Our clients’ kitchen refresh story

The journey begins….

Our clients have discussed what it would be like to have an updated kitchen. They have been talking about this for quite some time, brainstorming their likes and dislikes, thinking about what they could add, and how the room could function better. Their budget weighed on their minds as they did not understand precisely how much a project like this would cost. 

They decided to bite the bullet one day and gave Great Design 4 U a call! We met virtually for an Inspiration Appointment in August. The consultation was 30 minutes explicitly dedicated to answering questions about their project and how we could help them the best. 

After that Inspiration Appointment, the client decided to jump right in with the Discovery Phase. We finally met in person to gather information, measurements, pictures and talked more about some very realistic and not so realistic ideas for the specific space, especially the budget. 

The following month, we met with contractors and gathered realistic budget numbers, which led to the conceptual design and budget presentation. We discussed time frames that made sense for this client: how long it would take for products to arrive, how long it would take to get on our contractors' schedules, etc.

The Design Process began the next day after the client had a chance to take it all in. Together, we set a goal to start the demolition in mid to late January. This time frame gave us plenty of time to order all the items, get past the holidays, and get on the contractors' schedules. 

Now the fun began, and all the project's specific details started to come together. Some clients choose to be more involved; others choose not to be. This client did decide to be! So over the next month, we at Great Design 4 U pulled together the design elements, met with the client to look at granite choices, worked with the contractors to get everything scheduled, and ordered all the products.

Approximately a month later, the Final Presentation took place. We presented the clients with the design elements for their kitchen refresh. These elements included the granite, the perfect backsplash, and specific paint colors. Deposits and purchases were made, and the anticipation of January to arrive began.

Throughout this wait time, we have been in touch with our clients to give updates and answer any questions they may have. As January's projected time approached, we confirmed we were still on track. Items have been received and checked in to ensure the project will run smoothly.

Contractors are confirmed and scheduled, as well.

Demolition time. 

Demo day is the day we've been long awaiting, and it is exciting yet nerve-wracking for everyone! The client prepared their countertops and kitchen for demolition. 

Over the next few weeks, our highly professional contractors had been through the clients' home. First to arrive was our demo crew. They started removing countertops, cutting out tile, and getting the space ready to be put back together.

Side note: The client requested to use the kitchen during the process. So we kept the kitchen sink intact and workable, as well as the refrigerator. Our client set up a small cooking station in a separate part of their home in thinking outside the box. This area included a small toaster oven, air fryer, and microwave to eliminate having takeout every day.

Our electrician came out to install additional outlets, removed existing outlets, and performed some rewiring for undercabinet lighting. As he started to finish his job, our woodworking contractor began his. In the case of this kitchen refresh, he leveled the kitchen island to one tier versus the existing two-tier. He replaced a few cabinets and installed a light rail under them to give it a "luxury look," as our client described it. Reworking for the new gas range and hood vent also took place. 

Installation process. 

Then we put the kitchen back together. A template for the countertops was created. Our super professional crew came in to put up sheetrock in preparation for the backsplash. 

After the dust cleared, our paint crew transformed the existing cabinetry with furniture-grade high-quality paint. 

A week and a half later, countertops were installed, then the plumbing, followed by the appliances. Remember our clients wanted to have a working sink for as long as possible? Well, they were without a sink for only a few days! Hanging the light fixtures was our final step in the installation process. Then we moved in the furnishings and accessories, and our fantastic client is cooking gourmet meals for her family once again in beautiful fashion! 

With thorough preparation, the entire job, from the demolition to completion, took about one month! We recommend not starting the job until everything is on-site or in the warehouse, ready to deliver within the current climate. **although problems can still happen, its best to eliminate as many as you can! Don’t just “wing-it”!

Challenges.

This job, like most, was not without its unforeseen challenges. But in true Great Design 4 U fashion, we were able to keep everything moving nicely and provide solutions when challenges came up.

The sink turned out to be our main challenge. We initially ordered the sink to arrive the week before the demo began. We carefully monitored the sink's status as we approached our time frame and received a shipping notification. However, the day it was supposed to ship, it did not. We felt this may have been a delay due to weather issues. In trying to get some answers, we found out we were given the wrong information, and the sink would not be arriving until after the demolition started. It was not preparing to ship. They had pushed the date to the end of March! Two months late in delivery absolutely could not happen! In working with our manufacturer's rep, we found another beautiful sink in a slightly different color that would work perfectly for the design! Plus, it would be available immediately and be received more than a week before we needed it! Little did the client know, it came in within a couple of days but was damaged. Back on the call with the rep, we went! A replacement sink was double-packed, shipped out, and received a few short days later within plenty of time for inspection and installation!

Another issue we faced was the appliances. The appliances were ordered and guaranteed in plenty of time. As demo time quickly approached, we learned that one piece had not come in but would arrive toward the beginning of our demo. As it was not as crucial a component as in the case of the sink, we proceeded to move forward with the demo. Days later, we found another appliance piece damaged when scheduling the delivery. This made two of the four new appliances questionable! We stayed calm and worked to get a replacement in time for the final install. We were grateful for the work of our product reps in finding replacements.

Imagine if we had not been prepared and started the process without having everything lined up; these four weeks of family disruption could have been several months! 

(We at Great Design 4 U, absorbed the stress and presented the solutions not the problems so that the client didn’t stress and was able to go on with her everyday life knowing we had her back!)
Preparation is key.

As in the case of all renovations, small or large, preparation is the key. Had we not been fully prepared for this kitchen refresh, this family's four weeks of disruption could have easily been several months! It is also essential to stay positive, trust the process, stay on top of everything, and be flexible. Stay calm throughout the process and remember how wonderful life will be when it is all done. It is only a temporary disruption for a lifetime of function.

We invite you to follow the link for your Inspiration Appointment. We would love to discuss your dream home, talk about your options, and give you realistic expectations on the process of a refresh or renovation!

To view more images from this project or others visit our gallery