*Please note: For the sake of space on this page, please see the full length explanations of The 5 Budget-Killing Constructions Costs that Ruin Dental Offices at:
www.HowToOpenADentalOffice.com
For the record: I am not a contractor.
Yet, I’ve witnessed dozens of clients get hoodwinked and ripped off in new office projects to the tune of tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars!
So, I think it’s appropriate to share with our community a few things I’ve seen save a massive amount of money on dental construction costs and projects.
But first…
Allow me to pretend you’re in need of a sinus lift and 3 immediate implant placements next week. You met a dentist one time at the little league field on the bleachers and, though you could look up any dentist in your town and get the same results, you think you should give him a shot. What was his name, anyway? And why wouldn’t you give him a chance at the case? He seemed like a good guy. Besides, all dentists are trained and all dentistry will have the same end result, you tell yourself. There are no differences as long as you like the dentist and they have a nice waiting room.
What?!
I hope you heard the sarcasm dripping. Of course there are differences in a large case like that! I’m dramatizing the scene and I can’t imagine you thinking that way but we should agree that, beyond the most detailed of clinical skills needed there are some important traits you would seek out: Experience, exposure, training, intuition, confidence, empathy, education and history. I hope I can convince you that it’s the same with contractors.
Go to the specialist. This is your big case.
The purpose of this article is to point out the most egregious, expensive and avoidable budget-killing construction costs and mistakes that dental office projects fall into.
If you’re considering opening a new office or going through a renovation anytime, ever, please keep a mental note of the following 5 Budget-Killing Dental Construction Costs.
Construction Cost #1 – Permits – Budget Killing Cost: Free - $50,000.
Permits are cheap. Let’s call it a couple hundred bucks in most areas.
Well, guess what?
While permits are cheap, permits are also horribly expensive – call it $10,000 to $20,000. How, you ask?
Allow me to elaborate…
www.HowToOpenADentalOffice.com
Construction Cost #2 - Forgetting the Future – Budget Killing Cost: Unlimited
Last year we had a client who wanted to incorporate a 3D Imaging unit in his office. His office is a big place with 3 other doctors and they were ready to incorporate 3D technology with an iCAT. The location in the building offered the best clinical and patient-flow location and it was the obvious spot where a high-use item should be located.
But the problem is that the building needed $8,000 of renovations to accommodate the device.
If the space had been planned properly years ago when they first designed the floor plan, we could have avoided the $8,000 in construction, the mess, the disruption to their working days during those 3 weeks, etc.
So don’t forget your future! As you plan out your space, be sure to project forward at least 10 years and leave room for the things you have in mind down the road.
Here are some good examples of spaces to keep in mind as the future of dentistry continues to keep more and more under one roof….
www.HowToOpenADentalOffice.com
Construction Cost #3 – A Floor that Costs You $20,000 - Budget Killing Cost: $5,000-$20,000
I wish Construction Cost #3 of the budget-killing costs was something fun like Italian Marble or gold-lined bamboo. But it’s not that fun.
Frankly – this is a cost you will NEVER get to enjoy seeing.
This topic is about Plumbing. Pipes. Yes, it’s a $20,000 discussion and it can explode your construction budget. The style of your building will dictate how much more expensive this will become, based on 3 general scenarios.
Have the $20,000.00 of these scenarios….
www.HowToOpenADentalOffice.com
Construction Cost #4 – $20,000 ADA Membership – (the “other” ADA)
Do you have one of those little green and white stickers in your office window?
Well, the dues for the “Other” ADA are insanely more expensive.
The American Dental Association might hit you up for dues of about $500 annually, but
becoming compliant with the American’s with Disabilities Act can easily run you $20,000.
Two ADAs…..A huge difference impacting the construction costs of dentist’s new offices.
I was just with a client this week whose project just completed. Let’s call him Dr. Smith. As Dr. Smith and I walked through the whole office, my jaw was on the floor with how amazing the project looked in its final stage. I can’t imagine the pride that bursts out of him when he’s giving patients their “new patient tour”.
But what confused me was when Dr. Smith pointed out the back door at his entry steps. Learn more about the ADA and how they affected Dr. Smith’s entry steps by clicking the link below.
www.HowToOpenADentalOffice.com
Construction Cost #5 – The Wrong Guy – Budget Killing Cost: $5-$500,000
You Must Avoid – the typical cost driven contractor comparison.
You Must Include – Your Practice Project Team in choosing the right contractor with the best dental experience in the region who will get done on time, on budget and on quality. In other words, you must have…
The Best Dental Contractor. Period.
TRUE STORY…
A doctor we know selected the local contractor who had no dental specific experience. Trying to be a nice local member of the community, the result was that the doctor was left with 4 months of delays and $45,000 of overages. Read more about this sad but true story and better yet, don’t let it happen to you. Click the clink below!
www.HowToOpenADentalOffice.com
I hope some of the construction cost conversation we’ve covered here gives you an added dose of confidence and understanding in the big process of opening your new dental practice.
Your big day is coming…its closer now than it’s ever been.
That will be a day when you are the doctor who gets to walk through the doors, cut the ribbon and stand boldly in the space you’ve been dreaming of. This is possible and within reach so take action today with a clear vision and another step forward in the journey.
Your family, your community and your legacy will all be reflected in this process.
Good luck in your next steps forward!
All the best,
By Jayme Amos
Jayme and his team have helped hundreds of dental professionals pursue their goals. Now you can learn from the best in the dental industry.
Click here to discover more practice-defining tips for your new or existing practice:
www.HowToOpenADentalOffice.com
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