Planning Your Remodel

The first steps for any major project are always the most daunting. The fear of the unknown, as well as just knowing there is a long road ahead of you, can be very intimidating. Below is a link to helpful articles on the National Kitchen and Bath's website that explain everything: planning a remodel, picking designers and contractors, understanding the remodeling process, and much more. These will help you set a solid foundation on which the process can be built, allowing it to run as smoothly as possible. While you may not be one hundred percent sure about every decision you make during the process, we hope this will help you to at least make informed decisions.

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In the following pages, we go into detail about our process. Everything is covered, from our first meeting, to the completion of the project.

Showroom Consultation

These next pages are specific to Lambert Gray's process.

Feel free to stop by our showroom anytime. If you would like to guarantee a meeting with one of our designers for a showroom consultation, please call ahead, and we will schedule that with you. During your showroom consultation, you will be able to see and hear about all that we offer in products and services. If you have any photos or ideas that you have collected, please bring them with you. During this meeting, we will discuss your project with you and give you a design survey to fill out. This survey will help us understand you and your project. If it is determined that your project fits into the services we offer, and if you are ready to do so, we will schedule an in-home Consultation with you

If your schedule doesn’t allow our first meeting can be your in-home consultation. Just call us, and we will schedule that with you. We will also e-mail you a design survey to fill out and send back to us.

If your project is new construction, and you have your plans, we can give you an estimate based off of them. Just call to schedule an appointment to bring in your plans. In order for us to put together an estimate, you will need to leave a set of plans with us for a couple of days. After we give you an estimate based on your plans, the next step to move forward with us would be to move into the design process.

In-home Consultation

During your free in-home consultation, we will view your space and go into more detail about your desires for your remodel. While we are there, we will check the feasibility of the remodel as well as take detailed information and measurements.

Once we are finished, we will take the information we have gathered back to our office to create an estimate. The estimate will usually take 2-3 working days to put together. Once the estimate is completed, we will contact you and schedule a time for you to come back into our showroom to review it with you. During this meeting, we will go into detail about what your estimate includes, as well as design possibilities for converting the space. You will also be able to ask any questions that you have and look at our displays and samples again. Because there will be material selections still to be made, this estimate will not be a firm price at this point. It will, however, give you a very good idea of what to expect for cost.

At this point you are still under no financial obligation to us. If you would like to move forward with us, we will move into the design phase.

Design Phase

In order to enter the design phase, we will take a retainer. During the design phase, we will work with you to create a design to fit your lifestyle, tastes, and budget. We will go into great detail to ensure that all aspects of the design will work together to create a beautiful, functioning space that you will love. All of our design presentations will be done in 3D on a large screen HD TV at our showroom. This will enable you to visualize your finished space before a hammer is ever lifted. We will also work with you to select all necessary materials for your project.

Once a design has been approved, we will create full working drawings and specifications for all of the labor and materials, along with a firm price for us to provide the labor and materials. If you sign the contract with us, the full working drawings and specifications will be released to you once the contract has been signed. If you would like to purchase the drawings and specs without signing the contract, they can be purchased for a design fee.

If you already have accurate full working drawings, the design phase will be bypassed, and we will take a retainer of 5% and move into the contract phase. This retainer will be deducted from the contract amount.

Contract Phase

If you decide you would like Lambert Gray to provide the work and materials for your project, we will enter the contract phase. During the contract phase we will send you a proof of the contract for your approval. Once approved, we will schedule a time for your designer and project manager to bring the contract to your home for the contract signing. While there, they will go over the contract and specifications in detail and answer any questions that you may have. Your contract will also list the payment schedule, so you will know at what points during the project your payments are due.

After you sign the contract, we will take a deposit and begin purchasing any necessary items for the project. From this point on, your project manager will take over and he or she will be your liaison between all parties involved in your project. We do this to give you one person of contact who is responsible for everything. Your project manager will work closely with you to guarantee the project runs as smoothly as possible and keep you aware of what is going on.

During this meeting, if you haven’t already received it, your project manager will give you your login and password for the online project management database that we use, as well as show you how to use it. This will be where you can go to get constant updates and information about your project and much more. Your project manager will keep this constantly updated, and you will be able to check it 24 hours a day.

Construction/Installation

The work schedule you receive during the contract signing will specify the starting date for construction. This will also be listed on the project management database along with any other necessary information. Arrangements will already have been made for starting times, access into your home, and material storage locations. Knowing all of this information beforehand allows construction to run as smoothly as possible.

Before we start the work, we will provide dust control by sealing off all appropriate areas. We will also lay drop cloths on any flooring that isn't being removed, as well as any other items that need to be protected. We are very cautious about keeping your home as clean as possible during construction, as well as cleaning up at the end of every day.

During the construction phase, there will be many people in and out of your home. We use a close-knit group of trusted trades’ people. You can be assured whoever is in your home will provide the highest quality workmanship and professionalism.

Your project manager will keep you informed daily about what is going on with your project.

If you have any questions or concerns during the construction phase, your project manager will be a phone call or an e-mail away. Your project manager will also have regular meetings with you to keep you updated and answer any questions you may have. At no time will you be left in the dark or have any questions left unanswered.

Completion of Project

Once the project has reached substantial completion, your project manager will do a walkthrough with you and make a list of any items that need to be fixed or completed. If there are any items needing our attention, they will be taken care of right away.
We will also give you a completion notebook which will include all warranties, specs, user manuals, contact information, before pictures, and room to store any information you have collected during the project that you would like to keep.

You're satisfaction is how we measure our success. We will do everything possible to guarantee your finished space is what you have been dreaming of.

For more information please feel free visit our showroom or contact us.