It’s like the proverbial broken record; everyone in our industry is still suffering from supply-chain hurdles, including shipping delays, lack of delivery vehicle drivers, defective products – you name it. This is a situation that won’t disappear overnight – or even this year – and the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine will more than likely have a negative impact on all this as well with increases in transportation and electricity costs
“In my 15 years of running a design business, I have never quite seen anything like this,” said Veronica Solomon, owner of Katy, Texas-based Casa Vilora Interiors. “But when you are passionate and run your business with heart and service to your clients, nothing catches you off guard. We are working hard behind the scenes to keep things moving as best as we can through the project lifecycle.”
Overcoming the Hurdles
KBB interviewed a handful of design professionals to see how they are working around the current industry challenges, and pivoting and innovating are the name of the game. Michael Kaestner of Philadelphia-based Kaestner Design is tracking his vendors for current timelines for receiving materials. Sheryl Steinberg of Bethesda, MD.-based Sheryl Steinberg Interior Design is doing the same, and she builds in extra time during the design phase for this additional research.
“If a product is no longer available or backordered indefinitely, I move on to my alternative,” she added. “Now more than ever, contractors will not start construction until all products are on site and ready to install, avoiding installation interruptions and ensuring a successful project completion.”
Kelly Kole, principal of Kandrac & Kole Interior Design in Kennesaw, Ga., says her firm schedules multiple installs instead of only one and are reupholstering and refinishing furniture instead of purchasing new items for certain projects. Solomon and her team only select vendors that share their firm’s same vision for the clients, and they track open orders more diligently.
Alternative Product Selections
Steinberg prefers brands made in the USA to avoid shipping delays but says there can still be delays on the production end since many of the raw materials and components are coming from overseas. If necessary, Kaestner will choose brands outside of his go-to choices to ensure the project stays on schedule. Solomon is using the same brands for the most part, but as availability is always a factor, she and her team are more vigilant when they source.
“We aren’t choosing different brands but might be leaning more heavily toward one brand versus another, depending on how they are managing lead times, as well as their honesty with their lead times,” said Kole.
Estimating Timelines
Our interviewees said these depend on the scope of the project and materials, but all agree that timelines are much longer than usual. Kaestner is seeing lead times for semi-custom and custom cabinetry as far out as 20 weeks before shipping.
“Once I gauge the interests and needs of my clients, I can better ascertain which vendors I would be utilizing for their needs,” he explained. “I then combine that information with the remodeling/labor scope to provide a proper expectation for the overall project timeline.”
Kole and Solomon are estimating six to 10 months for a project timeline and are transparent about this from the beginning. Steinberg explains to her clients how additional lead times for product delivery will affect the start of construction and installation.
Managing the Client Experience
In a perfect world, your customers would be more than understanding of the industry challenges you are facing, but those affect them as well. The adage of communication is key is paramount to completing a successful project for them.
It is crucial to set expectations from the outset to avoid surprises during the process. Steinberg communicates in her contract that there may be delays, cancellations and price changes for products that are beyond her control.
“My clients are busy professionals who are very aware of the situation, and they appreciate my proactive, organized approach and consistent communication with schedule updates,” said Steinberg.
Solomon said in many cases, her firm is placing loaner pieces from its inventory in clients’ homes until their actual orders arrive. Kole and her firm stand by transparency, honesty and weekly updates. There is an addendum in their contracts to explain that multiple installs and long lead times are inherent to our industry right now but that they are managing those obstacles with stellar vendor relationships and design resources. Kaestner is also dedicating more time to updating his client contracts regularly.
“We are seeing that nothing is truly guaranteed when it comes to product availability and pricing,” he added. “We can surely expect to work more diligently when it comes to providing products and services to our clients, as we have experienced so much change within the past two years regarding vendors, products, quality assurance and logistics.”
Photo credit: Teresita/Adobe Stock
