When you call for the first time, or send an enquiry through the site, I’m usually back to you within a few days with a proposed date for a consultation. From there, the same team runs your project, from that first conversation through to aftercare once everything’s fitted, so you’re not explaining everything from scratch to someone new at every stage. We split the whole process into seven stages, each with a rough idea of how long it takes, so you know where you stand. Here’s what happens at each one, and where things typically slip.
Starting with a finished design, or from scratch
The starting point varies, but the rest of the process looks the same either way. If you already have an architect’s design, we go through the drawings to make sure everything in them can be built and pin down any missing measurements and materials. Once it’s quoted, production can start, with no need to draw up a layout from nothing. If you’re starting from scratch, the design stage takes longer: we work out your needs, the room layout and the style together, before the first visualisation exists.
Consultation and measurement: what to have ready before we arrive
Consultation happens within a week of your first contact. We talk about what you’re planning, what the space looks like and your budget, and finish by setting a date for the measurement. You don’t need firm decisions at this stage, a general direction is enough. I also ask whether the room still has building work ahead of it, since that affects when the measurement should happen: too early, before old tiles come off or a wall gets levelled, and some measurements will need checking again later.
Measurement takes 1 day. A designer or someone from the team measures the room, checks the walls and installations, and takes photos and sketches. The results go straight to the designer, who works out the layout from them. The clearer the access to the room on the day, furniture already pulled away from walls it’s leaving anyway, for instance, the less there is to sort out afterwards.
Design and visualisation: what you get to approve
This stage takes 1–2 weeks. You get the layout, the choice of materials and a 3D visualisation, so you can see how the cabinetry will actually look in your space, not just on a flat drawing. We make changes at a meeting or remotely, so if anything in the visualisation looks different from what you’d pictured, this is the point to say so, before the design goes to quote. If two people are making the decision and can’t always get to a meeting together, we also send the visualisation as files to look at separately, so everyone has time to think before the conversation about changes.
Quote and contract
Within 3 days of the design being approved, you get a detailed quote broken down by materials, hardware and fitting, so you can see exactly what you’re paying for. If the budget needs adjusting somewhere, you can see straight away which part gives you room to do it without changing the whole design. We sign a contract with a schedule attached, giving dates for each stage, not just a rough overall timeframe.
Production and fitting
Production takes 4–8 weeks, depending on scope. Everything happens in-house, from cutting the boards and edge banding to finishing and fitting the hardware. This is the stage where the least happens on your end, though it’s worth using the time to make sure the walls and installations in the room are ready to take the furniture. If you want to check on progress, a call to whoever you dealt with at the consultation gets you an answer, rather than tracking down a new contact in production.
Fitting takes 1–5 days, depending on scope. The team fits the furniture on site, adjusts the fronts and drawers, and clears up afterwards. You usually don’t need to move out for this, though it helps to leave the team clear access to the room and the nearest entrance to the building. Before they leave, the team shows you how to adjust the hinges and drawers yourself, so a small tweak, once the fronts have settled in a little, doesn’t mean waiting for a service visit.
Aftercare and warranty
The warranty on workmanship and fitting runs for 24 months from handover. We leave you care instructions and a contact for the service team, so if anything needs adjusting, a hinge or a drawer runner for example, you report it to the same person who ran your project from the start. There’s no number to hunt for on the website and no queue on a helpline.
Where delays typically happen
Two situations account for most of the delays we see. The first is a change to the design after it’s been approved, especially one involving dimensions rather than just the colour of the handles. A small tweak, a different front shade for instance, can go in almost until the end of production. A change to dimensions after the boards have been cut usually means a new schedule, so we flag that the moment you ask for it.
The second is walls and installations that aren’t ready for fitting on the day we’ve booked: plaster still unfinished, sockets not yet in place where the cabinetry will stand, or plumbing waiting on a tradesperson. That’s why we check the state of the walls and installations at the measurement, before production starts. If your home still has building work going on, it’s worth finishing it with a bit of slack before the booked fitting date.
For kitchens, there’s a third common cause: choosing an appliance too late. If you settle on an oven or dishwasher after the boards have already been cut, and its dimensions differ from what the design assumed, the gap it sits in may need adjusting before the appliance fits. The same thing helps with all three: the sooner you flag a doubt or a change, the less time it costs.
Checklist before the measurement
- Make sure the whole room is accessible, including corners and the area by any windows.
- If you have a floor plan or an architect’s design, have it ready to show, even as a photo.
- Think through a rough budget and the timeframe you’d like the furniture finished in.
- For a kitchen, let us know if you’ve already chosen your appliances, since their dimensions shape the design.
- Flag any building work, painting or changes to the installations still planned for the room, with a rough date for finishing it.
- Decide who from the household will be there for the measurement and the fitting, so you’re not booking a second visit just for someone to make a decision on site.
- Note down any questions you want to ask, about materials, timing or the order of the work.
You don’t need every point ticked off. If you’re not sure about something, just say so at the consultation and we’ll fill in the gaps together.
If you’d like to arrange a first conversation, book a consultation, or fill in our online quote wizard if you’d rather start by putting the project in writing.
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