When anyone seriously considers a new project; it doesn't take long to reach the cost question. What's it gonna cost? Since money is usually in limited supply we naturally want to sit down and count the cost before we build the tower. What is equally important to look at is the history of spending. What did someone say their budget was versus what they actually spent. Often the spending was higher than the budget and although we want the lower number it usually is the higher one.
There are probably a lot of psychological reasons we view money in this fashion but I would offer a couple of observations.
- If you want to spend less then you probably should think differently about the end product if you want to have a high level of design. To do a cheap version of high style design; the areas where you cut corners will stand out more. This is probably the hardest thing for people to do since it means becoming a bit more unconventional and not everyone likes to stand out.
- If you want the high style design; expect that it will cost you accordingly and probably a bit more. The reason for this is that projects change once they begin and often other decisions are made along the way that affect the cost. It is rare that someone will plan the whole thing beforehand and not stray from it. Change is a good thing if it supports the overall idea.
Be honest about the costs and you won't be disappointed when the numbers come in.
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