I've known Paul for some years now and was really pleased he was keen to use my service to get his new kitchen project off the ground. I've designed plenty of kitchens for friends and family over the years, it's great to now be in a position where I don't have to sell them anything and can just be really honest and upfront about how and where to buy that suits them.
Due to covid rules at the time we had to get started virtually, so Paul sent over some pictures and measurements for me to look over and see if we could come up with a plan that worked for him
I prefer to get the plans right before sending out to the designers in the showrooms, it means I'm not wasting anyone's time and my clients then get quotes for the kitchen layout they want. Sometimes if the client is willing I'll leave some of the design up to interpretation. As designers we all see things differently and therefore collaborating can mean getting some really interesting and exciting results.
After talking over the initial plans we made a few amendments until Paul was happy with it all. I then set about getting the plans and spec over to the agreed designers. Paul had little preference on where to buy the kitchen so I offered 2 trade quotes and one retail to give him flexibility and plenty of options. Whilst Trade offer quick turnaround and heavy discounts as a repeat customer, they do require payment in full prior to delivery. Retail offer similar deals along with flexible finance packages which is often a popular choice to increase clients budget.
Once the plans had come back to me, I created a presentation and comparison guide for Paul to look over and think about which design and quote were in line with his expectations.
Once the showrooms opened back up I made arrangements for Paul to visit and speak to the designers so he could see the products used and decide on colours/finishes etc.
After a few showroom visits Paul made a firm decision on where he wanted to buy the kitchen, opting for Benchmarx. Paul had asked me for some local builders details as well as he didn't have anyone lined up to install the kitchen. I put him in touch with a couple of local installers, he decided on a great company that I have done many kitchens for over the years.
Once the dates had been agreed I organised the delivery on Paul's behalf and the designer contacted him to take payment for the kitchen. I prefer to let the customer pay the kitchen companies direct, that way they get a full receipt for the kitchen and piece of mind that any warranty issues will be between the client and the supplier.
During the installation process I made a site visit to see how it was coming along. It was great to meet the installers on site, some of which I had yet to meet (due to covid) and I like to get a sense of realistically how long it takes and some of the challenges that can cause unforseen delays on installation. Some of these could include an upgrade to electrics, faulty wiring, re-plastering after removal of kitchen tiles, rotten floorboards... unfortunately the list goes on, and as you really don't know what they are until the kitchens is fully ripped out. There's no hard and fast answer as to how long it takes to install a kitchen but you should expect it to take between 2-3 Weeks from start to finish.
The end result here is another happy client and some great pictures of the finished kitchen!