No doubt about it, The role of estate managers during renovation projects is a constant juggling act. Collecting the mail, paying the household expenses and making sure the home is stocked with everything the client and their guests need is just the tip of the iceberg. You must also manage staff schedules, assist with details around travel and, more recently, ensure that COVID guidelines are being adhered to. If your tenants also happen to be landlords, you’re responsible for vetting tenants, collecting rent, and arranging for repairs.
Indeed, the day-to-day pressure can be intense, and when there are renovations happening on the property it’s exponentially more so. Whether you have a lengthy client roster or are catering to one family, all-in-one solutions can help you keep all balls in the air.
As an estate manager, you always need to have a broad perspective of the workings of the property, as well as an awareness of a million little details. The same is true of each renovation or repair. Though a team of architects and workers are doing the heavy lifting, you are still the unofficial project manager, making sure that your clients’ interests are being served and their timelines adhered to. Platforms such as EstateSpace give you twenty-four access to the design plans, including photos of any current damage and what the property should look like at completion as well as the incremental tasks along the way. This helps better serve the role of estate managers during renovation projects as the eyes and ears for your client (i.e. you can upload your own photos of the progress) and give them updates in real time.
Clear communication is key to the success of any collaborative effort. One of the most valuable features of all-in-one solutions is the messaging feature – it creates a “communications hub” that allows team members to share information in one secure space. If there is a scheduling conflict, a missed/late delivery, or some other issue, everyone can have a fluid conversation about it without having to search through different text or email threads. The result is informed, more decisive action with regard to workarounds and timeline adjustments.
In much the same way, these tools are also invaluable when a wedding, fundraising gala, or holiday dinner party is taking place on the property. Perhaps even more so than renovations, event planning involves countless details – from catering and music to valet parking and swag bags – and the smallest can mean the difference between the party everyone raves about or the flop of the season.
Bottom line: if you’re in estate management, you know there will be variables completely outside your control, be it inclement weather, unreliable subcontractors or the complicated lives of your clients. Utilizing digital tools will allow you to streamline processes and monitor progress so you can deliver better service and keep your sanity.
