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AFTER

Renovations can make you a millionaire or put you in jail. A strong statement, yes, but let me tell you a story…

BEFORE

Yesterday, I got a call from a former student/graduate from our classes. She has drifted gradually into doing more design and renovation jobs. Her challenge was pricing and how to estimate her fee. There were some important issues she had not thought about. Let’s talk about that.

For the average stager, getting into redesign is the natural progression for a project. The homeowner usually says, “This is the best my home has ever looked! Will you come and help with my new home?”

The answer should always be, “YES!, let me help with your wall color and furniture placement.” This is easy. What isn’t easy is heading into the renovation zone.

How far can you go without stepping into dangerous liability issues? And pricing issues? You are not an architect or Joanna Gaines! How can you protect yourself from getting sued for a possible disaster when the materials you chose did not work as planned.

Possible scenarios:

1.Bamboo floors do not work well installed over a concrete slab. Moisture can warp the planks.

2.The wood-look tile pieces are not installed by a professional and begin cracking and popping up after the weather changes. The grout line needs more space with long planks.

3.The beautiful stone you chose for the shower wall cannot be used on the floor because it is ceramic and not sturdy enough for heavy use.

4.The stone installer, Larry, who is nice but has no insurance, falls off his ladder and spills tile adhesive on the wood floor and it cannot be successfully fixed. It is $25,000 to replace the floor. And medical bills for the homeowner’s insurance.

Silent scream!!!! Should I just avoid renovations altogether? Or, just be sure I know my limitations.

Now, the good news: I have grads who are pulling in upwards of $200,000 annually just picking out colors and materials and working with a contractor. The contractor has the liability on him and your contract clearly defines your obligations and protections.

One of my graduates in the mid-west has designers who work for her and she is comfortable taking on bigger projects.

I am in the middle of two renos on multi-million dollar houses now. It is lucrative and exciting. My job has been choosing all the materials and products used to complete the house. The current one will be staged when completed.

There is no substitute for experience but start small. Have a good flexible contract that can be customized. A redesign project can include some upgrade suggestions. But a big renovation takes a hefty contract, or what we call a Letter of Agreement, that protects you and your assets.

Pricing can be hourly, which is best for beginners. The quote can also be a percentage of the reno cost. So a $50,000 project would be $7,500 for your fee.

We are getting ready to publish a new Advanced Class on this topic. It was shared on the main stage of a trade association convention. It goes into detail about the newest and best materials and possible application problems. You need this class.

We will do a live online presentation for free and when it is placed into our online training format, it will be $125.

Send your RSVP to becky@beckyharmon.com. Limited space. The event is Tuesday, the 20th at 7:00PM EDT.