STAGING IS THE SECRET

At Staging is the Secret, we know that every client wants the most work or return for their money. After all, when you invest in a project, it’s only natural to expect results that reflect your financial commitment. But just as clients want the most work for their money, every worker—whether a designer, contractor, or tradesperson—wants the most money for their time. And ultimately, that’s what you’re paying for: time, expertise, and the execution of a vision.

A Client's Perspective: The Center of Their Own Project

From a client’s viewpoint, their project is often the most important one. It’s the one that consumes their thoughts, the one they’re paying for, and understandably, they want to see progress. Many customers may even believe that their interests should take priority over any other concerns. After all, they’re the ones writing the check, so why shouldn’t their job be the main focus?

It’s common for clients to remember things that seem advantageous to their interests—like how quickly they’d like their project done or how another vendor offered something similar at a lower cost. What they often overlook are the other factors that play into a project timeline and the realities that come with orchestrating multiple moving parts.

The Reality: Project Sequencing and Unseen Costs

What many customers don’t consider is that in most cases, there are critical steps that need to happen before the next phase of a project can be tackled. Sometimes it's about waiting for the right materials to arrive, or for skilled labor to become available. Other times, it's a matter of project sequencing—certain parts of a job have to be completed before others. You can’t install trim if the substrate hasn’t been placed yet, just as you can’t lay flooring if a plumbing line needs to be moved or an electrical connection established.

There are also logistical concerns. A tradesperson may want to complete a specific part of a job before moving on to another, because it allows them to work efficiently. For example, imagine they have tools or equipment that need to be used at multiple sites. Instead of carting heavy equipment all over town, it’s more cost-effective—and time-effective—to finish everything requiring that tool at one site before moving on.

These types of considerations—such as time, labor, transportation, and even gas costs—are factors that many clients don’t see, but they affect the pace of a project and the overall costs.

Managing Expectations and Realities

As much as we understand a client’s desire for their project to take precedence, the reality is that tradespeople are often managing multiple jobs at once. They have to balance not only the needs of your project but also the needs of other clients, available materials, and logistics. This doesn’t mean your project is any less important, but it does mean that patience and understanding are key to ensuring the best results.

The beauty of custom work is that every project is unique, and every aspect of the job is tailored specifically to you. This kind of quality takes time, and it requires planning. When tradespeople can work in a way that accounts for all these variables, they can deliver results that exceed expectations.

A Mutual Understanding

At the end of the day, both clients and tradespeople want the same thing: a successful project. Clients want value for their money, and tradespeople want fair compensation for their time, labor, and expertise. By understanding the balancing act that takes place behind the scenes, we can foster better communication and collaboration, leading to more satisfying outcomes for everyone.

Next time you're involved in a project, consider the intricacies involved in every step, and remember that while your project may be the most important to you, there's an entire process in motion to make sure it's done right. When we work together with this understanding, the results are not only beautiful—they're built to last.

— Greg