Home staging is an extremely lucrative career when you know how to properly charge for your services. Today I’m diving into a taboo topic: How Much Do Home Stagers Make?
It makes me cringe when I hear figures as low as $30 per hour being touted as ‘great income’ for home staging.
That is an impossibly low rate for any independent professional to charge.
An expert home stager should make at least double if not four or five times that amount.
Home sellers stand to profit anywhere from $10,000 to $75,000 after employing the services of a home stager. When they understand that payback, they’re willing to pay a premium for the right expertise.
When you offer the cheapest home staging in town, you attract clients who don’t value what a home stager does.
The knowledge of an expert home stager is extremely valuable. It affects how long a home takes to sell and the final selling price.
A two-hour home staging consultation should cost anywhere from $300-$800. More if it’s longer than 2 hours and you’re following the pricing strategy I teach in the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program.
After the initial consultation, a home stager can make at least $1,000 if the client wants the stager to complete the home staging project for them. This figure can go as high as $5,000 to $10,000 depending on the needs for that property, the home stager’s expertise, and where they live.
Typically costs will be higher in major urban centers where house prices are also higher. If the home stager has to furnish and/or accessorize the home, that price can creep even higher.
Home Stagers Should Not Be Low Income Workers
Now back to why I object to anyone advertising $30 as a good income for a home stager. It completely devalues what we do and the difference our work makes to a client. Not only that, it misleads aspiring stagers into believing that this is a good home staging income.
Let’s explore how to charge for home staging!
Even bumping that pay from $30 up to $40 per hour, if you do 3 two-hour staging consultation each week, that works out to $240 per week or roughly $960 per month. If you also do 3 “full-blown” staging projects each month which each take you five hours, you can make an additional $600.
That’s an unimpressive $1,560 per month or only $18,700 per year.
Depending on where you live, that amount would classify you as part of the “working poor.” It’s about what you’d make in a call center or asking “would you like fries with that?”
When you’re self-employed, you have lots to do that you don’t get paid for. For example, talking to prospective customers, browsing stores or websites for the latest design trends, doing your paperwork, etc. So when you are working on a client’s behalf, you need to make sure you are well paid for it.
How Much Do Home Stagers Make?
If you charge a rate of $300 per two-hour home staging consultation which is still at the lower end of what a Staging Diva Professional Home Stager would charge, those same 3 staging consultations a week will give you $900 per week or $3,600 per month.
Those 3 “full-blown” staging projects per month will give you another $2,250 per month. Between both, that’s a total of $5,850 per month or $70,200 per year.
That’s $70,200 per year versus the $18,700 you would make at $40 per hour.
I’ve done some additional calculations that you can see in my new FREE Tip Sheet: How Much Do Home Stagers Make?
If you want to grow a profitable home staging business rather than dabble in home staging as a hobby, you have to charge a fair rate for your services and not be duped into thinking $30 is reasonable.
I can’t fathom a home stager charging anything close to $30 or even $40 per hour unless they are working full-time for another company who will be reselling their services at the more appropriate rate.
Advertising a home staging hourly rate of $30 does nothing but devalue the service. As a home stager, you’re operating a business. Can you possibly sustain (let alone grow) a successful business of any kind at such a low hourly rate?
When you’re operating a service-based business, time is your product and we are all only given so much of that each day!
I encourage home stagers to reply to this post so that we can all raise the standard of what’s acceptable and expected in the home staging industry.
Debra, Thank you so much for addressing this topic. I know when I first started 2 years ago , my biggest hurdle was what do I charge ? Am I charging too much – too little ? In time as our business starts growing , we begin to look back at all we do and the value of our product . The Staging Diva Courses ceratainly helped me determine how to charge and not give away the farm. Also, once you have gained that self worth it becomes easier and easier to quote your rates. We are worth every penny a homeowner invests and look at their return …….Aferall, we are the experts…..
I was working on kitchen design all my career and recently starter staging,some one offer me to stage and if the furniture was sold or house they would give me commission out of that is this work like this,As beginner in staging marker what are you recommend?
Nilou, I would never recommend waiting until a house is sold to get paid. There are too many risks that you’ll never see your money. Staging Diva students learn how to get paid immediately when their service is offered and they also get deposits upfront for future work. This is covered in detail in the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program.
You can make a lot of money as a home stager but you can also earn nothing if you don’t know what you’re doing from the business side of things.
Thanks for posting your question and congratulations on your decision to take your talents into the world of home staging. Getting paid for doing work you love, while using your creativity and helping others is a win-win situation for everyone involved.
Your post raises a good point Debra, but I’d like to share a story.
When I first started out I quoted the rates you’re talking about, and it didn’t go too well. I’ve had a pretty extensive background in marketing, so I know how to sell myself, but it just wasn’t enough. I was hung up on, laughed at, and left with no work. One prospective client was a doctor, and when I quoted him a $500.00 consult he said and I quote… “I don’t even charge $500.00 for a consultation and I’m an Oncologist!” He was comparing one field of work with my field of work and thought I was out of my mind. Of, course this comparison is not apples to apples, but his point stuck with me.
How can I charge the same premium rates as those with formal education and degrees to back them up? I do believe in the value of my work, but don’t I have to consider what my market will bear? I feel the need to be realistic, but if I’m perceived as the “bargain bin” of home staging, maybe I’m not cut out for this gig after all.
I live in a very economincally depressed area in Michigan. I, personally, believe my consultation charge is way too low, but I also want to work. In my previous life as a designer in down state Michigan, $300/hour would have been accepted without blinking an eye. However, I do believe you have to be realistic about your neighborhood economy. Unfortunately, mine is low income. Eventually, once I am more established and well known, I hope to raise my consultation fees as well as my contract costs. My goal at this point in time is to get myself “out there” until my name automatically rolls off the tongues of every real estate agent and seller when listing or selling a home. Currently, I think I am acheiving that goal – slowly.
Thanks everyone for your comments and yes of course you need to take into consideration what the market will bear where you are.
The main points were not to feel that you need to be the cheapest, even if you’re starting out AND to realize that it’s not only what you make per hour when you’re in your own business, because of all the unpaid hours you will have to put in to keep your business running.
To Leah’s point – as for the oncologist who says he makes less for a consultation, that’s a red herring. First of all, if you get a consult from an oncologist, you can’t take his advice and fix your cancer yourself!
When you do a complete home staging consultation (which may last anywhere from 2 to 4 or even 5 hours), you are giving the client all the advice they need to do the work themselves (if they choose to).
To Jill’s point – I didn’t say $300 per hour, I gave the example of $300 for a two hour consultation.
There are many more intricacies to pricing strategy which I do discuss in detail in course of the Staging Diva Training Program.
I understand where Leah and Jill are coming from, but I have to disagree. When I charge a doctor $500 for a 2 hrs staging consultation I am actually putting $10 000 to …. into his pocket. It is a one time rescue thing that he needs. And it is my job to explain this to him. Remember that your services have huge monetary value. Of course it depends what kind of services you provide. If you don’t have talent, passion, and experitse, then you can charge $40. When I hear “to much”, I simpy know this is not my client and move on. Yes, it takes longer to find a good client, but I would rather have one $500 client than 10 cheap ones. Besides, have you ever hired a cleaning lady? In our area they charge $20-30 / hr. I also know that aviation mechanics who install satelite systems on our airplanes make about the same money. Go figure!
Debra, pricing is a self-worth issue with me. I have learned through personal experience that what I pay – sometimes dearly – for becomes much more valuable to me at the moment, as well as over time. When I start doubting that my fees are too hefty, I remind myself that, by charging less, I am relegating myself to the ranks of the “starving artists” of the world. It actually takes will power to get the fee out of my mouth sometimes, but I always feel that I’ve inched up the self-esteem ladder every time I do. I have had reactions to my fees that range from shock to admiration. It is interesting that the shock usually comes from others involved in some aspect of interior design or staging. The admiration (translated: respect) comes from those who really stand to benefit.
Thank you Ranee! I admire your comment. This is so true.
This site is so inspiring. I agree with everyones comments. I find women have a particularly difficult time charging what they are worth too. I find that living in a small community tends to be disheartening at times, as it takes longer for new things to get here, such as staging.. and when people hear my fees (which are not high) they are dumbfounded. I have to stick to my guns, and actually after reading all of this, I am going to be brave and raise my fees to what I feel I AM WORTH.
I was also so frustrated with all the negative response from all of the realtors in my area, so instead of complaining and wasting energy trying to convert them to my way of thinking (I had already given them 500.00 worth of gift certificates ea) I am now studying for my license too. Can’t beat em…join em. I’ll show my little community what Staging is! I want it here just as much as I do it in the city and I am not giving up on my community.
Food for thought -I just read 2 great books recommended to me-SECRETS OF THE MILLIONAIRE MIND (T.Harve Eker) about changing your way of thinking to believe in yourself and attract what you want! EXCELLENT BOOK & fantastic marketing book- THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSUASION (Robert B. Cialdini) These are really great for business, maybe they will help someone else too!
It is very interesting to read all the comments and Im glad I came upon this website ! I try to watch every TV Show on the subject and until recently, I did not know that there was a formal course available. When I did find out, I got sold on the $31.45 per hour guarantee so I could get work experience before heading out into the world on my own !! And now I am an aspiring Home Stager and loving every moment of it ! Having said that, I just could not understand how one would survive as a Professional Home Stager at that rate considering the amount of effort, talent and cost of doing business to take a home from standard to spectacular. All the same, I was willing to give this a shot as it is something I truly enjoy. Thanks Debra for discussing this topic and thanks to each one for sharing your experiences. It definitely gives me an idea of what to expect out there.
This free gift of Twelve Tips on starting Home Staging has given me a lot of information that would help me with my business I am starting up, after I move. We are waiting for a loan to go through. I would be able to have my own office in the house I would be moving. I just got my business cards printed.
I have studied Interior Decorating but have not heard much about Home staging in our area. My City is small and the cost of living isn’t high but I think 300 0r 400.00 a consultation might work here in Corry, Pa. My name of my company is Distinctive Touches ….Interior Decorater Home staging & Decor. How much did some of you new people start off earning??
Joan Jewell
Corry, Pa.
I think your pricing strategy is in line with the times. However, my big concern in the United States is the economic situation. Buyers cannot get loans, which impacts our business in a big way. We can stage all the homes we want for the Sellers and Realtors…but if the buyers cannot get loans, then they are not going to be looking at homes. As a former Realtor, I know the importance of Staging…it makes a huge difference. What I’m trying now is to focus my marketing efforts in new ways. All those “buyers” who can’t buy homes are going to need a place to live…apartments. Turning our services towards helping clients settle in to their new apartment digs is a way for us Stagers to take control of the market slump.
We do not have that situation here in Corry. In two weeks they have had at least 9 houses get contracts. We of course have a small population of 11,000 I think that is right. The more expensive homes are still there. They run from 179,000 and 358,000 and higher. I know in larger populated areas they are having cold sales and foreclosures, as my daughter lives in Phoenix and her husband is a realtor.
I think that was a good idea that you could stage rentals at this time of economic crisis!
Thank you for taking the time to educate us on home staging..Great article!
However, I have been in the interior design field for more then 20 years and I believe that Realtors should stick to selling house and the design firms/staging company’s do the staging…
Lisa, I totally agree that realtors should stick to selling real estate rather than staging their listings. I only recommend real estate agents take my program to learn how to run profitable staging businesses if they are tired of the 24/7 demands of selling real estate and would prefer to earn their income from staging.
In course 4 of the Staging Diva Training Program I spend a lot of time explaining what messages a stager should use with real estate agents to help them understand the value of what we do and why they shouldn’t be doing the staging themselves.
I too live in a depressed area, we have the highest unemployment rate in the country. In fact due to the company I worked for closing I have decided to realize my dream of enjoying decorating and homes ( I’m the person who goes to open houses out of curiosity and often offers a suggestion to the realtor about a smell or something negative in the home)
Just getting started I have enjoyed several great jobs, but I had to give the realtors coupons for free $150 home evaluations just to get in the door but then the work involved is unbelieveable. I don’t think I would have gotten these jobs if I hadn’t included cleaning out garages and basements along with the entire house, painting and then decorating and staging the home.
But without all this preliminary work the home wouldn’t have made since to stage.
It seems realtors in my area think a home is a candidate for staging if it’s a real disaster and almost a lost cause…
I’d appreciate any suggestions, and I’d like to know how you all are doing since these posts were last updated in April. Mave Hiegill how is the apartments rental’s going, I thought that was a great idea.
I just want to say that I really appreciate reading all your feed back , this is an excellent area to get information about the pros and cons of staging.
I am just starting into the market and really need all the adivce I can absorb.
thanks again
Thanks Judy! So glad I could help you. Please feel free to spread the word about Home Staging Business Report to others in any discussion groups you are on with home stagers or aspiring home stagers!
Hi Debra,
How do you determine based on the size of the city and the market value of the homes in that city what to charge for staging? Most people think that the consultation should be free and if they choose to hire you, then they will pay? Realtors think this way also.
Is it possible to work full-time until your business is up and running?
Thanks,
Jillian
Jillian, Your rates are only very partially related to the market value of the homes in your city. There are many other factors at play when determining the right pricing strategy for your staging services. I discuss these in detail in course 2 of the Staging Diva Program. You can learn more about it here: https://stagingdiva.com/store/#course2
Put the idea of free home staging consultations right out of your head! It’s the quickest road to burnout and bankruptcy and not something that my students do once they learn the right way to market their business. You can read more about what I think about free consultations in this free article which is part 4 in a series: https://stagingdiva.com/homestagingbusiness/wrong-marketing-can-sink-your-home-staging-business-part-4/
You can also read about free consultations in this article https://stagingdiva.com/homestagingbusiness/home-stagers-should-never-waive-their-consultation-fee/
As for working full-time while building up your staging business, that’s TOTALLY doable and something many of my students do. I’ve written articles about several of them which you can read in this FREE report, “Can a regular person like me become a home stager.” Get your FREE copy at: https://stagingdiva.com/homestagersuccessstories.html
I know you’ll really find that report informative and inspiring and it includes a special gift from me that you’ll be glad to have.
Hi Debra,
Very illuminating article re prices for consultations. I see that the comment go back to 2008. Do you see feel that the pricing is relevant today? Thank you.
Hi Toni, Great question and thanks for popping by!
Yes the pricing discussion in this article is still highly relevant today. The only thing that’s changed is that the company, Haverhill, that was widely advertising $31.45 per hour when I wrote this, has gone out of business!
If you want a really detailed strategy for setting your prices, you’ll find it in course 2, The Business of Home Staging: What You Need to Start and How to Grow. Many established home stagers who aren’t making enough money take this course to solve the pricing dilemma. With what you learn about that you’ll make enough on your next client to more than pay for my entire training program, whether you decide to go further with the courses or not.
Hi Debra,
I live in a 55 and over condo community and the unfinished units were recently bought by a new developer. Through one of my neighbors, who had a window treatment business, I was asked if I wanted to decorate the model condo. I never decorated professionally and I was honest about this to the developer. in doing a little research online , I charged him, what I knew was a very low, flat rate of $500 to decorate a 1200 sq. ft., 2 bedroom condo. He wanted furniture, window treatments, lamps, artwork, dining table set, etc. then I asked him what his budget was. I asked him twice. He said, “just buy good stuff”. Then he said he needed it ready in 2 weeks. Then he said he wanted one of the other units decorated as well in 2 weeks after the first one. So I did it. Everyone who saw the models said either, “I could live here” or “is he selling it furnished” or “will you decorate my place?”. My husband and I bought every thing on our credit card, I gave him my invoice and receipts and now he says his partners think I spent too much money. Each condo totaled about $11,000 each plus my $1000 for my fee. He asked me why didn’t I shop at Macy’s with a coupon. REALLY! ? Actually, I did check out prices at Macy’s and the prices were higher than what I paid for furniture. I know I made mistakes on how I handled this, but how do I move forward, if I want do this professionally?
Jeanmarie, I thank you for stepping forward and sharing this unfortunate situation. I can point out pitfalls in my various blog posts and in my courses, but I think sometimes it helps my readers to see that others do fall into the situations I’ve been warning them about.
First let me congratulate you on the great staging job you did, as evidenced by the comments received. Clearly you have home staging/decorating talent, which is great news because no one can actually “teach” you to have talent.
Now the challenge is learning how to make an actual business out of it. As you’ve already experienced, working for free/not being paid properly is not a “business” it’s a “charitable service.” Which is not what you were counting on in this case.
Staging Diva-trained stagers don’t put items on their own credit cards and they are also paid in advance to go shopping. Paid not only for their time in advance, but also for any items they’ll be purchasing.
This completely eliminates the risky situation you find yourself in.
Believe me, I too learned this lesson the hard way, which is why I teach my students to protect themselves with a proper procedure in place. You’ll find this covered in detail in Course 3 of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program.
The low flat rate you quoted of $500 for your time is certainly another problem. Most of my students make that in only a few hours of their time at most and they don’t base their pricing on square footage. I have a formula I share with them, that I’ve developed over 10 years as a successful home stager, which is discussed in detail in Course 2 of my program.
Jeanmarie, you’ve learned some very expensive lessons with this client and my hope is that you can recoup the sizable charges you put on your own credit card before you have to pay that off.
If your serious about turning your talent into a staging career, where you’re doing what you love, helping people and getting paid well for it at the same time, I hope you’ll invest in my business training.
What you make back from a single client, or two, will more than pay for the entire program and you’ll have the knowledge you need to make a profit at this for many years to come. Here’s where you can read about the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program in detail:
https://stagingdiva.com/homestagingtraining.html
I also offer one on one business coaching to help untangle the complicated situations that some home stagers find themselves in, you can learn more about Staging Diva Business Accelerator Coaching by scrolling down this page:
https://stagingdiva.com/store
Jeanmarie, thanks again for writing and if you take nothing else from my reply, remember in the future to get your money upfront for shopping.
Hi Debra.
I love all the articles in your website. They have encouraged me to seek your advice.
I am not a professional organizer nor do I have any experience in staging homes. However, I have been gifted in being an efficient organizer and I can makes rooms feel inviting. My experience comes from working on my friends and family rooms for free. I just have fun doing this. I organize my friends spaces by giving their belongings a “home” and using their own decorations in a different way. Surprisingly, a friend who is a realtor wants to recommend me to “clean and fluff” a sellers home. I am excited about this, but I don’t know what to charge. What is a fair price?
I think charging per hour sounds fair because some homes have different number of rooms. What advice do you have to give an aspiring home staging professional? Thank you.
Hi Nancy, Thanks for commenting and I’m glad you enjoy my articles. There is plenty of material on this site to help you with your business and with pricing in particular.
However, as to determining a proper pricing strategy for your particular business, that’s something I only do for my inner circle of students and coaching clients.
Your organizing business can pair very nicely with home staging and I discuss how to do that in detail in the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. You’ll find everything you learn there applies to both sides of your business.
Another way to get direct help from me, and at lowest cost, is to join Staging Diva Dialog. I do a live call every month. It’s officially an hour, but I often go 90 minutes if there are lots of great questions from the small audience or if I’m teaching a new topic in depth.
I hope that helps!
I ran across your site while looking up the average hourly rate for home staging. I have to say, from a Realtor’s standpoint, some of the remarks are questionable.
For starters, the staging is largely made with personal property and placement of the personal property such as furniture and accessories that do not transfer with, and are not part of the real property (home) sale and therefore carry no monetary value. That said, staging does NOT increase the VALUE of the home, however, it can help to sell the home quicker and at a higher offer by being a stronger competitor to other competing listings. *Keep in mind, the appraiser will not add value for the personal property and I’ve never seen an adjustment on an appraisal for $10,000 – $50,000 for good decorating. Just sayin’…
Second, the Realtor fronts all costs to market the listing but does not get paid unless the listing successfully closes. So, adding [insert staging fee] to the Realtor’s marketing is putting an additional [insert staging fee] at risk of loss if the property does not successfully close. However, the sign installation company, photographer, printer, caterer, staging professional, showing service and all other necessary expenses the Realtor carries, are paid whether the home sells or not. There are a lot of hands in my pockets, including desk fees, transaction fees, MLS, E&O, licensing, gifts etc so, please, rethink how the much the Realtors make and consider how much exposure they carry with each home they list.
Don’t get me wrong, I see value in staging but I also think the fee should be fair. You use an example of one stage per week. So if a Realtor sells only one home every quarter should they grossly inflate their commission or hustle a little harder to get more business?
Just some food for thought…
Thanks for commenting Chris, it’s always nice to hear the real estate agent’s perspective.
The “value” of a home is highly subjective and influenced by a myriad of factors as you’ve no doubt seen. A home is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it. With the right staging, that amount has shown to be higher in thousands of real estate transactions every year.
You’ve done a great job of itemizing all the costs Realtors face which is why it’s so absurd that thousands of people rush to become agents with the mistaken belief that it’s a great way to make easy money. In fact, I wouldn’t want your job, which is one of the reasons I became a home stager. I still get the “buzz” of real estate without so many of the downsides you’ve mentioned. Not least of which is working for months or years with a client who may never buy/sell anything, meaning you don’t get paid for all that time you’ve invested with them.
I know you’re concerned with all the “hands in your pockets.” I don’t for a minute recommend that you pay for home staging fees, any more than you should pay for a home inspection or to have your client’s home repainted. Perhaps you’ll find this article helpful, 5 Secrets Real Estate Agents Need to Hear From Home Stagers.
I agree with you that home staging fees should be fair. Again, “fair” is a highly subjective term. Sadly, too many home stagers fall into the trap of cutting their rates to get business. A practice I recommend against. My students learn how to take the high road rather than compete in the race to the bottom of the market.
Thanks again for sharing your point of view with us:)
I was asked to redesign the interior showroom of a kitchen and bath business. They paid for my inital 250 per two he consult and want me to do the 3 day job (full days) myself and also help w their branding.
They said to give then a flat fee.. Any thoughts on how much?
Bella, I have no idea who you are or what type of client that is, or what your business is like. So there is no way for me to precisely answer that question. Please refer to Course 2 of the Staging Diva Training Program. There is a complete module on pricing strategy and how to determine the right pricing for your location/business.
I would like feedback on this. I recently contacted a realtor who is in a very prominent lake community. She had heard my presentation in our local Keller Williams meeting and really liked me. She is 1 hour away. When I brought up the fact of charging for a consult, she said that their KW realtors do not get charged a staging fee by any of the local stagers. She said that is what I would be up against. I really want to meet with her – I have an appt set up, but I can’t give my business away. Do these stagers build this fee into their staging packages somehow? I don’t understand how this works for the stagers. I’m trying to decide if it would even be worth it to do this. Lastly, how does one charge for travel? Just for traveling, or charge by the hour? I really dream of staging lake houses; I feel it would really build my portfolio and business.
Hi Patricia, these are all great questions and they are all fully explained in the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program.
I have written hundreds of free articles related to how a successful home staging business model works (including pricing and policies) which you can find by searching through this blog. Of course to get the complete picture, you’ll have to invest in the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program.
Just as I teach my students to value their time and not to give away all their expertise for free (as this realtor is encouraging you to do), and just as you realize you can’t make a living by doing that, I also charge for the expertise I’ve developed over 12 years as a home stager and 25 years as an entrepreneur.
If you want one on one Accelerator Business Coaching with me, instead of investing in the training program, that is available to you as well. Here’s the link for more info on how coaching works.
https://stagingdiva.com/businesscoaching.html
The least cost alternative is to join Staging Diva Dialog, which is a small group coaching program and less expensive than one-one-one coaching. Basically, for only $47 you get up to 90 minutes with me, answering your questions in a telephone conference call. Because there are others on the call, splitting the cost, I can offer it at a lower price. Here’s the link to learn more:
https://stagingdiva.com/divadialogpromo.html
Hi Debra,
I must say this beautifully written article struck a cord with me. I agree with everything you said! I would also like to point out that the stagers out there who are charging such low hourly rates are not only devaluing themselves but they are also hurting the industry as a whole. It really gets tiresome explaining why home staging costs are what they are when there are “discount stagers” willing to do it so cheaply. I say you get what you pay for.
Thanks for commenting Monique! Appreciate your input!
We do Estate and Probate sales before that Property Preservation and yes for Banks I have done staging but looking for more work in this field. I am in Harrisburg Pa. Thanks
Good for you! You’ll find plenty of tips on this blog, Home Staging Business Report. And if you want even more in depth learning to take your business further, I encourage you to take a look at what we offer in the Staging Diva Store.
Hi Debra!! What beautiful advice you are providing our industry with! Greatly admire your wisdom. I am wondering if it is ok for me to charge extra for drive time and gas? I currently charge $80 per hr and anything over 25minutes drive time i tack on 40$. Is this acceptable??
Thanks Sherry. I think there’s a much more profitable way for you to price your services. I encourage you to look at Course 2 of the Staging Diva Training Program for more details.
I am new to home stagging in the Columbus ohio area. I am trying to determine if I want to charge my clients a set price or hourly. can you please give me advice
Angelique, Charging a flat fee or set price for a project is a REALLY bad idea. There are many factors that can eat up your time that you have no control over. Far too many home stagers fall into this trap (in part because they’re taught to in staging courses taught by people who have never had successful staging businesses). It’s a quick road to burn out because you end up working tons of hours on your client’s behalf that you are never paid for. And who wants to work for free?!
That said, it’s not as simple as saying “charge an hourly rate.” After struggling a year in my own home staging business, I finally hit on the right formula and pricing strategy to maximize my profits. I share this in Course 2 of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program.
If you want a sample of what learning with me is like, you can grab a FREE pass to a mini course I’m teaching called “5 Simple Secrets to a Home Staging Business: How to Make Money Doing What You Love.”
You can get all the details here
We own our small 1 born condo (495sq ft) in a nice gated area in North Dallas. We are wanting to stage our condo and would like to know if we can purchase the furnishings and use this home as our retirement property . If so what would the approx cost and steps to do this.?
Darrin, That’s a great idea! I recommend you consult with a home stager for your area. I can find one for you, please visit:
http://stagingdivadirectoryofhomestagers.com
Hello,
I just finished reading this helpful post. My mom and I have been researching Home Staging Businesses for quite some time now and you have been the most educating. I would like to hear more on the topic if you are willing to chat with me.
Thank you!
Jordanne Bennett
Hey Jordanne, I’m so glad you’ve found my post helpful. If you continue to poke around here on my blog Home Staging Business Report, I know you’ll discover that there isn’t a topic I haven’t written about at some point since I started in this industry in 2002. If you’re really serious about starting a home staging business, I hope you’ll at least start with my FREE jumpstart course. You can find all the details at: https://stagingdiva.com/free-12-tips-staging-course.html
Hey Debra,
I am and always have been interested in interior designing/staging but I decided to take the healthcare route, which now I am getting bored of. I work too hard and it has put a strain on my body for getting paid a little over minimum wage.
I am very intrigued with your knowledge on this topic and would like to do your course. I just have one question. I am currently in the process of applying to school in the Interior Design program but would you recommend that I go back to school and pay thousands of dollars to become certified or is this a business where “if you naturally got it, you go it”. Idk if that made sense but I hope it did.
Hi Allicia, so glad you wrote. No I don’t believe it’s necessary to go back to school for several years to graduate from an Interior Design Program, unless that’s something you especially want to do. In fact I wrote an article on this very topic, “Should I go to Interior Design School or Become a Home Stager?”
My students know they have interior decorating talent and I teach them how to turn it into a profitable business doing home staging, color consulting and interior redesign. You can check out my training program and other resources at this link (and don’t miss the sale ending Friday).
By the way, tons of my students come from a prior career in nursing! Thanks for commenting and I’d love to help you on your journey of moving into a career that pays better, isn’t physically draining, uses your creative talent and still helps people!
Debra,
I have retired from nursing and am ready to pursue the creative side that I humbly know I have always had. Purchasing, repurposing existing pieces, accenting with statement pieces, lighting, and making colors flow and coordinate are a must for any house to make it look like a home. The finish for me is in the ambiance of smells, music, and lighting. .
I have decorated our two large homes and our first beach condo. I especially love fall and Christmas theme decorating, but understand that staging must often be cost effective.
I am on Pinterest (Paula Glover Black)
Eager use the talents I have and learn more.
Paula, thanks for commenting and sharing your experience. I’d love to show you how to turn that natural talent into a staging business. Since you’ve retired from nursing, I think you may relate to this story about Staging Diva Graduate Holly Battaglia! https://stagingdiva.com/homestagingbusiness/registered-nurse-and-mother-of-4-finds-success-in-home-staging-business/
Hi so my mom was in the home staging business for 25 years and is struggling trying to find another home staging job near Lakewood, CA. Do you have any suggestions? This is her email I am attaching.
Sounds like your mom may need a better business model to follow, her new location shouldn’t matter. I suggest she explore the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, or business coaching with me. Both can be found at https://stagingdiva.com/store
Of course she can continue to read this blog, Home Staging Business Report, I offer tons of free tips. Not the same detail as my inner circle of Staging Diva Students gets of course, but she may still find helpful. I suggest at minimum she subscribe (see green box top of this page https://stagingdiva.com/homestagingbusiness
Once she’s on my email list she will find out about special promotions and offers.
Hey Debra, I am only the age of 17 and I watch the show called Fixer Upper, and I love that show. And after a few episodes of that I knew what I wanted to be when I grow up. I want to be a home stager. And after reading this, I learned a lot. Thank you!
Thanks for commenting Alica! How lucky to know what you want to do at the age of 17!
I read the article and it makes total sense I have been doing this for years and never thought to make a career out of it. I sold my home in 2016 in less than 12 hours after decluttering everything. It was another agent who bought it because she stated it looked like it had been staged. It was my furniture and ideas that fit my taste. I have since purchased a townhouse because I downsized and everyone that has seen how I decorated, I have many people asking for assistance because they would like to redecorate. Then that light bulb went off again. I saw your add on facebook and signed up and ready to start making a living at something that is fun and that I really enjoy doing. I’m ready jumping in head first 🙂
Thanks for commenting and sharing your experience Felicia! I’m really excited that you found your calling and a way to make a living from your natural talents! How excited is that? I think you’ll really enjoy this article I wrote called, “Addicted to Decorating: Born To Be A Home Stager“.
Also, since you said you’re ready to dive in head first to making a living as a home stager, I hope you’ll check out my complete training program which will give you one giant short cut to making a profit sooner. I lay out an entire blueprint for your home staging business in the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program.
Debra , last year i staged a house for sale. I feel guilty charging so high until i read your article. It took me 7 hours to finish and never had a break,plus the owners are my colleagues. I did 3 bedrooms,living room,kitchen,den and a bit of Masters for $2,898.00 plus tax.
I rented beds for 2 bedrooms and rented side tables for the living room and told them to declutter but all accessories were mine.
Did i over charge them?
D
No you didn’t over charge them Pilar, in fact you significantly UNDER charged them. I really hope you’ll take the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program so you can learn how to make way more money with your very next client and every client after that. The program will more than pay for itself in what you’ll learn about having a profitable business model to follow. You can learn more about it at:
https://stagingdiva.com/homestagingcourses.html
And if you check it out very soon, you can also take advantage of the sale I’m running right now.
My mom and I just started staging houses for air bnb set ups, I’m talking whole house down to the essentials like duplicate sheet sets for each room, shampoo, body wash, full kitchen cooking ware, 3-4 bedrooms and sometimes the basement too. The client pays for the furniture and eveything, we do the running around pickup furniture in one van ourselves and move the furniture and all the boxes ourselves. We goodwill shop and Salvation Army, sonthe client isn’t over paying for the items, it takes 2 days to do an entire house, is $1000 for labor to low? I’m going to have to start hiring a mover, my back is hating me from moving all of this furniture.
Yes that is ***way*** too low!!!! Think about how much profit your Airbnb hosts are making per booking!
If you’re interested in business coaching I can really help you dial up your profits (and save your back). You have a brilliant business idea, but you’ll need to operate it the right way to fully realize the potential of what you’ve stumbled into, and to avoid burning out. I’ve operated a variety of businesses since 1989, have an MBA in marketing and have been consulting for businesses since the 1980s. I could really help you shape what you’re doing into something highly profitable. I hope you’ll give this some thought.
You can learn more about one on one Business Accelerator Coaching with me here.
I’ve been a stager since 2006, and I’ve done well, typically averaging 2-3 consults/jobs a week. I mostly worked for realtors. However, I slowed (and later stopped) in 2014 due to being diagnosed with an auto-immune disease. I’ve since moved to a different state, and I’m wondering if I can even continue due to the fact of limited mobility. I get around alright, but where I once could move furniture and organize all day long, I can only point and tell someone to do those things now. I’m wondering if there’s even a market for a stager who only does consults, and no hands-on hard activity.
Hi Vanessa, I’m sorry to hear that your about your health issues, I’m sure it has been a challenge in so many ways!
The good news is, you CAN ABSOLUTELY have a very successful home staging business, earning your money from consultations. Likely making even more money than you did in the past working for realtors, my business model will show you exactly how to do that.
I really hope you can join me for a course I’m teaching by telephone conference call tomorrow evening. It will give you a chance to experience what learning from me is like, plus it will address 2 key areas specifically relevant to your situation.
You can learn more and get a FREE PASS for 5 Simple Secrets to Earning More Money in Home Staging here.
Thanks for writing Vanessa, I’d really like to show you how you can get back in business and structure it around your needs and abilities.
Debra,
I have taken staging courses and I have moved form FL to GA. I know the market is much greater for Stagers in ATL. do you have any advice on how i can start building clients here?
Thank you
Hi Jasmine, I have an entire Marketing program devoted to that very question. You may have taken home staging courses, but only the Staging Diva Program gives you a complete business model to follow. I encourage you to check it out here.
The fact that you’ve moved to a new state shouldn’t be that big a deal when you follow my marketing strategies. Here’s an article you might also enjoy:
What If I Need to Move My Home Staging Business?
I’m becoming more excited about the next phase of my life I never even knew anything about home staging but I do know that people ask me always about my decorating ideas so I’m reading the emails and hope to get started very soon in my new career
Hi Harmony! I’m excited for you, there’s nothing like using our natural talents to earn a living. You might enjoy this article I wrote about what that’s like.
Click here to read about the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program in detail.
Thanks for commenting and I’m glad you’re enjoying my emails!
Hi Debra, I’m thinking of working for a very busy realtor/friend offering her staging help hourly. I have helped her with a few jobs in the past for free. What do you think I should charge as an hourly rate in MD?
Hi Elizabeth,
I’m glad you have such a perfect opportunity and I really hope you’ll stop working for free! After all, you’re helping a realtor sell her listing faster and for more money. Which makes her look good to her client and colleagues, plus you’re literally putting more money in her pocket.
You should charge a heck of a lot more than you probably realize and I wouldn’t do it as an hourly rate necessarily. This is actually a much bigger question if you really want to make a living as a home stager (which I can totally show you how to do). Most Staging Diva Grads earn more in a single day than most people earn in an entire week working full time.
To start to get a better sense of things, I hope you’ll sign up for my FREE Jumpstart Course.
Thanks for writing and I’m looking forward to helping you in this journey of making money from something you clearly enjoy so much you were willing to do for free 🙂
Hi there! I’m interested in getting into this field. What is the first step to take?
Thanks!
Hi Cindy, The first step to take is to learn how to turn your talent into a business. I teach a comprehensive program on that called the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program.
You’ll learn everything you need to know to set up and grow your business. Click here for more info.
I’m very interested in staging homes for banks or having my own business . I’ve all ways been in the antique business while decorating. My own home . I really likes you article I believe your right the importance is. A higher home price because of the. Stagers expertise and time that they put in ..showing a perfect lifestyle in decor. Making the house sell sooner than it would have if empty . .I’ve all ways wanted to. Stage homes and maybe with some guidance I will have the opportunity. To do just that. Thank you again .
Thanks for commenting Laura.
I would love to show you the complete business model you can follow so you can make a living from your talents! You can read about it in detail here to get started.
Thank you for the article, it was very helpful. Is am currently in school for staging but haven’t got to the section of finance. I am helping a friend with her home but didn’t know what to charge this helped me put things in perspective.
Hi Wanda, Thanks for commenting and happy my article helped you.
In my experience few other programs actually teach a complete business model for how to make money from your talents. If you find at the end of your current program that you don’t know how to find clients (or even better, have them coming to you!), how to operate a staging and redesign business without having to buy any of your own furniture or accessories, how much to charge, or how to make sure you get paid, I hope you’ll have a look at the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program.
Wishing you every success! Home staging and interior redesign is a great business!
You have a lovely set of classes!
Staging is not a minimum wage job: nor should any job where you’re doing a lot of manual labor be. Think about how much your electrician or AC repair fella make, they don’t sweat for $10 an hour! It’s usually closer to $80 just to get them come take a look for 30 minutes. If you want clients to see value-added, though, maybe think of adding a landscaping package with your staging if you’re just starting out. Homeowners are less likely to balk if they get to feel like they KEEP something when they pay you!
Hello, I am a new stager and am struggling with pricing. I just did a job for a $1.8 million dollar home with a little over 4,500 square feet and charged $4,200 for the whole thing (5 bedrooms, 1 media room, 1 craft room, 2 main living spaces, kitchen, dining room, office, patio)…. I felt so uncomfortable charging this much money and the realtor also pushed back very hard on this price which made me wonder if that was unfair. I quickly realized however, that there was no way I could do this job as impressively as I wanted while at the same time making the profit that I wanted. I am just curious on ballpark answers of what other stagers might have priced a job like this.
Hi Kelsey,
Assuming that fee included furniture rental, you charged WAY LESS than you could/should have.
The real estate agent should not be paying for staging for many reasons, including the fact that they’ll never be willing to pay as much as the home seller would because they stand to make a way better return on their investment in your fees than the agent will.
Remember the agent only gets to keep about 1% of the increase in selling price, the seller makes the most.
There is much more to pricing than I can cover in a blog comment. I strongly encourage you to invest in the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program to not only learn about proper pricing strategies but also how to market yourself effectively. With the right marketing, you’ll attract the right type of client and get way less push back on your fees.
Quick Tip: Never let anyone make you feel bad about your pricing. You need to understand and appreciate your worth (and be able to get your client to as well). If your client sells fast and makes an extra $100,000+ on their $1.8 million home (totally achievable), is a staging fee of $5,000, $10,000 or even more out of line?!
Thank you for this. I have been working for a stager for quite some time in San Francisco, and she has paid me $30 an hour. I have to travel long distances to do jobs as many jobs are in the outer/surrounding areas. She offers no minimums (hours), and no mileage, and even asks me to help her move things from storage units she has! I have a small SUV, so I feel that she is taking advantage of it because the moving company she uses charges her quite a bit of money, especially for the jobs that are further away from their hub. I recently told her that I needed my salary to increase to $40 an hour and I have not had a job with her since. I also noticed she put an ad on Craigslist looking for stagers to come on at $22 an hour!
Thanks for commenting Jill and sharing your experience. I encourage you to check out the Staging Diva Program because I will teach you how to get your own clients and triple your rates. You can also take advantage of the Mother’s Day Sale on right now.
What your comment points to how little you’ll earn working for another home stager. Here’s an article about why working for another home stager isn’t the best path.