CUSTOMER STORIES
Picture this: you've been envisioning the perfect outdoor deck to transform your backyard into a tranquil retreat, a space for gatherings, relaxation, and making memories. You've done your research, sketched out plans, and estimated the costs. However, as you delve deeper into sourcing the material, you start to feel the pressure on your wallet. That's precisely where our client found themselves, determined to create their dream deck without breaking the bank.
Our clients turned to us and we were able to unlock substantial savings on their deck materials – $2,400 to be exact, which ended up being ~40% of the total cost of their deck (excluding labor). Saving thousands of dollars by reaching out to Matterhaul, why wouldn’t you give it a try?
We won't delve into the specifics of every available decking material, but let's face it, the final decision often boils down to budget considerations. Initially, our client’s preference leaned towards Ipe decking. Not only is Ipe visually stunning, but it also demands minimal maintenance. However, its price tag is approximately 3-5 times that of options like Redwood, which is prevalent in the client’s region (California). Redwood possesses its own aesthetic charm, but it requires periodic maintenance (around every two years). We advised our client to think about investing more upfront to reduce the workload and maintenance efforts over the long haul.
After consulting Matterhaul, our client came across a decking material known as Batu (also referred to as mahogany or Red Balau). This hardwood not only demands minimal maintenance but also boasts comparable strength to Ipe, all while delivering an equally appealing aesthetic. We informed the client that the price was marginally pricier than Redwood. However, the added cost held value as this material aimed to avoid the hassle of recurring maintenance expenses.
Matterhaul didn’t have an existing relationship with the client’s local lumber supplier, but that didn’t stop us. The initial quote our client received when they reached out at $6/ ft. Our client was in need of ~700 ft, so that was about $4,200. And that was just for the deck boards, it didn’t include the cost of the wood for the railings, which was going to be another couple thousand dollars.
This is where Matterhaul’s negotiation skills came into play. In the same day the client received their direct quote, Matterhaul was able to get the supplier down to $2.59/ ft. That’s more than 50% by just letting Matterhaul do the hard work. Instead of paying $4,200 for the deck boards, Matterhaul’s client only had to spend $1,800! They were able to negotiate the cost of the wood for the railing as well.
The client was beyond happy that not only did they get a higher quality decking material, they were able to get it for almost the same exact cost as the initial material they were looking at. Later on in the project, the client reached back out to Matterhaul to help with paint brand and type selection. We were able to guide the client to the right paint and helped them with a negotiated rate as well saving them even more on their decking project.
If you’re interested in getting the best deals on building materials, give Matterhaul’s material brokerage service a try! Learn more about it here.
CUSTOMER STORIES
