# what to do when i home owners belongs have not been clear out of the way.



## jarvis design (May 6, 2008)

Many many years ago I sold a kitchen update job. It included new cabinet doors, painting of cabinet boxes, new counter/sink, and new tile floor. 
HO wanted me to do the job t&m and back then I gave clients that option. I showed up on the scheduled day to start and their is a note on the front door: "sorry, had to go to work early, come on in!"
So, I went into the kitchen and it looked like a tornado had gone through!! Dishes (including a full sink!), cereal boxes, cut up fruit...all over the counters, which were being removed and the table, which was to be moved into the dining room. 
I had also left boxes for the contents of the cabinets, which were in the corner....empty!
Took me 4 hours to do the dishes, pack-up all the contents, and move everything to the dining room.
First line on their invoice read something like: packing/moving contents. $180.00 (4 hrs @ $45.00)
The husband, who had been away when all this happened asked what it was for and I explained while showing him the first line of our scope of work contract: "homeowner is to have work space clear of all contents including kitchen cabinet contents"
He looked at his wife who said she didn't have time.
End of story


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

I had a interior repaint for a client that was her fathers place that she just inherited, it had a lot of stuff. I asked her if she wanted to move or if she wanted us to move it. She chose us.

The repaint evolved into a bathroom gut, a kitchen gut, hardwood floors throughout the whole home; we moved that stuff a couple of times over.

If the scope had been known up front instead of one job after another I would have written into the contract a PODS container and saved myself a lot of extra hassle.

She is a good person and a great client but man I sure didn't charge enough for all that moving.


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

Looked at a job the other day and suggested they get a pod as well. There was also a car in the way, which I offered to move at no cost.


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## SSC (Feb 8, 2011)

Warren said:


> Looked at a job the other day and suggested they get a pod as well. There was also a car in the way, which I offered to move at no cost.


My professional recommendation is to move the car( and keys:whistling) to my house while we work on your project and when were done ill bring it back to you.


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## CompleteW&D (May 28, 2011)

We have a project checklist that a customer signs along with the contract. It has clauses about curtains, blinds, window treatments being removed, furniture moved away from the window a minimum of three feet, stuff on the walls within three feet of the window needing to be taken down, kids and pets being kept away from the work area, having water and electricity available, granting an area for us to stage our tools and an area to work in etc.... It eliminates a lot of headaches up front when they see in writting and sign off on it, that our guys aren't allowed to R/R anything inside the home.


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## CA Contractor (Nov 29, 2007)

Too late for this job, but that is one of the areas we cover in our contracts - include something like this: homeowners responsible for moving furniture, personal items prior to start of work. Contractor will move at $_____ per hr. Have never had a problem.......


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## Gary H (Dec 10, 2008)

In my contract I have extra charges for moving personal items. If the people are good to work for, I let it slide if I have to move something. If they are lazy, well then I pack for them, and I am not wasting time. They get the hint.


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## jrlong (Jul 10, 2012)

I agree with you. If it's a good client and they just forgot or were too busy, I would offer to make arrangements to either move their belongings to storage for safe keeping, or ask if they have any other arrangements planned. It's annoying that they were not ready, but they are human too and they are paying us to help them do home improvements. We have had a few instances where this happened, and a few where we knew in advance that they expected us to move and store the items for them. We just got some of our laborers to help out and incorporated into the cost of the remodel. It doesn't have to be too complicated.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

As a "full service remodeler" we offer services to move furniture and what not to another room, storage facility whatever. Many of the people I work for arent going to move their own chit, and I have certainly been awarded projects we wouldnt of if it hadnt been for that service. 

Simply put, most rich people dont want to move their stuff. Most of my clients are repeat or referal, I would imagine they trust me and my company more than they would a random moving company. I charge a healthy rate for this service. Many of our clients dont move anything, clothes, books, anything. 

Its pretty simple. Buy moving boxes, packing wrap, sharpies. Take a bunch of pics of everything, take measurements from each big item to the nearest wall(s) , print the pics and write the measurments on the pics or catalog the measurments. Get the little things right. What order books were in, ect...

I know we have gotten referals that said that the client couldnt tell we had been in the home. That they left the remotes on top of the TV guide and thats where they were when they returned. Shows your companys attention to detail, care for your clients possesions.


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## jrlong (Jul 10, 2012)

Couldn't have said it better myself.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

When the client is supposed to move their stuff and moving it is not in my bid, and they dont move the stuff, I tell them our procedures and what I will charge in addition to the original contract. 

Only had one client I can remember do this and ask us to start in another part of the house while they moved their stuff. Im sure he thought we would do it for free to get moving on the project.

It is important to pack things with care and some orginazation when you are removing their things from a kitchen that is being gutted and a new kitchen to be built in its place. They will be putting it back, and if their stuff is crammed into boxes haphazardly and with no orginazation, they will be pissed.

Also, if you are going into a lengthy remodel or addition, the dishes that will be boxed will need to be washed before being put back in their place. The lady who cleans our projects at completion knows this, and charges to wash them. Important to bring that to the cleaning persons attention or include it in your bid. Same with dusting pictures and knick knacks, even laundering linens (usually the home owner opts to do this themselves or have their maid do it, I havent had to yet)


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## sunkist (Apr 27, 2012)

don't forget that sink base in the kitchen, hello i'm here for the kitchen counter tops and the under mtg sink, o and to see how much cr&p you got under the sink. because we found these counters and you did not know we where coming !!!!


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## summithomeinc (Jan 3, 2011)

Jaws said:


> As a "full service remodeler" we offer services to move furniture and what not to another room, storage facility whatever. Many of the people I work for arent going to move their own chit, and I have certainly been awarded projects we wouldnt of if it hadnt been for that service.
> 
> Simply put, most rich people dont want to move their stuff. Most of my clients are repeat or referal, I would imagine they trust me and my company more than they would a random moving company. I charge a healthy rate for this service. Many of our clients dont move anything, clothes, books, anything.
> 
> ...


I love it when we go to paint a kitchen ceiling. The HO has 2001 knick knacks on top of the cabinets that they didn't realize we would have to move. We take pictures and when we are finished we put everything back exactly where it was before. I've never had a HO that hasn't commented on everything in it's place.


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## A.T.H.I. (Feb 8, 2008)

I always tell the home owner that they will have to have the area clean before the work can be done. I don't want to move their stuff unless it's somthing minor that they forgot about. I usually get out of it by telling them that we are not insured for moving stuff and therefore cannot move it. I will also have it in the contract.

Don't get sucked in by people, they will get you to spend hours moving things and re-arranging their furniture for free or blame you if something gets broken even if it was broken before you touched it.

If I wanted to be a mover or do fen shung I would open up a business and do that for a living instead of being a contractor.


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