How to Make Sure Your Project Installations Go Smoothly
Interior design coach Beth Whitlinger breaks down the do’s and don’ts of a successful installation process
Beth Whitlinger has been in the design business for nearly 40 years. When she’s not guiding interior designers of all experience levels through her coaching and mentoring business, The Interior Design Coach, she’s the principal designer at Beth Whitlinger Interior Design in Southern California. Here she offers tips for coordinating a smooth project installation.
Confirm who’s getting the shipments. Add your name to the ship-to address on all your purchase orders. Set up your installer as a default in your project management system. Ivy, for example, allows you to do this globally as well as on a project-by-project basis.
Here’s an example:
Design Company Name
c/o Installation Company Name
1234 Street
Any Town, USA 12345
Don’t expect your project side-marks to transfer to shipping labels, especially if a third-party shipper is involved. Often we will add the project identifier after our company name in the address. Be wary about using more than four lines of text, though; many vendors will delete anything over the standard four.
Why is this important? Your installer receives multiple shipments each day, often hundreds of items from various sources. With no identifying information, they often have to contact multiple people (shipper, manufacturer, showroom) to figure out to whom the piece belongs. Many times this information is not available and the item just sits until someone claims it. Don’t let your piece get lost in the warehouse abyss!
Here’s an example:
Design Company Name
c/o Installation Company Name
1234 Street
Any Town, USA 12345
Don’t expect your project side-marks to transfer to shipping labels, especially if a third-party shipper is involved. Often we will add the project identifier after our company name in the address. Be wary about using more than four lines of text, though; many vendors will delete anything over the standard four.
Why is this important? Your installer receives multiple shipments each day, often hundreds of items from various sources. With no identifying information, they often have to contact multiple people (shipper, manufacturer, showroom) to figure out to whom the piece belongs. Many times this information is not available and the item just sits until someone claims it. Don’t let your piece get lost in the warehouse abyss!
Figure out what’s being shipped. Send your furniture, fixtures and equipment list to your installer as soon as orders have been placed. This enables them to look out for these pieces and start an inventory list for your project. The best companies have an encrypted website, enabling you to log in and see what’s been received and if there’s damage noted on any piece.
Expected shipping dates for each piece help with this process as well. Many project-management systems allow you to enter an expected ship date. Even if this is only a ballpark, it helps to give the receiver an idea of when pieces might be arriving.
How to Make Sure You Cover All Your Costs
Expected shipping dates for each piece help with this process as well. Many project-management systems allow you to enter an expected ship date. Even if this is only a ballpark, it helps to give the receiver an idea of when pieces might be arriving.
How to Make Sure You Cover All Your Costs
Determine where everything’s being installed. Let your installer know all about the home or business in which they are installing. You need to advise them of any stairs and the material of those stairs. If you have stone or wood, be sure they cover them to prevent scratching or chipping. Faux finishes or specialty wallpaper should be “blanketed” for protection.
Often we need to go through a backyard for access. Make sure the landscape allows for this to happen. Remember that large items like sectionals and wardrobes often don’t fit through the front door or up narrow or switchback stairs; be sure to make accommodations for these items. Beach communities are especially challenging with their narrow streets, limited access and tiny walkways. Review with your installer if you need any special devices such as a crane to get any pieces in the house and if you need to remove any windows or doors.
Check with your client about parking restrictions or association limitations on days or hours allowed for workers. Where will the truck or trucks park? Do they need special gate access? For commercial or high-rise projects, is there a freight elevator and do you need a reservation to use it? Does your installer need an insurance certificate on file with the building? Relay all this information to your installer.
A seasoned installer will ask you these questions, but it’s a good idea to know this information beforehand, even prior to placing orders for any pieces. This helps avoid any need for crazy last-minute adjustments, like cutting down a sofa or chopping the top off an armoire. Believe me, this happens more often than you’d think. Understand the limitations of size for your pieces.
Often we need to go through a backyard for access. Make sure the landscape allows for this to happen. Remember that large items like sectionals and wardrobes often don’t fit through the front door or up narrow or switchback stairs; be sure to make accommodations for these items. Beach communities are especially challenging with their narrow streets, limited access and tiny walkways. Review with your installer if you need any special devices such as a crane to get any pieces in the house and if you need to remove any windows or doors.
Check with your client about parking restrictions or association limitations on days or hours allowed for workers. Where will the truck or trucks park? Do they need special gate access? For commercial or high-rise projects, is there a freight elevator and do you need a reservation to use it? Does your installer need an insurance certificate on file with the building? Relay all this information to your installer.
A seasoned installer will ask you these questions, but it’s a good idea to know this information beforehand, even prior to placing orders for any pieces. This helps avoid any need for crazy last-minute adjustments, like cutting down a sofa or chopping the top off an armoire. Believe me, this happens more often than you’d think. Understand the limitations of size for your pieces.
Establish when everything’s being installed. Secure your dates early. The best installers book out months in advance. As long as you advise your installer a few weeks in advance, you should be able to push out your date if anything changes.
How many days do you need? A full house installation for anything less than 2,000 square feet could be possible in a day. Luxury homes on the larger side typically take us up to a week to install and outfit. Make sure to plan for any art installation. Many installation companies handle this aspect, but some do not.
Wallpaper, light fixtures and window coverings should already be installed. Area rugs are typically loaded last on the trucks since they are the first to go in. Make sure you know where they go. A drawing that includes dimensions is best for this placement rather than having the team move a heavy rug and pad multiple times. Will you have assistants to help with items like bedding and accessories or are you relying on the installation team? Work with your installer to get an accurate idea of the installation duration so you can schedule your interior detailing accordingly.
How many days do you need? A full house installation for anything less than 2,000 square feet could be possible in a day. Luxury homes on the larger side typically take us up to a week to install and outfit. Make sure to plan for any art installation. Many installation companies handle this aspect, but some do not.
Wallpaper, light fixtures and window coverings should already be installed. Area rugs are typically loaded last on the trucks since they are the first to go in. Make sure you know where they go. A drawing that includes dimensions is best for this placement rather than having the team move a heavy rug and pad multiple times. Will you have assistants to help with items like bedding and accessories or are you relying on the installation team? Work with your installer to get an accurate idea of the installation duration so you can schedule your interior detailing accordingly.
Decide how installation will happen. Ask your installer questions about how they will be conducting your install. Will they unpackage all items in the truck? If there is any need for minor repairs like dings or scratches, they can be easily done out of sight before they turn into a major issue. Do they need a staging area? Will they remove all related trash and boxes from the site?
Making sure you provide your installation team with installation drawings is extremely important. This way they don’t have to hunt you down during the installation, adding to the time and cost of the job. Print a large-scale drawing with room names. Having an area like the garage outfitted with a small folding table works really well to set out this ‘map’ as well as prestage any small items going into the installation.
Borrowing from my years in commercial design, we also print individual room layouts and tape them to each door, making sure the room name is in a large font.
My best advice is to send the client out for the day. This keeps them out of the installer’s way, prevents them from micromanaging the installation, allows you to deal with any problems that may arise and eliminates the need for you or your staff to visit with them all day. This also enables you to do a “grand reveal” after everything has been buttoned up and cleaned. For larger budgets, you can present them with lunch via limo in the city, a spa day or even a vacation.
Making sure you provide your installation team with installation drawings is extremely important. This way they don’t have to hunt you down during the installation, adding to the time and cost of the job. Print a large-scale drawing with room names. Having an area like the garage outfitted with a small folding table works really well to set out this ‘map’ as well as prestage any small items going into the installation.
Borrowing from my years in commercial design, we also print individual room layouts and tape them to each door, making sure the room name is in a large font.
My best advice is to send the client out for the day. This keeps them out of the installer’s way, prevents them from micromanaging the installation, allows you to deal with any problems that may arise and eliminates the need for you or your staff to visit with them all day. This also enables you to do a “grand reveal” after everything has been buttoned up and cleaned. For larger budgets, you can present them with lunch via limo in the city, a spa day or even a vacation.
Wrap up loose ends. Lastly, who will be paying for this work? Typically the installation company bills the client directly, but be sure you’ve discussed this with your client. Prepare them for the amount upfront so they don’t have sticker shock when they receive the bill.
Some designers prefer to bill all charges through their company. Let the installation company know this upfront and discuss payment terms. If the designer charges the client for this service, most states require that sales tax be added since it relates to the sale of merchandise. Check with your state to be sure.
As with all aspects of interior design, communication is key. Be sure you get as much information as you can ahead of time to ensure you have as few surprises as possible. Hire the best installation team to handle all the unforeseen circumstances that seem inherent to our industry. Then sit back and enjoy all your hard work!
Have a question for Beth? Email it to editor@houzz.com, Attention: Beth Whitlinger, or post your question in the Comments. It could be featured in a future column.
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Some designers prefer to bill all charges through their company. Let the installation company know this upfront and discuss payment terms. If the designer charges the client for this service, most states require that sales tax be added since it relates to the sale of merchandise. Check with your state to be sure.
As with all aspects of interior design, communication is key. Be sure you get as much information as you can ahead of time to ensure you have as few surprises as possible. Hire the best installation team to handle all the unforeseen circumstances that seem inherent to our industry. Then sit back and enjoy all your hard work!
Have a question for Beth? Email it to editor@houzz.com, Attention: Beth Whitlinger, or post your question in the Comments. It could be featured in a future column.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Browse millions of photos for inspiration
Talk with your peers in the Pro-to-Pro discussions
Join the Houzz Trade Program
A. Although the installation phase of any project is the least glamorous part, it can be the most important. After all the construction hassle, back orders, reselections and waiting for product, this phase is the one the client remembers and it’s imperative that it runs smoothly. You need to make sure your installation or delivery or receiving company has all the information they need to make sure you shine. Don’t leave them in the dark on any of the details.