way to potentially save money with very little effort. A custom fabrication quote is often a one-of-a-kind pricing exercise that requires time to accurately cost. A fabrication company must? re-check and cross-check different material prices to ensure the most accurate quotation. The price of timber for example regularly fluctuates based on overall global supply and demand. When a quotation is fast-tracked, best estimates frequently need to be used. This can mean higher pricing. Sometimes just an extra day can help to refine cost estimates, making a difference to the overall price and reducing the overall budget.?

?Design Agility: Be flexible & Re-use

This is another often-overlooked area where you can save money. The right fabrication partner will sometimes be able to make lower cost material substitution recommendations that won’t compromise design quality. The substitute material can even be a stronger, more suitable fit than the originally specified medium. A build partner that has access to a wide range of rental equipment across multiple disciplines can also help reduce costs by avoiding the need to fabricate everything from scratch. Utilising and adapting stock rental flats, walls, podiums, and staging are all easy ways that can reduce project costs.?

To sum up - cut-down costs in 3 easy steps:

1.? Production schedule: Plan forward, anticipating production times at a maximum to benefit from slower event seasons

2.? Costing: Allow more time for the quotation process to get the most accurate prices

3.? Design Agility: Be flexible with the choice of materials and options that can be reused without compromising quality and impact

Want to know more? Contact us to discuss your next project: [email protected]