Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Going From Exempt To Licensed
heyy'all 04:34 PM 01-08-2017
For those of you who have gone through the licensing process, what were your greatest expenses in getting your home ready for inspection? What obstacles did you face?
Reply
Sumshine 02:14 PM 01-10-2017
Originally Posted by heyy'all:
For those of you who have gone through the licensing process, what were your greatest expenses in getting your home ready for inspection? What obstacles did you face?
I just recently got licensed in the beginning of December and I had to replace all my smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors as well. That was a hefty expenese. Storage and more diverse toys than the boys stuff I had for ages 3 and under was also a lot. And decor/child sized tables, chairs, rugs, etc all added up. I was really nervous about a storage place that we have underneath our steps because I was told it would probably have to be sheetrocked... fortunately because I have a split level with a walkout basement I was able to not have to sheetrock it because we can safely exit from the basement or walk a few steps to the front door if needed.

One of the big things I did was drew my layout of how I wanted things to go and tried to keep a realistic expectation with the space I was working with and the budget I had. I put everything that I wanted to purchase into a spreadsheet with prices and would keep a total tally so I knew where I was at as far as budget wise went. I moved after I decided I wanted to open a daycare so I had some time to think and set everything up. I originally made a very large list and went back to it about a month later and started getting rid of things I realized I really didn't need! That was a big help as well as slowly working at it. I went to my orientation to be licensed in july, didn't move unto almost october, and was licensed December so I almost had 5 months to accumulate everything.

I was very picky about the house as I knew I was going to be doing daycare out of them so I strived to find something that didn't need a lot of repairs or was already basically up to an inspection. I hear from others it's a lot harder when you don't have that option and you have to convert the space you already have for childcare. Best of luck!
Reply
heyy'all 02:49 PM 01-14-2017
Thank you so much for your reply. I ran a center in the past and am now providing in-home care, and despite considering the pros/cons, I just can't decide if I want to go through the trouble of getting licensed. It seems so costly to get my home ready for inspection.
Reply
Pestle 04:06 PM 01-15-2017
Make a squirrel chew through the wire leading to your air condenser and wait for your house to burst into flames. The repairs will include hard-wired smoke detectors!

(Why isn't there a smiley that's quietly sobbing in emotional exhaustion? I'd use that one all the time!)
Reply
LysesKids 04:54 PM 01-15-2017
Originally Posted by Pestle:
Make a squirrel chew through the wire leading to your air condenser and wait for your house to burst into flames. The repairs will include hard-wired smoke detectors!

(Why isn't there a smiley that's quietly sobbing in emotional exhaustion? I'd use that one all the time!)
I so feel for you... 22 years ago I lost my entire home to fire; my now deceased hubby & I saved our 4 kids & lost everything else (2am fire). I was thankful for my smoke alarms... I agree hardwired with a battery back up is a must. I also say get replacement value when you buy insurance... the difference for replacing stuff can be thousands of $$$ ( compared to the few extra $ you pay monthly); we got 4000 for 55,0000 of stuff because we had basic insurance at the time. Now I know I can replace everything at face value because I pay extra for replacement
Reply
heyy'all 05:51 AM 01-16-2017
Oh, Pestle, I am so sorry to hear this! What a nightmare.
Reply
Pestle 09:37 AM 01-16-2017
Eh, we're doing okay now. Seems everybody else who's had a house fire ended up with more suffering and loss than we did.

My next out-of-pocket improvements will be a driveway gate (it's a weird situation so we have to have several posts installed in concrete) and a new sink in the half bath (pedestal sink is way too high and deep for the kids, even with a stepstool). Technically not required for licensing but will make the day care more kid-friendly. These improvements are expensive, but I want them for myself, never mind the day care--we're not a one-and-done family and we plan on staying in this house for many years, so spending the money is sensible for us.
Reply
heyy'all 05:37 PM 01-16-2017
We just had a dog run installed in our backyard for the dog to hang out in when the kids are playing outside. What a pain! I'm in TN as well and we ran into lots of rocks. It took way longer than expected.
Reply
Pestle 09:43 PM 01-16-2017
We don't currently have dogs but there's a strip of yard I've thought about fencing off if we do end up with them. My husband wants one but the insurer won't cover us if we get one. What are the licensing rules re: dogs in TN?
Reply
heyy'all 08:28 AM 01-17-2017
"Pets shall be vaccinated in accordance with a veterinarian’s recommendation. Unconfined pets and children shall not be together on a regular basis. An adult shall be present while pets are with children. Animals and birds shall not be allowed in areas of food storage, preparation, or service."
Reply
Sumshine 09:26 AM 01-17-2017
I have a small area of my yard I'm thinking about fencing off as well for my dog right now he is on a chain as he is very small but it would be nice to add as I would like to get a bigger dog eventually and it is a good visual for the kiddos to stay out of that area as it is for the dog only

Anyone else's DCPs freaked out about your pets? Almost all of mine have pets and they still made a weird face at me when I say I have animals!!! So weird IMO! I explained that they are all up to date on their vaccinations and that I don't allow them in the general daycare area. It's a pet free zone. They have their own room connected to my laundry room they stay in during the day and have free roam of the house evenings and nights. I let my dog out once in the morning before everyone arrives, once at nap, and then again after the last kid has left and my cats sleep all day. I just thought it was so weird that they all seemed not okay with it even if they have animals themselves and my animals aren't around their kids. I think they forget that I have had these animals long before my son/before I knew I would start a daycare lol and even if I did choose to get animals what do they care if they aren't around your kids?
Reply
heyy'all 10:44 AM 01-17-2017
I wanted to make sure our dog had a place to hang out during the day and I also didn't want any dcks stepping in poop!
My parents have actually been the opposite. As soon as I mentioned the dog they all seem to say, "Oh, dck LOVES dogs!" like I'm just going to let my German Shepherd hang out in the playroom all day.
Reply
knoxmomof2 04:40 PM 02-01-2017
I don't know where you are in TN, or if your area is different, but I'm in East TN and I looked into going from license exempt to licensed. They had several departments in to talk to us (fire marshal and environmental/ health or something like that?). I have a dog and she is allowed to roam the house. She'll come in and nap on one of the rugs, the kids will play fetch with her down the hallway, she'll run around and play with us outside in the yard, etc.. She's calm and great with kids (I'm always watchful of course because she is an animal, but I only send her out if I feel that one of the kids could hurt her or if she's getting hyper- which is rare.)

Anyway, I asked the health lady about having my dog around the kids and in the daycare area and she looked at me as though I had 3 heads. I was told very quickly that "no, animals are not allowed around the children at all". I learned at that orientation that you are answering to 3 departments (licensing, the fire marshall and the health/ environmental people) and you will be held to 3 different standards at times and you are to follow the strictest standard... I decided I will stay small and charge more per child. That will start with new clients this Fall when 2 of my 4 move on to school.
Reply
LysesKids 07:07 PM 02-01-2017
Originally Posted by knoxmomof2:
I don't know where you are in TN, or if your area is different, but I'm in East TN and I looked into going from license exempt to licensed. They had several departments in to talk to us (fire marshal and environmental/ health or something like that?). I have a dog and she is allowed to roam the house. She'll come in and nap on one of the rugs, the kids will play fetch with her down the hallway, she'll run around and play with us outside in the yard, etc.. She's calm and great with kids (I'm always watchful of course because she is an animal, but I only send her out if I feel that one of the kids could hurt her or if she's getting hyper- which is rare.)

Anyway, I asked the health lady about having my dog around the kids and in the daycare area and she looked at me as though I had 3 heads. I was told very quickly that "no, animals are not allowed around the children at all". I learned at that orientation that you are answering to 3 departments (licensing, the fire marshall and the health/ environmental people) and you will be held to 3 different standards at times and you are to follow the strictest standard... I decided I will stay small and charge more per child. That will start with new clients this Fall when 2 of my 4 move on to school.
Don't forget you are avoiding the QRIS garbage by staying License exempt too... because I do infants only, it doesn't change my ratio of 1:4 even if I want to go licensed. I jumped hoops for extra background checks etc to take Foster kids, but that's as far as I will go.
Reply
Reply Up