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You Don't Always Have Control of the Situation

By
Home Stager with Staged 2 Sell New York & Long Island

I'm actually away on 'vacation' for a few days of "r and r" up on Martha's Vineyard, but am occasionally checking on my e-mail and the activity on Active Rain...

On the way up here, I was thinking about the job that I completed on Tuesday.  It was a huge new construction in a very 'tony' area of Long Island.  The interior work was mostly completed with the exception of fixtures, cabinet fronts, back-splash, and faucets.  In addition some of the bathrooms were only tiled, so needed to be completed.

The furniture was delivered on Monday, and I staged most of the day, but decided around 5 pm that I really needed more accessories, and so went shopping until around 9 pm.

When I returned to complete that work on Tuesday afternoon, I discovered that more work was being done and that all of the furniture was covered with a film of white dust.  All of the kitchen counters that I had so carefully staged were torn apart so that the workers could install the cabinet fronts, molding and back-splash.  I was also informed that all of the wood floors on the first level were being redone, so all of the furniture and rugs were going to have to be removed and then put back when the work was completed.

What did I learn from this?  I learned that sometimes it is not all "cut and dried"....that we may be called in to do a job and then discover that we really have no control over the outcome.  Such is the life of a stager.  We have to be extremely flexible and ready to go from "plan A" to "plan B" and so forth.

It's really unfortunate that I won't be able to get back into that house before the big Open House this Sunday.  I can do 'damage control' next week when I return to my 'island', but I can't help but be saddened that I cannot get it all done BEFORE the Open House.  I did e-mail 'after' pictures to the builder so that he could put everything back after all work was completed, but in my heart I know that I will need to 'tweak' it and give it my personal 'touch' in order to restore everything to my high standards.

This is all part of being a Home Stager.  I would like to add that I have staged other new construction houses that also HAVE NOT been completed in their entirety...in one there were no kitchen or bathrooms and in the other a few of the bathrooms were incomplete.  As Stagers, we just have to be able to "go with the flow"...

Comments(11)

Tina Smith
Metro Brokers/GMAC Real Estate - Lawrenceville, GA
I think we all have been in situations and have had days where it feels like there's a domino affect of things going wrong.  
Jun 08, 2007 03:32 PM
Penny Schoenbeck
AZ Home Styling & Redesign - Mesa, AZ
AZ Home Styling

Hi Val,

I've had this happen a couple of times, it's so frustrating! But indeed flexibility is definatly the key!

Jun 08, 2007 03:40 PM
Teresa Meyer
Cincinnati Home Stager - Cincinnati, OH
Home Staging Cincinnati-OH.
I'm sorry to hear that Val. The bright side is that you've just experienced a worst case scenerio of what a home stager could deal with. Sooooo...if it ever happens again...it'll be ALOT easier to go with the flow. I think the first time is tough.

Enjoy your time off....well deserved! :-)
Jun 08, 2007 03:56 PM
Sheron Cardin
California Moods Inc - Selma, CA
ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!
Hi Val - I would day the builder lucked out when he hired you! And then to have pictures for him so he can put everything back is amazing. There are so many ways to look at things...aren't there! (is aren't a word?) Happy r&r!
Jun 08, 2007 04:01 PM
Ray Saenz
Exit Realty Laredo - Laredo, TX
Homes for Sale in Laredo, TX - Texas, Realtor

Val, that's true, sometiems we have passed to hard situations, always try to take positive things from the bad ones :) keep the good work !

 

 

Jun 08, 2007 04:20 PM
David L. Britt
Platinum Realty, LLC - Olathe, KS
MBA
Val, is there a possibility you could work with another stager so that when either of you go on an R&R or vacation, the other could cover for you?  Just a thought.  I do this with a realtor who I trust in my office.  It works well for us!
Jun 08, 2007 04:43 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher
Hey, Val--That builder just might be a little more helpful then you think in setting up the house again; he wants it to sell, too.  You'll be back to work too fast, enjoy your time off and think that just MAYBE he's doing a great job for the both of you!  Have FUN!!
Jun 09, 2007 12:18 AM
Maureen Maureen
Orangeburg, NY
Val - Have a fantastic vacation!!!s
Jun 09, 2007 01:26 AM
Phyllis Pafumi
ReStyled to Sell Home Staging New Jersey - Old Bridge, NJ
ReStyled to Sell Staging Homes NJ

Val I learned the hard way that whenever possible have the sellers/builders schedule the cleaning people PRIOR to Staging. i include that in all my proposals now

And what the heck are you doing blogging while on vacation??

Phyllis Pafumi

Jun 10, 2007 02:41 PM
Lynette Lawson
Starlight Design - Yucaipa, CA
Inland Empire, CA Home Staging

Hi Val, I am now asking about repair work, construction and such that is scheduled so that my staging is the last thing prior to the open house. I just left a house 4 days ago and told them I would be back after the work was completed. Have a great vacation and get off the computer and have fun!

Lynette

Jun 10, 2007 05:15 PM
No Longer Available
White Rock, BC

Oh, can I feel your pain.  this has not happened to me yet, but I just know how I would feel.  good tip to stay positive, and know that not all is in your control. 

Have a great vacation, I adore Martha's Vineyard, I have only been once, but remember the feeling of not wanting to leave!  I am such a coastal girl East or West :-)

 

 

Jun 11, 2007 12:48 AM