Jenny Slingerland

Hi Kara!

I’m glad you liked the first class! So much more goodness to come!

I would do the spec book for the house your working on. No need to do a second one to show builders. Your projects will grow and when they do, you can start showing those spec books. I would just make sure your drawings are REALLY detailed and spend time explaining everything you include in your drawings. He won’t care about the thickness of the binder, he’ll just be impressed with your documentation and drawings! *I will show you a way to beef up you spec book if you need it, remind me when we talk about putting together the spec book in week 5.

It’s so beyond frustrating to me how lazy these builders are that they’re making the designers do all the heavy lifting. What you’re doing is literally their job, at least in my experience! If you can get the designers in Cali to say no, they will have to start doing it again on their own. They are having designers and homeowners do it so that they aren’t liable when things go wrong. They can put their hands up and say, “I didn’t spec it, I didn’t buy it and I didn’t install it. You can’t come after me.” If they don’t do any of things listed previously, then what is their actual job? To schedule and babysit trades? You might as well get your GC license and do it yourself since you’re doing 80% of the work anyway.

Is anyone outside of California experiencing this?

Thanks for a great first class!

Take advantage of getting to know your classmates! You guys have unique talents and knowledge that will benefit each other! If someone has access to a floor plan that they are willing to share with someone who doesn’t, that would be amazing!

HOMEWORK: Don’t forget to read the “Week #1 Homework Clarification,” document before you start.

I’ll upload a recording of the answers I wasn’t able to answer in the dropbox by tomorrow afternoon! 🙂

@melissa.manning

Hi Melissa, the scope of work slides are at the end of “part 2: making selections.”

Hi @nancy.barnett and @melissa.manning,

I don’t give actual client spreadsheets, but I want to make sure you know that there are templates in the corresponding weeks downloads. So there is a spreadsheet with the tags in it for you to use as you fill your selections in. The slides from class show my examples and there are more in the course workbook as well if you need more examples for that! 🙂

Hi @giovanna.perot-averill !

1. I don’t include the door or window schedule, I let the builder handle those and they haven’t asked me to. I will review the door and window schedule, but I haven’t ever had to include it in my book.

2. Bathroom mirrors, towel hooks, towel rods, toilet levers, etc. If you look at the class slides with finish schedule examples it will show that. 🙂

3. When you update the dropbox you can send an email from drop box with a note that says you made updates. We highlight the items in the finish schedule to make it easier for them to find the changes. You can mention that in the email as well.

4. That is a GREAT idea! I don’t currently have that on there, but I think it’s an amazing idea. I’ve never had them not reach out to me for a reselection, but I can see where someone might try to pull a fast one! I would also make a note in the paint selection area that if you specify “Benjamin moore or sherwin williams or whichever, that that is the brand to be used as colors will vary if they try to color match.

Hope that helps!

Hi @gina.caulkins I would definitely look into your state/local permitting requirements as they vary state to state. I know you mentioned that you were going to be project managing the jobs (if I remember correctly), so make sure you have the licenses you need to execute the project per your state and local requirements. Some states don’t require additional licensing for designers to “project management,” in Arizona they do require licensing and registration with the state to do project management, so just make sure that you’re covered and also have an insurance policy. Typically if you’re just painting walls, changing light fixtures, adding wallpaper, etc. you don’t need permits, but your state may require if plumbing is being moved. Hope that helps!

@christina.mogk If you just want to include those in your level drawings, that is totally fine! Either works!