Residential Designer – Job Posting

Join the House to Home Solutions Team:
Are you an Inspirational Residential Designer that feels underutilized, underappreciated, under paid and unhappy?

How would you like to be an integral part of helping a small, but growing, Design/Build/Remodel business reach new levels and design your own role in the company? Do you ever wonder what it could be like to work for a purpose and not just a paycheck? You know you have the smarts, desire, skills and—most importantly— attitude to do so much more. You love challenges, have a servant’s heart, and know how to get things done.

If you’re truly an “A” player, take ownership and pride in all you do, have the highest integrity, and would like to explore a different way to work, this could be your chance.

House to Home Solutions remodels homes of all types and strives for excellence in everything we do, knowing it’s a daily challenge to always improve. Currently, we primarily remodel homes in Maryland and Northern Virginia. The company is solely owned by Daniel Carrero, who has been remodeling for 25 years. Daniel has been building an outstanding team but needs more members with an ownership mentality as we continue to grow. We have a great core of workers, subs and suppliers we’ve used regularly for many years. We live by the idea of doing the right thing for our clients, company, and team.

We’re looking for the right person of the highest quality, who has the drive and attitude, and ultimately someone who will be the best fit. We believe people can be self-motivated and self-managed, and we’re looking for stakeholders, not employees. Leaders, not managers.

Do you want to do significant, meaningful work? Are you looking for a place that needs your voice, creativity, and passion? Are you ready to make decisions, own your work and stand by the results?

Employees are looking for a job and a paycheck. If that’s you, stop reading now and move on. If you know you’re NOT an employee and want to own who you are and the work you do, then continue reading.

Your beliefs, values and principles are what matter to us most. Talent next, then skills, and then finally experience. While the right skills and right experience can certainly help, your values and talent are the most important. Skills can be taught, and experience gained, but values and talent are the foundation for a great stakeholder and make the skills and experience come quickly.

About the position of Designer/Project Coordinator

House to Home Solutions is currently seeking a high-level, experienced, and all-aroundawesome person as a Designer/Project Coordinator to provide top quality support to the Sales and Production Team.

This position will be a full-time position with somewhat flexible hours. You must live within 45 minutes of Rockville, MD to provide local support as needed, for company and client meetings, and for occasional job site visits.

Our ideal Designer will take pride in being a self-motivated, creative problem-solver who consistently generates solutions for our client’s and company’s objectives. As a strong candidate for this position, you are super detail-oriented (a little OCD is a plus), enjoy working in CAD software and spreadsheets, and place great value on honesty, integrity, and customer service. As our Designer, you will embody these values and feel at home in our company’s positive, client-service-oriented culture. In this role, you will spend your time in our Rockville Design Studio working hand in hand with our Owner, our Sales Manager and our Project Managers. Sound like a perfect fit?

Here’s an idea of most, but not all, of what you’ll be doing:

• Create designs for client’s homes based on their budget and style.
• Coordinate meetings between our clients and our Vendor/Suppliers for material selections.
• Coordinate meetings with our clients in our Design Studio.
• Assist clients in making selections in our Design Studio and outside showrooms.
• Shop for or with clients to fulfill their designs.
• Create an accurate and detailed Fixture Selection Sheet for our team and clients.
• Assist in maintaining an up-to-date Design Studio.
• Learn everything there is to know about the product lines in our Design Studio.
• Visit local showrooms and build relationships with them.
• Learn what products our local showrooms and vendors have for future projects.
• Always stay up-to-date with the latest design trends and products.
• Maintain proficiency in 20/20 and Chief Architect and any other design-based software.
• Accompanying the Sales staff to the signing of the design contract, for customer interview and measuring of the home.
• Create accurate conceptual drawings for customer review and acceptance.
• Send concept drawings to trade contractors for project estimate on the work they will be performing.
• Provide specifications to the trade contractors about the project including type of fixtures required.
• Complete construction drawings to the specifications that are agreed upon by the Sales staff and the client, and in accordance with all company policies, procedures and building codes.
• All completed construction drawings will have the correct information for permitting and construction. If structural engineering is required that will also be obtained.
• Assist the Project Manager in coordinating all activities related to the actual project including material, labor and subcontractors. This position is responsible for maintaining client satisfaction throughout the project within the terms of the contract.
• Keep the display areas in the company Design Studio presentable for clients and assist the Sales staff with customer selections of cabinetry, hardware, flooring, etc.
• Create cabinet layouts and guide customers toward appropriate, functional choices in cabinetry. Once choices are finalized, the Designer is responsible for ordering cabinets. When cabinets are delivered this person is responsible for ensuring delivery is complete and there are no missing items.
• During cabinet installation, the Designer is required to be available for any questions regarding placement and design.
• Order all special-order materials and place orders in a timely fashion, allowing the vendor to deliver the items ahead of the work schedule and without negatively impacting cash flow.
• Prior to the start of work, meet with the Sales representative , Project Manager, Homeowner (when possible) and Subcontractors in a pre-construction conference where all details and foreseeable potential problems will be ironed out.
• Assist the Project Manager and sales staff in instituting change orders required as the construction project progresses.
• Assist the Project Manager in assuring that all receipts are identified for final billing are correct before giving to Office Manager for processing.
• In an Assistant capacity, help make the Company Owner, Sales staff and Project Managers more productive.
• In an Administrative capacity, maintain the Company’s multiple spreadsheets to ensure accuracy and write detailed Scopes of Work.

Designer Must Haves:

• Must have good knowledge regarding home construction (working knowledge of cabinet lines a plus but not required), computers and software.
• Must have superior communication, job coordination and supervisory skills. The ability to interact and communicate with crews, subcontractors and clients is crucial to this position.
• Must be available for extended work hours as required.
• Must have reliable vehicle.
• Must maintain professional image, demonstrate high level of integrity, and respect confidentiality.
• Must continually enhances personal and professional development.

Important qualities of a great Designer / Project Coordinator:

• A servant’s heart – This is the foundation for everything else. A great Designer / Project Coordinator wants to serve not just the organization and clients, but also the Company Owner. Whether the task is big or little, you achieve your goals by helping the company achieve its goals.
• Personalized expertise – A great Designer is like a second brain. They instinctively know what the client likes and doesn’t like; what their budget is and what they need for functionality in their lives.
• Master the calendar – Organize and maintain the calendar for all jobs in the design process, including: deadlines, appointments, meetings, calls, etc. The calendar is the flight plan that keeps all of the moving parts from crashing into each other.
• Anticipate needs – See the big picture and the overall objectives, in advance, and understand how to reach the desired end goal. Whatever is coming up, they’ve already anticipated seen the need and addressed it. Anyone can take direction, but you are already moving the way you want to go.
• Prioritize the personal – A great Designer is the ” air-traffic controller” for the Sales Representative and Project Manager.
• Willing to push back – Able to step up and say “I think we can do this better.” Willing to go on a limb to make suggestions even if not popular.
• Create and master systems – To be the most effective, a great Designer must always be creating, improving and mastering systems and procedures. It is never complete and always a work in progress. He or she will document and systematize things to avoid reinventing the wheel. The way we are doing things is not always the best;,we must strive for better.
• Know what’s on your plate – We all have too much on our plates. A great Designer should know all that the owner is dealing with and what’s critical to the company’s success. If he or she knows that, he or she can keep everyone focused on the high-leverage activities and decline or delegate the rest.
• Respect your confidentiality – A great Designer will have all sorts of business and personal information and access. But it’s critical for them to have the highest integrity, loyalty and a sense of discretion. Always protect the company!
• Have great communication skills – A great Designer will help facilitate communication in the organization. Whether it’s email, calls, or other communication, Designer will accelerate response times and keep the messages moving.

Valuable qualifications:

Mindset and Personality:

• Self-starter, self-manager
• Takes initiative, anticipates needs and gets things done
• Lifelong learner
• Results driven
• Extremely detail oriented (OCD a plus)
• All of our work is about getting things done, solving problems
• Committed to excellence
• I don’t look for perfection, but excellence in everything we do. It’s more of a mindset
• A “will-do” attitude
• Flexibility. Willing and able to handle a variety of projects, often switching between multiple projects throughout the same day

Skills and Abilities:

• Communication – must be an excellent communicator, written and oral
• Organization – highly organized and detail oriented
• Technology – we use Apple computers, phones, iPads Other software used
  • Quickbooks Online and desktop
  • BuilderTrend
  • DropBox
  • Chief Architect
  • 20/20
  • Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams and Forms

Training for the right person is expected. The ability to embrace and learn new technology is a must, as well as to master and teach some.

Here are some other characteristics that come to mind about this position:

• Very organized
• Very coachable
• Not easily stressed
• Detail Oriented
• High follow through
• Outstanding attitude
• Sees projects to conclusion
• Motivated by excellence
• Values rule over everything

Some other duties of this position:

• Maintain client files
• Keep owner, sales and project manager organized and productive
• Product research
• Weekly time tracking
• Project updates daily
• Create systems, procedures and processes

Our Beliefs:

• We believe in Ownership. It’s the most powerful driving force in business. We must all own our tasks, processes, work, results and futures.
• We believe in Leadership not management. We exist to make others more successful than ourselves. Serve others first and you serve the business and yourself better.
• We believe in the Worth of the Individual. All of us are made to do and be something significant. Work is one way for people to create that significance.
• We believe Time is Money. Our business should give us time, money and significance, not just money.
• We believe in Excellence. Perfection slows execution. Execute now and always look to improve. Excellence is a state of mind. Be proud of the good and excellent work you do.
• We believe in Progress. We embrace and encourage it. Change and adapt to be more effective in maintaining our values and reaching our goals. Being open minded and always learning new things.

A different kind of company culture

We’re building a company with a stakeholder/ownership culture. Many things are different from traditional businesses.

We are not looking for employees who are interested only in a job and a paycheck. We are looking for “stakeholders” or “owners,” self-motivated adults who take initiative, make decisions, carry responsibility, take ownership and are creative problem solvers.

What is a “stakeholder”?

• A stakeholder needs leadership, not direct supervision. Give them guidance, vision, training and resources, and they can take it from there.
• A stakeholder is assumed to be an adult, not a child who needs a parent and coddling or scolding. Adults are able to see what’s possible and have support and space to create and produce.
• A stakeholder behaves like an owner, not a renter. They own their job, their processes and all of their work.
• Stakeholders are rewarded for results, not just time in a seat. We all do better when the clients are happy.
• Stakeholders have an abundance mindset, not scarcity. If you help others get what they want, you get yours too.
• Stakeholders investigate and question everything. “Why?” is a common question.
• Stakeholders build community and relationships in order to serve others. Serving others is power and keeps you employed.
• Stakeholders are proactive, not reactive and passive. Tell them what to do and they’ll figure out how to do more of it…and better. And then they’ll figure out what isn’t being done and do that too.
• Stakeholders are focused on expanding their competence, not on promotions and titles. You know you make more by broadening your contribution to the company
• Stakeholders bring the whole messy imperfect self to work because that’s how you solve problems, innovate, and inspire others
• Stakeholders make meaningful work FIRST and money second. They contribute significantly to the company’s bottom line quickly so they can get home more.
• Stakeholders prefer a work/reward environment one where results matter and are rewarded with more time and money.

We need leaders, not managers:

We manage stuff– like processes, systems, service delivery, accounting, marketing and sales – and lead people. People are not machines, so that’s why we seek to lead them and manage the other stuff.

• Leaders will guide others, explain the “why” behind the “what” and “how” and give metrics for success. A leader trains and provides necessary infrastructure.
• Leaders focus on being productive and inspire others to be the same, while managers only try to get others productive. A leader will lead by example and adds to the bottom line.
• Leaders create vision and give guidance and direction. Leaders aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty.
• Leaders empower others and figure out how to work the process better, not just make decisions for them.
• Leaders ask why and encourage others too also.

All about results

Our culture is results-based, not time-based. We don’t have office hours. As a stakeholder you will own your time and your results. It’s not so much when work gets done but IF it gets done.

Can you take time off? Yes, we encourage it, even demand it. No rigidly set hours just get results. This is not flex-time that’s been around for many years, it’s controlling your time by producing results.

Pay is based on results (no, it’s not a commission job), your contribution and the value you bring. Raises could happen anytime, not just once a year – the same is true for performance rewards.

The pay range for this position will depend on your experience but if you really are a stakeholder, with an ownership mentality, your salary will reflect that level of production.

Benefits:

• Great pay
• 2 – Weeks Paid Vacation
• 1 – Week of Personal Days
• Health Insurance Plans available
• Simple IRA Retirement plan with up to 3% company match after 2-years
• Personal use discounts
• Annual Events
• Paid Training

We give results-based rewards anytime it’s fitting—when the company makes more money and when you contribute to that growth.

There are no formalized annual reviews, but we do regularly review processes, results and performances and adjust, train and reward as we go.

Next steps

If you are still reading this long job post and REALLY think you could be a fit, then here is how to apply:

• Do not send a resume or call
• Go here and take the free DISC profile (link https://www.tonyrobbins.com/disc/)
• Email the Results with your Resume to Info@HousetoHomeSolutions.com
• In the subject line in all caps write: DESIGNER / PROJECT COORDINATOR
• In the body of the email answer the following questions:
  • How do you think this job is a fit for you? And what would you get out of working in this environment described here? (3-4 sentences)
  • After going through our website, what would you like to know before you hired us to do a remodel project for you? (3 things)
  • Describe what House to Home Solutions does as simply as possible. As if you’re explaining it to an 8-year-old child. (1-2 sentences)
  • What are your career goals? (3 sentences)
  • What are you really good at professionally? List the top 3 things you bring to the game. (3 items)
  • Why don’t you need a manager? (3 sentences)
  • What makes you get out of bed & come to work, day after day?
• Close with any questions or comments you have for me, your name, email, cell phone number.

I will reach out to you if you make it through this stage successfully.