A kitchen or bath remodel can take two distinct approaches.
The first is the “salad” approach: throw the ingredients together and what’s the worst that can happen? It’s just a salad, after all. No big deal.
The second is the “lasagna” approach: take it one step at a time, get it right before you put it in the oven, and then enjoy a sensory overload, well worth the time and effort.
And while there’s plenty of “salad” remodelers out there, in our experience, people are much better off to consider their remodel a “lasagna.” And that’s why we developed our 9-step process to ensure we deliver not only a fantastic final product, but a sensicle and enjoyable experience along the way. Here’s our recipe:
Step 1 – Phone Consultation
It starts with a simple conversation. Why? Because it’s important your needs and our services align. Nothing is more frustrating for you than to host a meeting in your home only to find out what you need is not what the vendor does.
Step 2 – In-home Consultation
Next, a member of our team meets with you in your home to review your project. We start by simply listening: What do you like about the space? What needs to change? How do you use the space daily and on special occasions? Only after deeply understanding your needs do we measure, photograph, and generate our jobsite notes.
Step 3 – Proposal Review
Next, we talk numbers. Our team produces an extensive project proposal, including a line-item project breakdown, optional items for your consideration and extensive specifications and images for the products included in the proposal. Why discuss cost so early in the process? No one wants to design their entire project, fall in love with it, and then discover it’s not in budget.
Step 4 – Cabinet Design and/or Countertop Selection
After reviewing the proposal and establishing the budget, it’s time to design the most complicated part of the project (cabinets for kitchens; baths skip this step unless it’s a custom vanity) and choose the most influential design element (countertops). You do this with a CRATE team member by your side the entire way, and a cabinet designer devoted to the smallest detail of your project.
Step 5 – Interior Design Meeting
Now that the big items are addressed, it’s time to partner with one of our two interior designers and make the vision in your head come to life. No detail is too small, and the result of this meeting is a 3-5 page detailed project specification sheet that allows us to manage your project with extreme accuracy during construction.
Step 6 – Launch Meeting
Also known as a “Pre-construction Meeting,” it’s during the launch meeting that you receive your project schedule, review the entire job with your construction project manager and discuss important items like working hours, home protection, CRATE placement, pets, etc.
Step 7 – Construction!
While construction can be stressful, we often have customers comment on a few specific things we do differently. First, homeowners can’t believe how neat and clean their project is at the end of each day. Second, our team members quickly become like family. The women and men of CRATE are friendly, accommodating and ready to help in any way possible.
Step 8 – Wrap-up
Now that your project is complete, it’s time to close it out. Final payment is not required until the job is done, leaving you in financial control the entire way. Your CRATE project manager walks the project with you at the end, making sure everything is perfect.
Step 9 – Decades of Enjoyment
Once the job is complete, and you’ve moved back in, it’s time to sit back, relax, and admire the results! And should anything come up that needs to be addressed, you can rest in the CRATE 2-year warranty (twice what the law requires). You’ll even have a dedicated warranty page to use to immediately notify our team if something is amiss.
So there you go, our 9-step “recipe” for making the perfect remodel experience.
And just to reinforce the point that the CRATE process really meets customer’s needs, here is a video from Doug & Jodi at kitchenCRATE Custom Summertree Drive in which they share their experience:
And one more video from past-customer Lori from kitchenCRATE Custom Spartan Place, talking about her experience on day one of her renovation:
I’m excited for you as you begin your remodel journey. We’re here to help. Ready to take the next step? Click here to schedule a phone call with our team!
All the best,
Scott Monday
Founder, kitchen & bath CRATE
