Rick
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Registered: 09/12/07
Posts: 89
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| | 03/08/08 at 07:19 AM | Reply with quote | #1 |
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That first home inventory assignment can be both exciting and intimidating. Do you have everything you need to do the job? Will your camera batteries fail? Will the customers be friendly towards you?
Share your first inventory experience. How did you do?
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tcecil
Registered: 03/28/08
Posts: 1
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| | 03/28/08 at 07:53 AM | Reply with quote | #2 |
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First Inventory on March 29. Will post the results next week.
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Tina Cecil
Kathy Page
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afps
Registered: 04/14/08
Posts: 2
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| | 04/14/08 at 08:13 AM | Reply with quote | #3 |
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My first inventory was very eye opening! I had to return to the customer's house 3 times to retake video and pictures. I found out that even if you have bright sunshine flowing through the room, your video camera will need a light - so back out to purchase a light for the video. Then I also found taking all those pictures drains the camera battery before I was finished. Now I carry an extra charged battery for both cameras.
Manipulating all the items you need while doing the digital pictures is a challenge as well. We went to the uniform store and purchased smocks with LOTS of pockets (of course they are embroidered as well)
Don't forget to get those cotton gloves for handling silver etc and shoe covers (check ULine.com) Customers appreciate the courtesy.
Now we tell customers, that we insist on quality documentation and we may need to return for additional retakes. If you tell the customers ahead of time, it's not an issue to come back.
Hope this helps!
Julie
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Julie
Don't Make it RUFF...Document your STUFF |
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chris70
Registered: 04/23/08
Posts: 9
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| | 05/03/08 at 11:04 AM | Reply with quote | #4 |
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Afps what type of light did you get?I tried a sima led light and it didnt provide enough light.
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Chris Cane
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CherylH
Registered: 09/16/08
Posts: 1
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| | 11/16/08 at 09:56 PM | Reply with quote | #5 |
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I'm about to start my first inventory and was wondering...
1. Do you write down every item you take a photo of? Or do you catalog as a group of something and attach a photo of that grouping? (Example - I photograph a living room mantel and on it are candlesticks/clock and lamps...do I write down each item with it's own photo or do a take one photo and then log each item seperately?)
2. What worked best on your first inventory?
3. What would you do differently?
Thanks a bunch and I'll post when I'm finished with my first.
Cheryl
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mayflowerHI
Registered: 11/27/08
Posts: 13
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| | 11/28/08 at 10:17 AM | Reply with quote | #6 |
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I did a trial inventory at my sisters and struggled. I never realized how much crap people owned.
A couple of questions.
1: Do you list absolutly everything or just the valuables?
2: How much time should I dedicate to the inventory?
3: People have lots of crap in there basements, does all this need to be inventoried or is just photo and video ok?
Any help with my 1st live inventory with a customer would be helpful.
Steve
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Gina
Registered: 06/06/08
Posts: 31
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| | 12/05/08 at 07:26 AM | Reply with quote | #7 |
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Business has been good and I've been pretty busy so I haven't had much of a chance to take the time to post on the forum - Sorry about that.
The first time you do an inventory is always the most difficult and time consuming because you are in the learning process. After doing a couple you quickly develop your own working style and your speed increases. It's helpful to ask your customers to prepare for your appointment by having items they want inventoried unpacked. I let them know that time spent unpacking boxes is going to add to the cost of their inventory. Customers seem to understand.
I use the KC Home Inventory Software and it really helps speed up the process - especially in creating the printed reports plus I like the ability to create a software disc to provide my customers.
It took me a little time at first to get used to the program, but once I figured it out it works like a charm. I did have to call Rick a few times and he was was very patient with me and took the time to help me understand the process. It really is easy, I think I was trying to make it more difficult than it needed to be.
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takatenamano
Registered: 06/06/09
Posts: 36
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| | 06/14/09 at 04:23 AM | Reply with quote | #8 |
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Just like afps then.
First time sure are hard specially when things doesn't turns out the way you wanted it to be.
Thanks for afps by the way for sharing that experience.
Did learn a lot from there.
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Ricardo
Registered: 06/22/09
Posts: 30
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| | 06/22/09 at 01:47 PM | Reply with quote | #9 |
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I'm sure it's an excellent idea to bring a light... I also wonder if some of the low light situations could be corrected by adjusting the amount of light going into the lens.
That would be an F stop adjustment, wouldn't it?
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Robhomevid
Registered: 06/15/09
Posts: 15
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| | 01/22/10 at 11:45 PM | Reply with quote | #10 |
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Just had my first Inventory. Whew! I can see why a $200 min. charge is advisable, I would say $300 would be more like it.
Luckily, my first was for a friend Ive know for years, but only
on a work basis. He had only a mobile home. It was great training. I couldnt get over the amount of work involved for just a small place. Im glad to have had the opportunity to start on a relatively small place. I have already transferred
the video to dvd, and all the pics are now on cd. I am in the process of filling out the program and setting up the pics. for
the presentation binder. All in all it was very rewarding for
both of us. I gave him a great deal on the price, seeing it was my first. Good Luck guys! rob
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hsvhome
Registered: 09/23/09
Posts: 59
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| | 02/07/10 at 11:45 AM | Reply with quote | #11 |
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| We did our first NON family and friend inventory. Actually, we have to go back next weekend to get 2 garages and trailors. They were still cleaning it out. This inventory is for an estate in probate so the courts need a list of the deceased items. We felt like we were ready. My partner stayed with the computer entering the information as I called it off, measured and took pictures. We had bought headsets to use so she could just stay at the table entering info but the headsets were not DUPLEX so we could talk and back and forth at the same time. This is important. Any suggestions on headsets would greatly be appreciated. I did have my little bag to carry with me to each room that had: small and large tape measure. (Large tape measure I learned a lot at the store, we ended up spending the extra money to get one that actually stays straight out to about...4 or 5 feet. This is important when you are measuring alone) (have a sewing tape measure to measure items you don't want to scratch up), LED pen light (LED is the way the go), magnifying glass that had it's own light. These were key items I used in every room. I wonder if a tool belt would work? Anyway, here is the real problems we ran into. We had no idea what to call some of the items. That actually slows you way down when you have to figure out a name. There were old old antique furniture. We worked it out, but took some time. Next weekend, we do the garages and trailers that are full of tools. Again, we do not know the names of all the tools, so I'm actually going to pay a male friend of mine to go and call off the tools for me. After this, then we will know more about tools from here on out. I also realized the flash on my Nikon D-60 is NOT enough. I have to edit every dang picture and brighten them up. So another important thing, lighting for pictures. Also with the camera, I could of sworn I deleted everything on it before going. WRONG, the memory got full and thank goodness I just happen to throw the usb connector in the camera case to download the pictures onto the computer so I could really delete everything. If I had forgot that cord, I would of had to delete all my personal photos, one by one and that would taken forever. So, these are just tiny little things, but they all add up to wasting time. Also, I left my crackers at home and we needed to just go ahead and work the 1 more hour to finish. I had the shakes and the owner had some crackers I could eat (I'm diabetic). So, always carry a little something in your car in case you need a nibble. We had our water bottles and kept them in our little carrying bag and never out on the owners furniture. (if with partner, sharpie pen your name to your bottle). One last thing, PETS. This house had cats, if you have allergies to cats, it's something to think about. My partner hates cats and I love cats. It was very interesting. All in all, it went well and glad the customers are easy to work with.
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caricc
Registered: 11/07/08
Posts: 171
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| | 02/08/10 at 07:39 PM | Reply with quote | #12 |
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Also don't forget extra batteries. For anything you have that takes them. Even if it's rechargeable. What you have in the penlight, camera, video recorder will die at the most inopportune time. You can't always run to the corner market to get some. (Not when the corner market is 10 miles away).
Usually you do actually have the home owner available when you are performing the home inventory. As, hsv's case, it is not always true.
All I can say is good luck.
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Carl Carick
Home Inventory Specialists, LLC
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dpeck1968
Registered: 04/02/10
Posts: 2
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| | 04/02/10 at 03:00 PM | Reply with quote | #13 |
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Well after reading some of the posts, I don't feel so bad. I to did a trial inventory of my Moms and it took 3 days. I have alot of the same questions regarding what should be documented as a group or if at all.
I, thankfully, didn't have any issues with my equipment. I have my first paying job scheduled for April 10, 2010 and really could use some advice on how to speed the process up without reducing the quality of the final portfolio.
Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated...
Thanks!
Admin - please do not post e-mail addresses.
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caricc
Registered: 11/07/08
Posts: 171
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| | 04/02/10 at 05:59 PM | Reply with quote | #14 |
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The easiest way I have found is to break it down by rooms. Start with the living room then work your way through the house room by room. Don't let the customer hurry you through. Take what time you need. You can group several items together in a picture. Like the end table, lamp, ash tray, etc.
If you have a lot of items for a collection. Then try and save them for last.
What I call a special collection of if the customer has more than 25 items in a grouping. Of course you can go with a smaller number. It's up to you.
These can include, but are not limited to, books, video games, DVD's, VHS tapes, figurines, etc.
Hope this helps some.
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Carl Carick
Home Inventory Specialists, LLC
Can YOU remember all of YOUR posssessions?
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ContentPhotography
Registered: 07/06/10
Posts: 2
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| | 07/06/10 at 10:01 AM | Reply with quote | #15 |
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| I'm just getting started, and this thread was really interesting and helpful. I hadn't yet thought of cloth measuring tape for the valuables, cotton gloves, and the batteries in the magnifying glass.
Thanks for sharing your experiences, everyone! |
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