One way to ensure your job goes smoothly is to ensure you are prepared. This is especially important for those Acting As their Own General Contractor. In this article, preparing for your cabinet installation, we will discuss some of the essential details of your job to ensure a smooth completion. IMPORTANT: This is information for those who have purchased from a Superior Cabinets Corporate Store and Design Studio. If you have bought elsewhere, please consult with them, as their job sequence, processes, and information will vary.

Key Contacts

All good stories start with the main characters. In your cabinetry story, you will meet and work with the following dedicated team members:

• Designer/Salesperson: Ensures the accuracy of your design & order.
• Installation & Service Coordinator: This is your main contact for scheduling, parts ordering, and warranty claims.
• Delivery Team: Will deliver your job the day before the booked installation date.
• Professional Installer: Will complete your installation.
  Countertop Contractor (If Applicable): Will be responsible for templating and installation.

How Many Trips Does It Take?

Starting with the end in mind, your cabinetry installation is typically not done in one visit. This all depends on the size and scope of the job. Your cabinetry installation is generally done in two to three trips.

1. The Initial Installation.
2. The Job Completion Trip (JCOMP).
3. In some cases, a third trip may be required. 

Important Information to Prepare

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin

• Site Access & Communication:  Please provide the Installation & Service Coordinator with site access details (lockbox code, key, etc.) and the primary site contacts.
• Flooring Preparation:  If replacing flooring, ensure the subfloor is ready. New flooring should not be installed until after cabinet installation is complete. Cabinet heights will be adjusted by the cabinet installer for the flooring and subfloor thickness, which you would have provided to your designer/salesperson at the time of sign-off. If you are keeping your existing flooring or it is installed before the cabinets, you must protect the finished flooring with a heavy-duty flooring protection product, such as Ram Board or equivalent.
• Site Cleanliness & Safety:  Please ensure the job site is clean and free of hazards before installation begins. For safety reasons, children, and pets should avoid the work area. Sub-contractors have the right to refuse work if, in their judgement, the workplace is deemed as unsafe.
• Lighting, Heat & Facilities:  Adequate lighting, heat, and washroom facilities are required.
• Other Trades – Liability and Scheduling:  It’s the buyer’s or General Contractor’s responsibility to ensure all other trades are insured and licensed (General Liability Insurance and WCB clearance). It is recommended to limit the presence of other tradespeople or household activity during the scheduled installation dates.
• Existing Cabinets to Be Removed:  Existing cabinets must be removed before the installer arrives.
• Plumbing & Electrical:  Please ensure all the plumbing has been removed and electrical has been moved (if required). If the layout changes, new plumbing and electrical locations must be in clear view to ensure cabinets are installed accordingly. All services must be completed to the rough-in stage.
• Framing, Blocking, and Backing:  In some cases, additional framing and blocking may need to be done to ensure the cabinet screws are adequately secured. This is especially necessary with floating shelves and floating vanities. Please refer to your detailed drawings package and speak with your designer/salesperson about blocking locations.  
• Drywall Preparation:  Ensure the final painting is completed. Please note that minor touch-ups may still be necessary after the cabinet installation. If you do not paint until after the cabinet installation, it is your responsibility to cover the cabinets to protect them from overspray and damage.
• Dust:  Your Cabinetry Installer will try to keep the dust to a minimum and will typically broom sweep the work area when finished. Detailed cleaning is the responsibility of the homeowner or general contractor.
• Packaging:  The cardboard and strapping from your new cabinets will be neatly bundled and left on-site for you to recycle or dispose of unless you have pre-paid for removal services with your designer/salesperson. 

Maintaining Your Construction Schedule

Maintaining your construction schedule is the most important and difficult job when acting as your own general contractor. This is because timelines can change for any reason. No matter how organized or experienced you are, your schedule will change at some point.

Your Installation & Service Coordinator will contact you and reconfirm the required date you initially provided to ensure you are still on schedule. Failure to meet your schedule may incur additional costs, including trip charges, warehousing, delivery, and storage.  This is why it is essential to let everyone know of changes and delays, even if by one day. If you are not on schedule for any reason, please provide them with an alternative date as soon as possible.

Delivery & Installation Details

Delivery, the moment we’ve all been waiting for!

• Delivery:  Cabinets, panels, and parts are typically delivered 1-2 business days before installation. The cabinets will be delivered on the previous Friday if you have a Monday start date.
• Delivery Location:  Product will be delivered to a separate room adjacent to or near the installation area on the same floor. Cabinets cannot be delivered to a garage.
• Delivery Site Assessment:  Upon delivery, our delivery team will record any present property damage prior to the delivery.
• Space Required:  Cabinet installers need space to set up tools/equipment. Adequate space is required for cutting material if the weather does not permit cutting outside (i.e. Garage, Basement, or Covered Patio).

The First Install Trip – What You Need to Know

• Duration:  The initial cabinet installation trip takes an average of 2-5 days. This depends on the scope of work required. The duration will be confirmed by your Installation & Service Coordinator. Your Professional Installer will be on-site off and on throughout the scheduled time.
• Installer Duties:  Typically, this portion is completed by one installer. The goal is to complete as much of the job as possible. In rare cases, 100% of the job can be completed within the first trip time allotment. Once they have completed the first trip installation work, they will inspect the product and their work and submit a detailed post-installation report to the operations coordinator.
• Parts and Job Completion Trip Scheduling:  The Installation & Service Coordinator will order any required additional parts (if any) and will contact you to schedule an appointment accordingly.
• Appliances:  At this stage, most appliances can be placed and installed, unless stated otherwise by the installer or operations coordinator. In some cases, adjacent work to cabinets will need to be done and the appliance should not be installed for access or fear of damage. When in doubt, discuss this with your operations coordination, as each scenario is different. 
• Cardboard & Packaging:  You can now discard the packaging (cardboard and strapping) from the job site.

The First Install Trip – What to Have on Site

• Farmhouse Sinks:  If your design includes an apron or farmhouse sink, it must be on-site during the first install trip.
• Supplied Hardware:  If you provide your own decorative hardware and have hired Superior Cabinets to install this hardware, this must be on-site during the first install trip.

Countertops (If Provided by Superior Cabinets)

• If Superior Cabinets provides your countertops, all Sinks and Fixtures specs must be provided to your Designer/Salesperson at the time of order.
• If countertops are being supplied through Superior Cabinets, it is our responsibility to arrange with the sub-trade supplier to contact you for the template and install date. It is also our responsibility to contact the supplier if an issue arises that will delay the template or measure.
• Templating/Measuring (First Trip):  Typically occurs on average within 1-2 business days after the first cabinet installation trip.
• Installation (Second Trip):  Typically occurs within an average of 3 weeks after the templating/measuring and is usually done in 1 day or less. In some extremely rare cases, if the installation is longer than 3 weeks, your Operations Coordinator will let you know. We recommend also checking with your Designer/Salesperson about this.

The Final Trip – Job Completion (JCOMP)

• This trip is typically scheduled within 3-5 weeks from your first installation trip.
• This timeline varies depending on each job and if additional parts need to be ordered to complete the job.
• Any required completion parts are either delivered by the delivery team the day before or brought with the installer on the final trip.
• This trip will be a few hours, half a day, or a full day, depending on the requirements. 
• The cabinet installer will complete any deficiencies and perform touch-ups and cabinetry adjustments.
• This next trip allows us to install the toe kick and exposed light valance (if required) and address any deficiencies reported from the first installation trip.
• Flooring and Backsplash must be completed before the job completion (JCOMP) visit unless you have exposed light concealment valance in your design and you are tiling or applying any surface material to your backsplash, the valance cannot be installed until after your material is installed.  

After Completion of the Cabinetry Installation

• You can now complete your next steps with your other sub-contractors.
• Take Care of Your Products:  You are now responsible for the care and safety of the installed product. Any damage caused after this stage will not be covered under warranty (the purchaser’s financial responsibility to repair or replace).
• Cleaning and Care:  For guidance on cleaning and maintaining your cabinets, refer to our website’s comprehensive Cleaning and Care Guide.

Summary

Again, as the quote says, by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Adding or changing cabinetry in your home is equally rewarding and challenging but worth it. Plan accordingly, hire the best people, hire the right people, and always be prepared for the unexpected.

“Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.”

If you have purchased through a Superior Cabinets Corporate Store and Design Studio and have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.