Construction - Sustainable homes, how can you reassure potential clients?

This blog is part of an occasional series on sustainable construction. If you’re in construction and you're on this page, Hi there! I’d love to work with you in the future, so why don’t you get in touch?

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Ritesh Singh | Pexels.com

Today, I’m going to look at construction and sustainable homes, what clients are looking for, and their expectations. When you’re a building/construction company, you’re going to be dealing with a buyer’s anxiety. 

Your buyer wants their dream home, and they want it soon. They’re excited about the idea of a sustainable home and everything it might entail, but they may have unrealistic expectations about what this will look like. 

They may have attached a certain glamour to the idea of a sustainable home, without considering the costs, materials, and many of the core problems they’ll face as an eco-home client/buyer. 

What does an eco-sustainable home look like anyway? 

Well, it’ll be energy-efficient (solar panels, heat pumps), with sophisticated insulation, low carbon emissions, and working towards net-zero by using eco-materials and renewable power.

That’s a LOT to consider, but necessary if you’re aiming for a truly sustainable home. They’ll be worried about prices going up, or of it being more expensive than they realised. They’re concerned that a building company might make fake claims about what’s sustainable and offer materials that aren’t beneficial. What if they offer things like solar panels and heat pumps at inflated prices?

As we’ve seen, trust can be a big issue. And aside from this, there are higher costs associated with a sustainable home, including upfront costs for insulation, glazing, installation of renewable systems, and specialised labour. Balancing all of this is huge. For clients, ‘shopping around’ may feel like a good option, and asking a lot of questions can help them decide who offers what they need at a price they can afford and who they can trust to deliver without any ‘greenwashing.’

They’ll need to consider their savings, what they'll need to provide upfront, and the resale value should they decide to sell up in the future. Conflicting advice can often hinder decision-making. This isn’t just from contractors. It could be conflicting advice from consultants or architects who have been hired. They could have disagreements over ventilation or which tech systems to use. Decision-making can quickly become dull and tedious without insight into the final agreements. 

There are also building regulations and planning permissions to navigate. Any sustainable home can face issues with conservation, objections from neighbours, and limitations on what you can install or how much you can install. 

Materials are another important consideration when constructing a sustainable home

Clients may have to choose among different materials, and although one may cost less than another, it may mean choosing one that isn’t as sustainable. There may also be confusion around which materials are right for one area and wrong for another.

Planning is crucial, and for clients, thinking ahead about which questions to ask to build trust and help them make an educated decision is important. It could be that there are fewer specialists in the sustainable construction industry. Fewer contractors to choose from might seem easier, but there may be a skills gap, and some may lack experience or knowledge of regulations and standards.

What can you do as a contractor to allay those fears?

By being clear and concise in what you provide, what materials you recommend and your awareness of regulations and rules within the sustainable building industry. Make sure any web copy, blogs, and articles are clear about what you do, how you provide your service and how you reassure clients. What are you like to work with? Do you have testimonials from former clients? Could any of these be turned into case studies, so your clients are reassured as to your trustworthiness to get the job done on time?

By providing relevant information, along with any qualifications and registrations you may have, you will already have created an environment of trust with your next client. The clarity you provide, both online and in person, will reassure them that you are the contractor to build their sustainable dream home.

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