Design-to-Delight Process

Because NEFF cabinetry is crafted in North America, just 8 hours from Chicago, the production and delivery period of 11 to 12 weeks can be less than half of that of products which are manufactured overseas. 

The other activities that happen before and after production add a minimum of 6 weeks to the time from when you first sit down with NEFF of Chicago to the time your cabinetry is installed.  You’ll need to add two weeks after Installation to complete your countertops.

What You’ll Need:
• Plan drawings for the space that your project will occupy (if available)
• Target budget

What We’ll Do:
• Listen to what you want to do
• Ask questions
• Provide refreshments

Come into our showroom, a Luxehome boutique in Chicago’s landmark Merchandise Mart, or make an appointment to see us.  We’re open M-F from 9-5 and Saturday from 10-3… other times by appointment.

If you have the plan drawings for your home, please bring a copy you can leave with us or we will make one for you.  If you don’t have plans, we would be delighted to visit your home to take the measurements we’ll need to do a draft design.

Tell us about your project:

What We’ll Do:

• Assign “Design-to-Delight” Team
• NEFF of Chicago President Pat Borg
• NEFF of Chicago Kitchen & Bath Designer
• NEFF of Chicago Architect

Pat Borg, NEFF of Chicago Owner/President will be part of a 3 person team that he will assign to work with you (and your designer, builder, architect if you have one), to ensure that you get the kitchen you want, when you want it.

One of our talented K&B Designers will guide you through the myriad choices offered by NEFF, make recommendations to suit your taste and lifestyle and will help you to stay within your budget.

Our Architect will get to know you and your project and will work with NEFF manufacturing to ensure that the design you want is translated to the most cost effective production methods so that you get the most value from the money you have to spend.

What You’ll Need:

• Time to meet with us
• Your imagination

What We’ll Do:

• a sketch of a concept layout
• a $ estimate for your project

NEFF of Chicago’s target is to present you with a conceptual design and a price range for your project, one week from the day we have both your measurements and our preliminary discussion.

When we meet, we will present a sketch of a conceptual layout, some color and texture samples and a price range for the lay-out and materials shown.

You let us know what you like and don’t like and we’ll make as many  adjustments and recommendations as you deem necessary. 

At this point, if we’ve done our job right, you will love the design and be confident that NEFF cabinetry will add value to your home for years to come.

What You’ll Need:

• a Design Fee
• time to meet with us, perhaps on 2 or 3 occasions
• time to approve drawings and color or wood samples
• your appliance specifications
• a first instalment on contract signing

What We’ll Do:

• Technical Drawings – AutoCAD Lay-outs and Elevations and possibly a color rendering
• Work with you on features and accessories to include in your NEFF Kitchen or other project
• Work with NEFF Manufacturing in Toronto to achieve your design at the best possible price
• Prepare a contract
• Prepare color samples or flitches
• Submit the order
• Finalize the delivery date
• Schedule a NEFF-trained installer (optional)

Phase 2 starts with payment of a Design Fee to NEFF of Chicago, which is approximately 10% of the total estimate presented in Phase 1.

This fee is non-refundable and exempt from sales tax, but is included in the total project estimate.  The fee includes 3 sets of revisions to your design.

For renovations, if NEFF of Chicago did not visit your home in Phase 1, then, to ensure your satisfaction with the final product, we would need to visit to take final measurements before beginning the Technical Design drawings. 

If you are building a new home and the kitchen  is roughed in, we would also like to confirm the measurements shown in the floor plans by visiting the job site.  Otherwise, we would need your floor plans / architectural drawings for the relevant rooms to begin our Technical Drawings.

At this point, the Technical Designer on your Design-to-Delight Team will begin to take the conceptual drawing you’ve approved and will create a computerized drawing (CAD) of the layout of your kitchen or other cabinetry project.

This is a very detailed process, in which every component piece of your cabinetry is identified, along with its dimensions and relationship to other component modules.

Our Architect works with NEFF manufacturing to “spec out” the custom elements in your design and to ensure that tolerances are built in to avoid conflicts and binding, especially in curved designs or to allow certain species of solid wood to “breathe”.

Additionally, they’ll look for the most cost effective way to manufacture your custom design.

Once we’ve completed the detailed drawings, we need to present them to you to get your approval. 

We also prepare a contract which outlines our responsibility to you and the responsibilities that you have in the process so we can deliver on the scheduled date at the contracted price.

Once you have approved the design and signed the contract, we’ll ask you for a deposit (first instalment) which will then allow us to begin the ordering process with the manufacturer.

Once the deposit is paid, you are welcome to have copies of the design drawings.

Whether you have chosen a custom color pigment or a color from one of the many sample finishes on display at NEFF of Chicago, we want to make sure that you are getting the exact color to suit your home.

Veneers and solid wood in particular can vary in color and stain absorption from tree to tree within the same species. 

For this reason, before going into production, NEFF will produce color samples for you to sign-off before they begin to craft your cabinetry.

Additionally, your NEFF of Chicago Design-to-Delight Team will review the manufacturer’s Engineering Drawings with you, to get your final sign-off on all of the elements of your project, including design, grain-matches, hardware, accessories, NEFF backsplashes and the specifications of your appliances.

NEFF of Chicago will submit the order to NEFF manufacturing, who will give us a firm delivery date.

Once we have the delivery date, if you would like to use a NEFF-trained installer, we can book the installer on your behalf and firm up an installation price.

What You’ll Need:
• The final instalment

What We’ll Do:
• Craft the finest custom cabinetry for your home
• Accommodate changes if you need them
• Deliver on-time
• Co-ordinate temporary storage if you need it

If inspiration or necessity causes a change to your project after you have signed off on it, we are happy to accommodate you for a nominal fee.  Depending on the scope of the change and the timing, we’ll work with you to minimize the impact on the delivery date.

Our customers who are installing a new kitchen, typically use this time to install new flooring, order appliances, choose a countertop and a countertop fabricator, and remove the old cabinetry. 

For kitchens and other rooms, your installer will need clean and ready walls and floors.

A few days before your order is ready to ship, NEFF manufacturing will notify us and we’ll call you to confirm the time and place of delivery.  At this time, the final instalment is due to NEFF of Chicago, prior to delivery to your home.

Your new cabinetry will be delivered to you directly from NEFF’s manufacturing facility in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, just outside of Toronto. 

NEFF Kitchens Inc. is just eight hours away from Chicago by truck, and within two or three days of anywhere in the lower 48 states.

NEFF of Chicago will arrange for temporary storage if your job site isn’t ready on the day of delivery.

What You’ll Need:

• Clean walls and floor
• Your appliances
• Glass for your mullion / display doors
• Cabinet knobs and handles

What We’ll Do:

• Work with your installer to answer questions, and solve any problems that may arise

Your installer will unpack and verify the accuracy of your NEFF cabinetry order.  (We would encourage you to be a part of this process.)  Although discrepancies are rare, they can happen and NEFF of Chicago will help to resolve them with the manufacturer ASAP. 

Your installer will follow the Engineering Drawings to

• build and attach your cabinets to your walls
• hang and level doors and cabinets
• wire the integrated lighting system, display cabinets, and optional integrated electrical outlets
• install glass in mullion doors
• attach appliances to prepared or existing plumbing, gas and electrical connections
• secure integrated cabinetry panels to your fridge and dishwasher (if applicable)
• attach cabinet features and mouldings
• install NEFF accessories, backsplashes, sinks and range hoods
• attach toe kicks
• take away job-related garbage and packaging

As soon as your NEFF cabinets are installed, your countertop fabricator can come and take the measurements they’ll need to shape the slabs for your kitchen, bathroom or closet island.

This process usually takes 2 to 3 weeks from measurement to countertop installation.  Keep in mind that you’ll be able to use your NEFF cabinets while you are waiting because NEFF permanently finishes the top of each cabinet with the wood substrate for stability and for better hygiene.