Our Process
A Thoughtful, Proven Approach to Domestic Staffing
Finding the right household staff requires more than matching resumes to job descriptions. It requires experience, discernment, and a process built on trust.
At Precise Home Management, our domestic staffing process is personalized, hands-on, and thorough, designed to support families from the first conversation through long-term success. For more than two decades, we have refined this approach to ensure every placement is intentional, discreet, and built to last.
A Streamlined Process for Unmatched Results
Private Consultation
We begin with a complimentary consultation to understand your household, lifestyle, and expectations. This allows us to define the role clearly and establish a strong foundation before the search begins.
Role Definition & Search Strategy
With a clear understanding of your needs, we refine the job description and initiate a targeted search using our trusted network, proprietary database, and industry resources.
Candidate Evaluation
Qualified candidates are carefully reviewed and pre-screened through in-depth interviews. We focus on experience, professionalism, and overall fit to ensure only the strongest candidates are presented.
Interviews & Trial Period
We coordinate interviews with your top candidates and, when appropriate, assist with arranging a short trial period to ensure comfort, confidence, and compatibility.
Background Investigation
Finalists undergo a thorough background investigation that goes beyond standard checks, including character verification to ensure integrity, discretion, and household safety.
Placement & Onboarding Support
Once a candidate is selected, we assist with offer terms, responsibilities, compensation, and onboarding to ensure a smooth transition and confident final hire.
Additional Services
Other Ways We Can Serve You
If you’d like assistance in accelerating the effective acclimation of your new staff, we are happy to provide written routines and schedules for them to follow on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. We are also always available for questions and mediation during this crucial adjustment period and beyond.
Beyond domestic staffing placement services, we offer a wide-range of related services including specialized training for new and/or existing staff, setting up a new property (including summer/winter home, yacht, private plane and so on), and creating customized home manuals and directories, among other fee-based offerings.
For bespoke services, we provide you with a customized plan and associated process, in writing, to ensure you are comfortable and fully informed before proceeding.
Kind words
Success stories from our clients & candidates.
FAQ About Domestic Staffing
-
Precise Home Management opened in 1998 after Mr. Lowrey’s role as a butler came to an end.
-
Mr. Lowrey’s hospitality journey began in 4-star hotels in the UK, followed by eight years working on cruise ships. He then owned and operated a tea room in Ely, Cambridgeshire, for three years. Afterward, he served as Head Steward aboard a private 345-foot yacht based in Monaco. In 1990, he accepted a role as a butler at a 25,000 sq ft estate in Baltimore, Maryland, built for Alfred Vanderbilt. In February 1998, he founded Precise Home Management.
-
Having worked personally in private homes as a butler and estate manager gives Mr. Lowrey and our team an insider’s perspective on what truly works—and what doesn’t—within a household.
-
While we have placed private service professionals within a week, realistically you should allow one to two months.
-
The vetting process begins the moment we receive a phone call or résumé. We first assess whether applicants follow our application procedures carefully.
Because standard background checks alone are, in our opinion, insufficient to ensure your family’s safety, we partner with a leading independent investigator to conduct a full background investigation. This includes extensive character and integrity checks to uncover any hidden criminal or derogatory behavior.
-
Our placement guarantee is 60 days. We have found this time frame sufficient for both employer and employee to determine if it is a good match.
-
The positions we place typically fall within these ranges:
Housekeepers: $80k–$120k
Chefs: $80k–$200k+
Couples teams: $160k–$225k+
House Managers: $120k–$160k
Estate Managers: $160k–$225k+
-
Health care is important. If the client can provide a health care plan through their company, that is ideal; otherwise, a healthcare stipend toward a personal plan is acceptable.
Additionally, small gestures such as a card and cake on birthdays are appreciated. An end-of-year bonus, typically one month’s salary or more based on performance and cost savings, is also strongly recommended.
-
No. Rent should not be charged or deducted from an employee who is provided with housing. That said, because each placement is unique, there are cases where terms can be discussed and negotiated to a mutually successful agreement.
-
Maintaining a healthy employer-employee relationship is key. This includes setting clear boundaries, fostering mutual respect, offering a Christmas bonus, and conducting annual salary and performance reviews. We recommend a six-month performance evaluation followed by a full end-of-year review.
Elevate Your Home Experience Today
Contact us to discover how our expert domestic staffing solutions can enhance your lifestyle. When you’re ready, register as a client to access personalized service tailored to your unique needs.