Decorating for Christmas?

Question

I would like to start a company to where I decorate people's homes for the holidays, except I don't know where to get started. I love decorating and I have received many compliments on my decorating abilities, like how should I charge and how much should I charge? Should I charge by the hour or by the job itself, please help?

Answer 1

Ok first, get in touch with trading standards, give them a call and see if you'll need a license for this sort of thing, if so apply for one. Once all that is out of the way, you need to build up a portfolio. Use pictures of previously decorated rooms, and have your friends write you some commendations i.e "this talented decorator always injects festive cheer into each room - lynne potter" etc.

You'll need that to show clients. Then you need to advertise a little, create a website, an advert in the phonebook, leaflets.

I would charge by job, not hour as decorating a mansion would be different to decorate a bedsit. I'd have a catalogue of styles for your clients to select how they want their house decorated from. Make sure you have a few stockists in mind. You should charge you clients for all the decorations you will buy and put up for them, plus a service fee depending on how big the house.

This service fee could be a percentage of the decoration costs? If it's a big mansion the decorations to cover it will cost more than decorations for a flat so if you charged 10% of the total cost per job, it would be a varied income.

Why not check out some companies that are already doing this? Here's some:

http://www.thechristmasdecorators.com/

http://www.christmasdecor.net/holiday_decorating.php

http://www.creativedecoratinginc.com/residential.htm

Good luck!!

Answer 2

If this is a truly tree, sure, surely is simply too quickly. Most folks do not begin striking up Christmas ornament till December 1st, after Thanksgiving. And truly bushes are at high-quality hazard for drying out, so getting a recent reduce tree and preserving it in water always is important when you have an electrical lighting fixtures or points at the tree. Two weeks earlier than Christmas is approximately the soonest such a lot folks do the tree, however a few folks like them previous. If you utilize a man-made tree, you'll positioned it up every time. I'd truthfully wait till Thanksgiving, however that is me, I'm an fanatic too however I do not wish to get worn out of the decorations both, and virtually 7 weeks is many years. If it makes you comfortable, do it now, however don't use a truly tree as that might be enormously damaging. Start deliver out the small matters. So, wait if you'll, you'll be first, simply supply it a bit longer. It can be extra amusing, anything you must appear ahead to and you'll spend the following couple of weeks in anticipation.

Answer 3

By the job.Advertise on your local cable company and don't forget Internet pages from the local providers.You might want to try some of the floral shops and see if they could give you some help if you buy supplies from them.Also hit some of the local Corp offices and hand out flyer's with prices.Prices would have to very because you don't know how big a job.If they are providing decorations or are you.You need to appraise the jobs first.Check prices and then give them a price.There is a lot to it.But it can be done with hard work .Good Luck

Answer 4

Charge by the job. And advertise on craigslist, make flyers and put them out door to door.

Answer 5

Do some research: http://www.custom-christmas.com/Default.aspx?tabid=559 is one place to begin for ideas.

There is some good money to be made decorating others houses. Don't sell yourself short.

Answer 6

start out with a website that you'll probably have to pay for it monthly. make it look nice nad show some of you works! put your rates on there too. also make sure you copyright your bussiness name and put an add in the yellow pages and advertise! you might want to go to some bussiness tutorials too! good luck!

Answer 7

I would talk with these people http://www.creativedecoratinginc.com

Brad can assist you in answering your questions.

Otherwise, there is a forum on http://www.PlanetChristmas.com where you can discuss things like this with other professional decorators.

Answer 8

estimate how many hours you think it will take then charge for that--if it takes longer your bad
if it takes less
your ahead of the game
make flyers and cards
network
post on myspace and craigslist for free

Answer 9

There are many source for Decorating for Christmas. you can also try this source

Answer 10

go with the second answer