“You Can Have Cheap, Fast, and Good, But Not All Three”

The Truth About Cheap, Fast, and Good

It was the summer of 2009, and the housing market recession was just starting to sink its ugly tentacles into the Maui luxury home market. We were wrapping up a project—one of those high-end homes that was supposed to be done yesterday. The pressure was on to finish ahead of schedule, no matter what.

I’ll never forget what the master carpenter I was working with said that day. We were juggling deadlines, budgets, and the client’s growing anxiety when he looked over and said, "You can have cheap, fast, and good, but you can’t have all three."

Man, did that hit home. It’s one of those truths you think about every time you’re faced with a tough decision in a project. It’s easy to get caught up in the rush—clients want it faster, costs need cutting—but at what cost? You start chasing all three, and something’s gotta give.

From that moment on, I knew that balancing cheap, fast, and good is where pros separate themselves. You want cheap and fast? It won’t be good. You want good and cheap? Don’t expect it fast. And if you want it fast and good? Get ready to pay up.

That lesson has stuck with me for over a decade now. Every build is a balancing act, and it’s knowing when to push and when to hold the line that makes all the difference. Trust me, that carpenter wasn’t wrong.