Construction Management Tools: Cabinetry and Stair Precision

Cabinetry and stair precision can be specified in all materials, colors and sizes. They can be ready-made, special order, shop-built and job-built. Be ready to handle the speed bumps in some cases. Remain aware of the owner’s enthusiasm tools: eyes on details. The home owner will be particularly interested in cabinets and stairs. They impact their space more so than any other fixture and announce the owner’s taste and preferences with their appearance, arrangement and function. 

Ready-made

Adhering to the specs, the contractor will have contacted several vendors for pricing and delivery to supply either of these expensive items. The selected vendor will have visited the site and should have produced shop drawings for the architect’s approval and the contractor’s information within two weeks of being selected. The architect should reproduce an extra copy for the home owner. The vendor will have guaranteed delivery by a certain date and the contractor should have them available for installation on schedule.
It doesn’t always happen this way with ready-made cabinetry and good construction management allows the contractor to feel free to cancel the order if the vendor cannot deliver on schedule. The experienced contractor will have another vendor standing by to put through a rush order and present a change order with the extra expense, if necessary.  The same applies for cabinetry that will never fit the space, no matter the effort.

Shop-built

Engaging a local millwork shop is more expensive, but appropriate for custom-built pieces, designed to specification. A shop representative will visit the site to take measurements and produce shop drawings for approval by the architect. The contractor will continue to check with the shop for progress, expecting a timely delivery. The millwork shop may have the option of providing an installation crew if the design is especially complex or the site is particularly demanding.

This informative piece is followed by a second part and talks more on cabinetry and stair precision. Follow it up with an article on construction management tools and how they can be used for safety and performance standards of appliances and equipment. This is part of a series of construction management tools articles on their various use: final punch list and project closeout.