Cabinet Creations

We're going to talk about a question that we get all the time, which is what is the process? What's the process for remodeling? And I would say every company has their own process. I'm going to walk you through Cabinet Creations process. And it's not to say our process is the best. It's to give you a frame of reference for what the process sort of looks So first and foremost, we start with design. And when we think about design, we as a business have to get what's in your head. So we have to extract all the things you're thinking about, and we'll use a kitchen in this example, We've got to understand why you're trying to redo the kitchen. What works, what doesn't work? What are the things you really want? What are the things that you would love to have, but man, if we left them out, we'd understand because of budgetary reasons. So we start with what is an in-home consultation. We send out a designer and we send out an installation, generally speaking, the installation manager, but somebody who does the install side of the business. We're going to ask you a bunch of questions. Often an hour and a half in home, sometimes more. We're going to ask a ton of questions and we're going to try and gather a bunch of information. And when we leave your home, designer and install manager are going to have a conversation about what we heard. We show up with our own individual booklet. So designer has a booklet, install manager has a booklet, and it is filled with questions that are really specific to what they need to accomplish to get you, in this case, the kitchen you want. So we leave, we're going to go back, we're going to design that kitchen, we're going to put together what is a proposal. That proposal is going to have a full-on list of all the things that need to be done based on the conversation we had at that in-home consultation. Once we get that design together, proposal together, we're going to have the homeowner, you, come in, and we're going to talk about the design. We're going to call that the first presentation. Almost never in that first presentation do somebody go, sign me up, I'm trying to buy a kitchen. That has happened because we've hit the mark so good and that homeowner knew exactly what they wanted, but a lot of times there's a second presentation. So we do the first presentation, we get more feedback, you see the design, you see the layout. Almost always there'some tweaks to be made, totally understandable. From there, we would essentially go back to the drawing board, we'd recreate, we wouldn't recreate. We'd make modifications to the design that you saw, we'd make the adjustments to the proposal, and we would do what is the second presentation. From the second presentation, it's not abnormal or it's pretty common that homeowner must move forward. We would then come out and do a final measure, we'd prepare sign-offs, and we would get this cabinetry ordered. Once we get the cabinetry ordered, the next step is for us, we are going to get you signed up onto Builder Trend. Builder Trend is how we manage, if we're doing an installation, if we're doing a full project, that's how we manage that project with the homeowner. That homeowner has their own log in, they get to see all sorts of information about their project. We also work on the next part of this project, the next part of your project or the process, we work on selection. We do that within Builder Trend, so you're going to come into our showroom for sometimes third, fourth visit. There can be more than two presentations, by the way. We're going to come in and look at selection. Our design team is going to put together tile and hardware and faucet and all of the 57 potential things you need to make a decision on. Floring and countertops and sinks and hardware and I can go on. We're going to make those selections. We've got to nail those selections down and get the stuff ordered ASAP because we need to have all this material before we start the project. Once we get the selections made, the next step is we create what we call them construction plans, construction drawings. All of those details that we talked about, where do we want the backsplash to end? How do we want such and such centered? Where do we want the can lights? How are we moving outlets and switches? We create plans for each one of those disciplines. So think electrical, pl You would sign off on all of those plans. So we create them and we say, ah, the backsplash is going to end on this cabinetry run at this point. Mr. Homeowner, sign off on that. And there's nine different plans and it's obviously got a lot more detail than that. I'm just using that as a frame of reference. Once we have those plans together, we set up what we call the pre-construction meeting or pre-installation meeting. So the install manager, an installer, the designer, and the homeowner are going to meet at the home and we are going to walk through those construction plans that have been signed off on. And this is not a meeting where the homeowner is We'ready to go. We're showing that installer what to do for when they start. For us, they usually start within a few days, certainly less than a week, but because we want it fresh in the installer's brain. But we are showing the installer those plans. This is what you're executing. Obviously, we start installation after that pre-install meeting. And the whole goal once we start installation is get demo, get base cabinets set because the next thing that needs to happen is we got to measure for countertops. The countertop process is a clunky process and it takes time. And it's a third party and takes time to fabricate this countertop. So once we get those base cabinets set, we want to get that countertop templated or measured and built and manufactured as fast as possible. So once we get to that, we start to introduce what we call the rolling punch list. The rolling punch list is a checklist where the homeowner gets to participate in, hey, this wasn't done correctly and or hey, The homeowner goes th And we'll talk more about that with each homeowner, but we don't want a punch list at the end of the project. That's not good for either party. That just extends the process. So we're looking to get all of that information while we're going. Once we get the countertop installed, we are generally going to come back and we're going to complete essentially scope of work that has to be done after the countertop. Hook up the sink, do back splash. We have what is a final punch list. And We want a really small final punch list. And if it goes well, I mean, this has happened. There is no final punch list from there. We release, we sign off final payment. So, I hope you can take some details from here. And if you're not using us, great. I understand. I hope this helps you ask some questions or understand what should be happening as the project is moving along. And it helps you with whatever remodeler or kitchen and bath that you're working with. Thanks guys. Have a good one. I hope it was helpful. Thank you.