BEHIND THE SCENES OF INSTALL DAYS
In my field of work, there is nothing better than a good install day! It’s the culmination of weeks of work, and getting to show the client the real life version of my design vision. There is such an energy I feel on install days, and I just love wrapping it all up and seeing the client’s reaction first hand!
Getting the Best Install Day Experience
Leave it all to us. When the client tries to save a few bucks by being their own handyman or handling parts of the install day themselves, the experience usually drags out (which spikes my hourly fees) and there ends up being frustration for the client. It’s worth it to rely on the professionals to handle it all…we will be in and out of your home in a matter of hours with everything looking perfect….and you won’t have had to lift a finger!
2. Make sure all the items that you ordered (if client chose to place orders themselves rather than having the designer manage all orders) have arrived in good condition. This is a lot of work!! This is why I highly recommend letting the designer place and manage all orders, and using a receiver/mover for smoother install days. The benefits of this are the receiver receives the items and records it, lets the designer know it arrived, checks for damages, stores it until it is delivery day, then does all of the unboxing and heavy lifting when moving the items from storage to the residence. The ONLY benefit to the client placing orders themselves is you don’t have to pay the receiver/mover fees. In this case, the benefits of hiring professionals far outweigh trying to DIY. The client will end up losing track of orders, missing damages that should have been reported, and spend countless hours unboxing items and having to dispose of all the wrap. Again…just let the pros handle this!
3. Trust your design team! There is a design plan in place, and a plan for every item that is purchased. The client gets the final say in retail accessories before tags are removed, that way returns can be made. Oftentimes, I leave a job site with zero returns…mainly because of all of my planning and attention to details. But, occasionally I overbought (I’d rather go with too much than not enough) or the client decides they don’t like a couple of the accessories, in which case I just return those items and credit your final invoice. But just sit back and enjoy the install day…or better yet…book a manicure and head out for a bit, and plan to come home surprised at the outcome! It’s usually beyond what you could have imagined!
