Our Process
Every Dan Craig Cabinetry project follows the same five-step path: honest planning, precise drawings, clean permits, expert construction, and a finished result you are proud to live with.
How We Work
Most cabinetry contractors hand you a brochure and a timeline they invented that morning. We do the opposite. Every project starts with a real conversation, proceeds through a documented plan, and ends when you are satisfied with the result. Here is exactly how it works.
Step 01
Everything starts with a conversation, not a measuring tape. Dan meets with you in your home or virtually to understand how you use the space, what is and is not working, and what the project needs to accomplish. Budget range is discussed honestly at this stage so there are no surprises later. If the scope fits, we move forward with a formal project brief.
Step 02
With the brief confirmed, we produce detailed drawings: cabinet elevations, layout plans, material specifications, and finish selections. You review and approve every dimension before anything is built. This is where most cabinetry projects either succeed or fail. We do this step in writing, with your signature on the plans.
Step 03
For projects requiring permits, we handle the paperwork. We know the requirements for the northwest Chicago suburbs and have a clean track record with local building departments. You do not need to manage any of this. We pull the permits, schedule the inspections, and keep the project legal and fully documented.
Step 04
Cabinets are built in our shop using the hardwoods sourced from our Wisconsin property. Blum hardware is installed as standard. Drawer boxes are solid hardwood with dovetail joinery. When the cabinets arrive on site, installation follows the approved drawings exactly. No field improvisation. No cutting corners because a measurement was off.
Step 05
We do a full walkthrough with you at project completion. Every door, every drawer, every hinge adjustment, every finish detail. If anything is not exactly right, we fix it before we consider the job done. The project is complete when you say it is complete, not when it is convenient for us to leave.
What to Expect
These are the standards, not the aspirations.
Every change in scope, timeline, or cost is communicated before it happens, not after. You will never discover a surprise on the invoice that was not discussed in advance.
We do not book more projects than we can complete on time. When we give you a timeline, we meet it. If something outside our control affects the schedule, you hear from us immediately.
The finished result should make you glad you made the call. Every detail is built to the same standard, whether it is the cabinet interior or the most visible door panel in the room.
Already Have a Team?
Not every project is a full design-build engagement. If you are already working with a GC, an architect, or an interior designer and simply need a cabinetmaker who can deliver on their drawings, we are equally happy to fit into that workflow.
We provide shop drawings, coordinate delivery schedules with your GC, and install to specification. The same Blum hardware, the same dovetail drawer boxes, the same Wisconsin hardwood. Your team, our cabinets.
Discuss Your ProjectA free consultation is the first step. We will walk through the project, discuss the scope, and give you an honest assessment of what it will take and what it will cost.
Schedule Free Consultation