Most of us are hosting or going somewhere for the holidays. Whoever gets the honor of hosting family and friends also gets the headache of figuring out how to get their home ready.
Offer your customers holiday-ready projects so they can truly be the host with the most this holiday season.
Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of the home. Here, memories are made and people are fed. Make sure your customers’ holidays don’t turn sour by offering maintenance checks or upgrade on key parts of the kitchen. Here is a list of kitchen items you can offer to check for your customers.
Kitchen checklist
Working exhaust fan that is vented to the exterior of the building
GFCI protection for electrical outlets within 6 feet of the sink(s)
Dishwasher: drains properly, no leaks, baskets, door spring operates properly
No leaks in pipes under sinks
Floor in cabinet under sink solid, no stains or decay
Water flow in sink adequate
No excessive rust or deterioration on garbage disposal or waste pipes
Built-in appliances operate properly
Cabinets in good condition: doors and drawers operate properly
Bathrooms
If the kitchen is the heart of the home, well, you can guess what the bathroom is. Ensure your customers don’t face bathroom-related disasters during the holidays. Offer to do these checks:
Bathroom checklist
Adequate flow and pressure at all fixtures
Sink, tub and shower drain properly
Plumbing and cabinet floor under sink in good condition
If sink is metal, it shows no signs of rust, overflow drain doesn’t leak
Toilet operates properly
Toilet stable, no rocking, no stains around base
Caulking in good condition inside and outside of the tub and shower area
Tub or shower tiles secure, wall surface solid
No stains or evidence of past leaking around base of bath or shower
Interior
Since we’re in for a cold winter, most of your time is going to be spent inside between snowball fights. Homeowners want to wow their guests with a beautiful living space. Offer these checks:
Interior checklist
Floors, walls and ceilings appear straight and plumb and level
No stains on floors, walls or ceilings
Flooring materials in good condition
No significant cracks in walls or ceilings
Windows and exterior doors operate easily and latch properly
Interior doors operate easily and latch properly, no damage or decay, no broken hardware
Paint, wall covering, and paneling in good condition
Wood trim installed well and in good condition
Lights and switches operate properly
Adequate number of three-pronged electrical outlets in each room
Electrical outlets test properly
Evidence of adequate insulation in walls
Fireplace in good shape and working properly
Exteriors
We’re told to not read a book by its cover, but we definitely do that with homes. Give your homeowners the curb appeal of their dreams by offering to check to see if these items need servicing:
Exterior checklist
Adequate clearance between ground and wood siding materials
Siding: no cracking, curling, loose, rot or decay
Masonry veneers: no cracks in joints, no broken, spalling or flaking components
Stucco: no large cracks
Vinyl or aluminum siding: no dents, damage, no bowing or loose siding
No vines on surface of structure
Exterior paint or stain: no flaking or blisters
No stains on exterior surfaces
There are way more parts of a house that need to be checked for maintenance. This is just scratching the surface. Hearth has a top-to-bottom home checklist. Download it below.
How to get these jobs
Checklists are great and all, but how are you going to get these jobs?
Rehashing
Call the customers you’ve had great experiences with in the past 18 months. Ask them if they’ll be hosting for the holidays this year. Offer to come by their home and check if they need any maintenance or upgrades before the holidays arrive.
Social media and promotion
People love a deal. Advertise and post on social media that you’ll do a free home inspection before the holidays. This can open the door for new customers that are scared of not being holiday-ready.
Referral
Share the list above with your network. Ask them if they find anything they can pass along to you, you’ll do the same for them.
Offer financing
Your customers might not have the money right now to invest in their homes. Holiday presents often take top priority. Financing helps them get the project funded quickly instead of having to wait to save up enough money. They can pay their loan in affordable monthly payments, and you get the cash now. Hearth can help you do that.
