The Skilled Labor Shortage #2
How is Curbio Different than a Typical General Contractor?
When a real estate agent recommends a general contractor to their seller, they put their reputation, and their listing on the line. The general contractor should complete renovations quickly and ultimately improve the value of the home. However, most general contractors are not known for timeliness, nor are they experts in the profitability of specific pre-listing renovations. A delayed project, a bad customer experience, or a poor return-on-investment for the seller can cost an agent a lifetime of referrals.
With Curbio, there’s no need to worry. We’re your go-to general contractor for pre-listing home improvement, specializing in move-in-ready updates designed to appeal to today’s buyers. Our reliability, ease, and transparency set us apart from other general contractors. We are here to fully refresh the pre-listing process and make it an enjoyable experience for agents and their sellers.
Faster Speed to Estimate, Materials Selection, & Project Kickoff
Delays and missed deadlines are simply the status quo for many general contractors. In fact, the 2020 National Construction Payment Report found that less than a third of contractors finish projects on time. Long renovations are stressful for all homeowners. And for sellers who are ready to get their homes on the market, they can be a deal-breaker. For agents, these delays lead to wasted time chasing down contractors instead of winning more listings.
Curbio accelerates every step of the renovation process, beginning with receiving an estimate. Agents can expect to receive a general estimate for their project within one business day of contacting Curbio. To further hone in on the scope of work, we use high definition 3D video to assess the property (free of charge) and determine which renovations will deliver the most value. From there, we generate a detailed, fixed-price proposal, with a room-by-room breakdown of the project cost. Agents can go from requesting an estimate to having a contract in-hand for sellers to sign within 10 business days.
A typical contractor would need weeks to order all of the materials for the renovation once the scope is finalized — or require the homeowner and their agent to handle material procurement on their own. Curbio’s design team works with a beautifully curated portfolio of materials and a streamlined supply chain of vendors. Everything from appliances and cabinetry to fixtures and finishes are in-stock and ready to ship quickly.
Finally, because Curbio Project Managers are full-time employees and already have their vetted labor networks in place, Curbio is able to kick off projects within 10 days of contract signing.
Better Project Management
Even when renovation projects are on schedule, many agents find themselves putting on their hard hats and becoming the de facto project managers for their sellers. It’s common for them to spend hours comparing quotes, selecting materials, and dropping by the site day after day to make sure everything goes according to plan.
With Curbio, agents don’t have to worry about managing the project. We take care of everything. Our project managers are full-time, salaried Curbio employees, so their full attention is on Curbio’s projects.
Curbio’s Project Dashboard allows sellers and agents to see project progress in near real-time, no matter where they are. Curbio project managers upload pictures and videos of the renovation projects and maintain a virtual timeline, so real estate agents and home sellers know exactly what’s been completed, what’s happening next, and when the home will be ready to list.
Pre-Sale Updates Expertise
While a typical general contractor would take direction from the agent or the homeowner and execute on their vision, Curbio specializes in only pre-sale renovations. We know what buyers are looking for, and we renovate to their tastes. That means we’re not over-improving the spaces, but rather, we are focusing on the updates designed to appeal to buyers while helping sellers to put a turnkey home on the market.
Thousands of real estate agents in 60+ US markets trust Curbio to make strategic renovations to their sellers’ homes. Curbio’s pre-sale home improvement model makes it possible for every homeowner to invest in pre-listing home improvements that make properties most appealing and valuable to buyers.