CLIENT EDUCATION - SELECTING THE PRODUCTS

Thank you for choosing to work with MyHome. The next step is to select and order all the necessary products for the successful installation of your project. Since the purchasing process is quite challenging, we gathered the following information to help you better understand and expedite this process. MyHome only works with suppliers that we find reliable, responsive and who maintain a high level of customer service and product quality. Quality service notwithstanding, there are sometimes human errors and manufacturer’s defects that can impede the completion of your project. In order to reduce the probability of such problems occurring, we developed the following system for handling the selection and purchasing of your materials.

The Process:

1. General Product Selection
The first thing you should do is to determine your budget and style preference.

You should give some real consideration to determining what your total budget is for materials. This information will be essential for the Remodeling Consultant to lead you in the right direction and help you plan properly.

Some methods for deciding on style preference are flipping through magazines, and searching the Internet for photos. If this doesn’t help or you don’t have time to do so, your Remodeling Consultant will help you figure it out. You are always welcome to view some samples and catalogs in our showroom. The Remodeling Consultant will ask you some guiding questions such as, “Do you prefer traditional or modern?” or “Do you like natural wood or pastel colors?” These questions will help your team find out which materials you’d like to use.

Next the remodeling consultant will begin taking notes on your preferred product and start preparing a general material list. This list will include the items, but will not be detailed enough for ordering. For example, the list will include: red tile model 123 but will not include the specific number of boxes and square feet per box; it will include a maple cabinet and shaker style but will not include the specific list of cabinets.

2. 20/20 Design
If you’re remodeling a kitchen, we’ll prepare a detailed design using the 20/20 software, which will include a 3d-color graphic of your space. The design will include a specific list of all the cabinets so we can order them precisely.

When you approve the design and all the specific cabinets, we will go over all the cabinet options. There are many specific options such as type of drawer glides, wood species, stain color, finished sides, type of cabinet interiors and more. We will also explain all of your options so that you can make the right decisions.

3. Finalize Material List
After you have completed selecting all the items necessary, your Remodeling Consultant will prepare a detailed material list with prices. This list will include a description of all the specific items and prices, but will not include model numbers. We will then submit the material list to you for approval and payment.

4. Specification Binder
After we receive your payment, the Remodeling Consultant will create a very detailed specification binder. This phase is very time consuming but is essential for a successful installation. The binder becomes an installation manual for providing the Project Manager and construction crew with precise instructions. The binder will include all the documents necessary including all floor plans, elevations, cut sheets, installation instructions and other product specifications. When your Remodeling Consultant completes the binder it is submitted to the Project Manager for approval. As soon as it’s approved we schedule the confirmation meeting.

5. Confirmation Meeting
Before we place an order we need to confirm that everything will work and that there are no mistakes. Often the Remodeling Consultant has visited the site only once before this meeting (During the initial free consultation), so it’s essential to confirm the measurements and conduct a detailed inspection of the premises. The Remodeling Consultant, Project Manager and usually a supervisor will participate in this meeting. You’re welcome to join if you’d like, but you don’t have to. (You will have to be present at the walk-thru meeting before we start construction, but your participation is not a must at the confirmation meeting). Often after the confirmation meeting there are some revisions made to the material list. If there are any changes we will notify you and let you sign the list again and adjust the payment. The Project Manager will also sign off on the list before it is submitted to the ordering department.

6. Ordering
Our procurement department will place the orders with the various suppliers. Please keep in mind that this process is not always instant, because we’re relying on our suppliers. Even though we only work with suppliers who are reliable and responsive, this process still may take some time. Most orders must be confirmed after the order is placed. For example, if we place an order for cabinets, the manufacturer will review it (This sometimes takes up to 1 week.) and send it back to us for approval. We will then double check to see that the order is correct (It’s surprising, but sometimes we’ve submitted one order only to find that the confirmation order contained different items, so it’s important to double check). As you can see, this is a complex process with many different parties involved so the margins for error increase. We developed this reliable system to minimize the chance of mistakes, but since we’re all human beings mistakes can still occur.

7. Tracking
During the time between ordering and delivery, our ordering department will keep track of when and where the materials will be shipped. We contact our suppliers often so that we know where everything is at any given time.

8. Accepting Delivery
As products are delivered, we will accept them at our warehouse and store them until the project starts. Usually we won’t start the construction phase until all the materials have arrived, but there are some exceptions. We try to have kitchen cabinets and appliances shipped directly to the job site.

9. Delivery
When it’s time to start, we’ll deliver the materials from our warehouse to the site. Delivery, especially in the city, is often challenging and time consuming because of parking and service elevators. Any items that are shipped directly from suppliers will be delivered curbside and our crew will have to carry them from the street to the apartment or house.

10. Installation
If we find that any items are broken, don’t match, are the wrong color, or are defective in any way, we will take care of replacing the necessary items.

11. Warranty
Every product purchased through MyHome comes with a manufacturer’s warranty. If there is any problem in the future, MyHome will deal with the manufacturer on your behalf and handle replacing them when necessary.

Please Keep in Mind:

	The selection and purchasing process always takes time. It’s better to do things right and achieve the proper results rather than rush through it and deal with an end product that can’t be installed. Fixing mistakes when materials are already delivered will be much more frustrating and time consuming than taking the time to go though the process properly the first time.
	No matter how well we refine our system—a system known for its professionalism and dedication--there are always challenges and problems that come up. Usually there are tens and even hundreds of different items for every project, which are ordered from several different suppliers and are bound to complicate the process.
	MyHome represents some great suppliers and manufacturers. We carefully select whom we work with, and if we feel that a certain supplier does not meet our standards we will “drop the line.” Nevertheless, keep in mind that we only represent the manufacturer, so our control is limited. We will communicate to you anything that is communicated to us by the actual manufacturer we are working with. (For example – delivery dates). We know that it’s frustrating if you’re told one thing and it later changes, but delivery dates and lead times change often in this industry.
	Some products that you select may not be available because they are discontinued or on back order. We always do our best to keep things up to date, but things change on a daily basis so please be patient and select alternatives if an item is unavailable. Some products are ordered from abroad (Europe, South America, The Middle East and The Far East), so long lead times should be expected if a specific item is not stocked in the US.
	Pricing – Our prices are fair market prices. Sometimes you may find a product for less, but if you factor in everything that we provide our prices are usually cheaper. For example, if you can find a faucet that we sell For $ 100 online for $ 80 (20% less !!), it would end up being more expensive if you add all of MyHome’s services to it. If you were to add 10% for designing and matching it technically and visually, 10% for confirming the measurement, 5% for providing all the specifications, 10% for shipping, 10% for delivery and storage and 10% for handling any unexpected problems and warranty issues, you will end up paying around 30% above our price (Now the $80 faucet would actually cost $ 130 – That’s $ 30 higher than our initial price)
	Select everything – It’s important to select all products including things that seem unimportant. For example grout color, saddles, transition strips, handles, accessories, light switches, etc… These items may seem unimportant enough to leave for a future date, but it’s these small items that end up delaying the completion of your project. Since we want to keep to our timeline, we will not start construction until all items have been delivered. One of the most annoying situations is to have to stop working and pull a crew off a project because we’re waiting for some materials.
	If you didn’t find a specific product in our selection we can find it elsewhere – This is very rare though, because we have such a vast selection and carry almost all of the brands available. However, there are some showrooms that we will not do business with because their service level does not meet our standards, but we do maintain accounts will all the rest of the retailers.
	If you’d like to purchase some items on your own, you will simply have to go through the same processes we go through, including providing all the specifications (creating a binder) and participating in the confirmation meeting. Keep in mind that we will not store, deliver, service or warranty any product not purchased through us. If we install a product you purchased and it’s defective, our labor warranty will not cover it and we will not replace it.