You’ll hear this more often in 2026 - but should you?
What hurts most isn’t the comment itself. It’s when it comes after months of back-and-forth. Late nights. Weekends. Meetings. Calls.All for a client who eventually says they’ll “get a few more quotes”… or worse, ghosts you.
That’s real cost: Lost billable time. Missed better-fit clients. Energy spent on people who were never ready.
Yes, build costs have risen. Regulations, labour costs and material prices have changed the game. But most clients don’t understand that — until they get a quote.
After interviewing 1,000+ builders, we see the same pattern again and again. When clients get a price shock, it comes down to two fixable problem.
- They’re uninformed about real building cost
- They don’t yet trust you
Fix those two things and everything changes.
- Clients stop price-shopping.
- They respect your expertise.
- They’re willing to pay for your time.
- They see you as the right builder — not just another option.
Importantly, you can build trust through education before you ever meet a client — using website tools that do the heavy lifting for you.
When done properly, your website pre-qualifies prospects so you only speak with clients who can afford the project, value your work, and treat you as the professional you are.
There are 9 key elements every custom builder’s website needs to do this effectively.
Over the coming year, each month we’ll break each one down to explain how SBA members can get better enquiries humming – so your website works they way you always wanted.
