It never fails. Each and every trade show where I “man” the booth, the same question is asked that makes me cringe. This question is impossible to answer on the spot, as there are so many variables involved and it’s a slippery slope to give anyone an incorrect answer. Some of you may have guessed already, but the question I’m talking about is “What would the estimated square foot price be for a new [insert building type here] building?” Whether it’s a restaurant, manufacturing, medical or dental show, the answer is always the same—“it depends on the site, size and cost of the finishes you select,” which is usually followed by an eye roll of the inquirer. It's not a good feeling to let down a prospective customer, but, like I said, it’s never good to guess and tell someone too low and unknowingly get them excited about how inexpensive it could be, on the flip side, if you tell them too high, they walk away without any further discussion.