Step 1 - Making Contact

The first step is making contact, preferably a phone call. Give us a call at 415-562-7343 to discuss the project. This will allow us to chat a little bit to see if we would be a good fit for your project. This step can take up to 20-30 mins which can conclude with setting an appointment for a FREE design consultation either via zoom or at the space where the project will come to live (preferred method, allowing for measurements to be taken on-site).

Step 2 - Free Design Consultation

The design consultation involves discussing your project’s aesthetics and budget. A budget is the most important element that allows us to guide you to the correct solutions. In custom projects like these, there are many solutions with a very wide range of pricing. Our main goal during this step is to narrow done the quality of construction and materials for a solution that would best fit your budget.

Once we have established the budget, we can focus on the aesthetics and construction of your project. If we can have an in-person consultation at the project’s final location, we will take measurements and quickly draw up a 3D model of the space. Using pictures or descriptions, we can then discuss the aesthetics you are looking for in the project. A rough design of the exterior of the project will be mocked up on-site. Once we’ve come to a consensus on the design, we will provide you with a ballpark price range that this project will fall into. That leads to the next step…

Step 3 - Structural Designs and Quote

If you are ok with the price range that your project is in, the next step is completing the structural drawing and quoting the project. We require a minimum of a $250 non-refundable deposit for this step. If the project is more complex, we will require a larger deposit. We will let you know the deposit required at the end of the design consultation. This is to make sure the designer gets paid if something happens and the project does not move forward. Just designing a piece and building a quote can take anywhere from 5 to 20 hours depending on the scale of the piece. This involves a detailed 3D model being drawn up to assist in figuring out how the project will be constructed, down to the joinery of each and every component. This can lead to certain design elements having to change. You will need to approve all designs, but if there are more than 2 additional iterations requested after the initial design is sent for approval, we may require an additional deposit for each additional iteration. These drawings assist in the estimation of the labor that it will take to complete the project and how much material we will need. This is crucial to provide you with an accurate final quote.

Once the designs are finalized, you will be required to sign off on all design elements. This contract states that you are agreeing to the specified measurements and the aesthetic design of the project. Once this is signed, we require a 50% non-refundable deposit to place the project on the schedule, regardless of the project’s estimated start date. To be clear, if something were to happen where we would no longer be able to complete your project, your total deposit, minus the design deposits, will be returned to you.

If any changes are requested after the design agreements have been signed, there will be additional fees to cover the labor of the design work required and the time to draft new design agreements. All design changes must be approved by Kinder Works and new design agreements must be signed. All additional fees for design change requests are due prior to the changes being drawn up. If any new materials are needed due to the changes requested, you will be responsible for covering those costs in full at the time of the new design agreement signing.

Step 4 - The Build

Once the project’s start date arrives, the real fun begins. This step involves you quite a bit. There may be wood we need to pick out and hardware we may need to hunt down. There is a lot of communication during this step because your input is needed. We may ask you to meet our maker at a sawmill to pick out the perfect slab. We will be sending you pictures of different orientations of the grain to see what you like best. There will be some creative control we will assume but most of the time, we prefer to involve the client as much as they would like to be involved.

Most days, we are actively posting updates on the projects we’re currently working on. You will get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of your project being made in the shop. From milling to glue-ups to rubbing on the final coat of finish. You will get to see your project come to life and share it with your friends and family in real-time. You are always more than welcome to come to the shop and check out the project’s progress in person. We want to provide an experience for you, not just a transaction. Though if that’s all you’d like, we can just as easily keep it short and sweet.

Step 5 - The Long Wait

This can be one of the most angsty periods for our clients. This is the time when your project is finished but is required to stay in our shop from anywhere between 2 up to 4 weeks to allow the finish to fully cure properly before delivery. All furniture pieces are finished with something that requires time to fully cure. The cure time varies depending on the finish. We require that this time be spent at the shop in a safe environment where it can not be damaged prior to fulling curing. You are spending thousands if not tens of thousands on your project. The last thing anyone would want is for your project to become damaged in that time and for you to have to pay even more money to have it fixed.

Step 6 - Delivery Day

The day we all have been waiting for, delivery day! Once your project is completed, we will schedule a delivery date and time while your project cures. Upon delivery, we will assemble the project in its resting place and give it a final polish. We like to take pictures of the piece once it’s set up, so please be prepared to have pictures taken in the space. If you would prefer we did not take pictures in the space, we will have finished pictures taken before delivery, so please let us know prior to delivery. We require that there be an inspection done by the client of the project and you will need to sign off that everything is as requested. The final balance is due before we leave the site. This is non-negotiable. Please be prepared to make your final installment on delivery day. In the rare case that there is damage to the piece upon delivery, We will postpone the final installment until the issue is remedied and it is signed off on. The payment will be due at the final delivery.