I’ll put an example further down.

Kitchens Without Estimating

As an example of giving estimates to people who want estimates. This example falls short. These people want a kitchen and can spend at most $30,000. They want the best kitchen they can get for $30,000. There might be a kitchen they’d like perfectly well for $25,000, and if there is, they’d like to know it. They might be willing to pony up an additional amount from savings, or if the contractor would let them pay over time, for something better. The words “kitchen” and “$30,000” are the beginning of a conversation.

Here’s a 21st century way of doing the kitchen that I think is consistent with #NoEstimates. I’m sure that some folks, perhaps including Steve, will see it as an example of estimation. Maybe this kind of estimation is in his book: I don’t know.

The contractor has an iPad, and an app. Apps like this already exist, not quite this powerful. He helps the couple get their kitchen floor plan into the app. They play with it, selecting cabinet styles, materials, and finishes. They select sinks, counter tops, flooring, whatever. They can view the kitchen from any angle, print pictures of it, whatever they want. And at every moment, the app calculates the installed price of the kitchen in the pictures.

The couple can ask questions: “What are the pros and cons of granite versus lava?” “Does it make sense to put hardwood flooring in a kitchen?” The contractor collaborates with them, applying his expertise by explaining things to them and offering options. At one point, the couple find a design that they like, but the iPad says it will cost $30,000. The contractor looks at the design and makes a few suggestions: “You’ve configured hardwood shelves in the enclosed cabinets. Have you considered compressed hardboard for the inside shelves?” He shows them samples of wood with similar look to the one they have in the iPad, but with different costs.

After playing to their hearts’ content, the couple press the OK button, and the iPad produces a contract. Both parties sign, and they go ahead.