Featured on the Show:

Only Girl On The Jobsite Course

What you will learn from this episode: 

• How the supply chain issues we are facing now are massively prolonging home construction projects

• Should you start planning your project now or wait this out?

• Best practices on moving forward with your project during these times

Happy December! 

My family and I recently just went out and picked out our Christmas tree! But, we noticed that there were far fewer trees this year than in previous years. 

I assumed it was due to the pandemic, but I found out it was from 2008/09 and the financial crisis that we went through. 

So what happened a decade ago was now impacting the Christmas tree business.

This makes me wonder how the supply chain shortages we are experiencing right now could affect projects a decade from now. 

The supply chain issues we are dealing with have really started to impact day to day work in the past year. In the beginning of the year, we still had supplies, however, they may have been coming a little bit slower from overseas. What we are experiencing now is that supplies just simply aren’t sitting in warehouses ready to go. 

The topic I wanted to discuss today is based on the questions I have been facing in the past few weeks. This is from interior designers as well as homeowners and consumers. And that is:

“Renee, what do I do?” 

Home renovations are one of the most expensive investments you will make. And so getting it right, getting the team right, getting the timing right are all things I use this podcast to encourage you all to take the right steps. 

In this case, what I’m hearing the most is, “When do I start a project or do I start a project?”

And my answer is YES, continue moving forward with your project!

However, contractors are approaching construction projects in a totally different way than ever before. 

Meaning, they often won’t start a project until all of the pieces are sitting in a warehouse waiting to be delivered. Which can be frustrating, but that is how they have had to adjust to this supply chain issue.

If you’re doing furnishings or fabrics or window treatments, any of the soft goods that go into a house, those lead times are also extending past even the last time I spoke about them. So again, my recommendation is to move forward with it, because who knows when this will end, and right now, waiting will only prolong your project end time.

So start now with setting up your designs. Start now with setting up your ideas, your teams. Start now with interviewing contractors.

However, 2021 has been a hard year for many including myself. So if you are not emotionally ready to take on an extremely invasive project, then please don’t do it. It will be so much more difficult even with the skills I teach you inside of the course if you are not emotionally prepared for it. 

In today’s episode, I also talk about how if you are an interior designer please don’t ‘fluff’ your clients. Do not tell them unrealistic deadlines because they are simply out of your control. If what they want is going to take 35 weeks, they may say, “No way, not ordering it.” But then it’s their decision based on the facts you know today, and trust me those facts can change tomorrow. But if you try to sugar coat it and tell them it could be maybe 28 weeks, and then that 28-week mark comes and goes, your client is going to be disappointed….with you!

Given what we know now, given our situation you may want to just sit on the sidelines and wait. But even if it isn’t until July that your products come in, they are still coming in!  

As we head into the holidays, add to your to-do list: start planning your project. Start thinking about your furniture and furnishings. And then hit the ground running strong and confident in 2022. 

I know you won’t regret this decision because preparation is key to your success!

Like this Episode?

• Be sure to check out Episode #22: Furniture Delays – What’s Going On?? When Will It End??

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