Customer Resource Guide
Everything You Need to Know Before We Build Your Project
Welcome!
This guide is the result of nearly 40 years of custom cabinetry and architectural millwork experience. It answers the questions we are asked most often and explains the standards, policies, and decisions that have the greatest impact on the quality, function, and longevity of your project.
Rather than overwhelming you with information during meetings, we've organized this guide into concise reference sections that you can review throughout the design, manufacturing, and installation process.
You are not expected to read every page at once. Instead, we encourage you to use this guide as a resource, referring to the sections that apply to your project as questions arise. Our goal is to provide clear expectations, eliminate assumptions, and ensure a smooth, successful project from start to finish.
Table of Contents
Payment & Project Terms
Production Scheduling
Design & Estimating Policy
Change Orders
Project Timeline
Craftsmanship Standards
Paint & Color Standards
Wood & Finish Characteristics
Cabinet Inserts & Specialty Accessories
Appliance Specifications
Delivery & Scope of Work
1. Payment & Project Terms
At Hitchcock Woodworking, every project is built specifically for one customer. Materials are ordered, production time is reserved, and your cabinetry is custom manufactured to your specifications. Our payment policy is designed to keep projects moving smoothly while allowing us to maintain the quality, scheduling, and service our clients expect.
Deposit
A signed proposal and deposit are required before production scheduling begins.
Our standard deposit is 50% of the contract amount.
Production slots, material purchasing, and production capacity cannot be reserved until the required deposit has been received.
Proposal Revisions
Every proposal includes one pricing revision based on customer requested changes.
Additional revisions require a Design & Estimating Retainer.
Typical retainers are:
$1,000 for projects under $20,000
$2,500 for projects over $20,000
For projects that proceed, this retainer is credited toward the final contract amount.
If the project does not move forward, the retainer is non-refundable and covers the time invested in additional estimating, design coordination, and pricing.
Payment Terms
Unless otherwise specified in your proposal or contract, final payment is due upon delivery of the cabinetry. Where extended payment terms have been approved, invoices are due according to the terms stated in the proposal or contract.
Projects requiring extended payment terms must be approved in writing before work begins.
Final Payment
Final payment is expected promptly upon delivery or substantial completion of Hitchcock Woodworking's scope of work, as outlined in the project proposal.
Payment should not be delayed because another trade has not completed their work, the project is awaiting installation by others, or unrelated punch-list items remain.
Why We Do It This Way
Every Hitchcock Woodworking project is custom built specifically for one customer. Unlike stock cabinetry, your materials, production schedule, and shop capacity are dedicated exclusively to your project. Once production begins, many components cannot be returned, repurposed, or sold to another customer.
Our payment structure reflects the progression of your project. The initial deposit allows us to reserve production time, purchase materials, and commit resources to your project. Final payment upon delivery reflects the completion of our manufacturing scope and allows us to continue operating an efficient production schedule for all customers.
Our goal is to keep projects moving without unnecessary delays while ensuring every customer receives the quality, attention, and service expected from Hitchcock Woodworking.
2. Production Scheduling
This section explains when a project enters production, what information must be finalized beforehand, and how delays in customer decisions, approvals, or payments may affect the production schedule and delivery date.
Production and delivery timelines are estimated based on the assumption that all required customer decisions, approvals, specifications, and payments are received on schedule.
To maintain efficient production scheduling, Hitchcock Woodworking requires the following before a project enters production:
Signed proposal or contract.
Required deposit.
Final field measurements (when applicable).
Final drawings and specifications approved.
Finish, paint, stain, hardware, and other required selections finalized.
If any required information, approvals, selections, specifications, or payments are delayed, the project may not enter production as originally scheduled. Production and delivery dates will be adjusted based on the next available production opening.
While we make every effort to accommodate schedule changes, Hitchcock Woodworking cannot guarantee that previously reserved production dates will remain available if project requirements are not completed on time.
Why We Do It This Way
Custom cabinetry is a coordinated manufacturing process. Materials, specialty components, production capacity, and finishing schedules are planned well in advance to keep projects moving efficiently through our shop.
Beginning production before all required information has been received increases the risk of delays, remanufacturing, and costly mistakes. By ensuring every required decision, approval, specification, and payment is complete before production begins, we can purchase materials on time, coordinate manufacturing efficiently, and produce your project with the quality, accuracy, and attention to detail our customers expect from Hitchcock Woodworking.
3. Design & Estimating Policy
4. Change Orders
5. Project Timeline
6. Craftsmanship Standards
7. Paint & Color Standards
This section explains how Hitchcock Woodworking approaches cabinet finishing, paint color approvals, color matching, renderings, paint samples, and the standards used to achieve a consistent factory-applied finish.
Hitchcock Woodworking utilizes a specialty cabinet coating system specifically designed for cabinetry and millwork applications. These products are more comparable to an automotive finish than a typical over-the-counter house paint and are selected for their superior durability, appearance, and long-term performance.
Color Matching Expectations
Our finishes are custom mixed to match a specific color, however an exact match cannot be guaranteed.
Several factors can affect how a color is perceived, including:
Sprayed finishes vs. brushed or rolled finishes
Different substrates and materials
Existing paint age and yellowing over time
Lighting conditions throughout the space
Even when the same color formula is used, a sprayed cabinet finish will often read differently than a brushed wall finish because light reflects differently off each surface.
Printed paint manufacturer swatches are not considered a paint standard, as they are produced by a printing process and are not fully representative of a finished sprayed coating.
Sheen Approval
Unless otherwise specified, Hitchcock Woodworking will use our standard cabinet sheen. Requests for alternative sheens must be approved before production begins.
Matching Existing Colors
If Hitchcock Woodworking cabinetry is expected to match an existing color in the home, a physical sample of that color must be provided.
Even with a physical sample, a 100% match cannot be guaranteed due to differences in finish application methods, substrates, lighting conditions, and age of existing finishes.
Future Add-Ons
Due to normal aging, lighting, and batch variation, an exact match to existing cabinetry cannot be guaranteed.
Matching Other Trades
If another trade, such as an onsite painter, is expected to match Hitchcock Woodworking cabinetry, a paint sample may be requested.
By request, Hitchcock Woodworking can provide one paint sample per room at no charge.
Additional samples are available for $400 each.
Please note:
Samples require approximately 3 weeks to complete.
Sample production may affect overall project timelines.
Samples are not recommended unless another finish in the room is required to match our cabinetry.
Once a paint sample is produced, that sample becomes the only approved color standard for the project.
Onsite painters are expected to match their work to either:
The Hitchcock Woodworking paint sample, or
A finished piece of Hitchcock Woodworking cabinetry
Onsite painters should not match from:
Color names
Printed paint swatches
Independent field samples not produced by Hitchcock Woodworking
Hitchcock Woodworking is not responsible for color discrepancies created by other trades.
If another trade's paint does not match Hitchcock Woodworking cabinetry, that trade is responsible for making the necessary corrections. Hitchcock Woodworking will not return to respray completed cabinetry to accommodate another trade's work.
Why Are My Renderings Shown in Pink?
Unless a paint color has been finalized, all painted cabinetry will be shown in bright pink on our renderings. The bright pink color is never intended to represent a design recommendation or a future cabinet color. It is simply a visual placeholder indicating that the final paint color has not yet been approved. This is intentional and is an important part of our quality control process.
We use bright pink for several reasons:
Prevents production mistakes. Our production labels automatically print the actual paint color on every part. If a realistic placeholder color were shown in the drawings, it could be mistaken for the approved finish, increasing the risk of production errors.
Provides a quality control checkpoint. Once your final paint color has been selected, every painted part in the project is updated to that color. If even one part remains pink, it immediately alerts us that something has not been updated, perhaps a custom modification or a newly added component. This visual cue helps us catch issues before parts are cut, finished, or painted.
Reminds everyone that a decision is still pending. The pink rendering serves as a clear indication to both our team and our customers that the paint color has not yet been finalized. It helps keep the project moving by making outstanding finish selections easy to identify.
Maintains one source of truth. Once a paint color is approved, that color is entered into our production system and automatically flows to part labels, production documents, and shop drawings. This helps ensure everyone in the shop is working from the same information.
Natural wood cabinetry is handled differently. Materials such as white oak, walnut, maple, and cherry are always displayed using their actual species because those material selections directly control manufacturing. For that reason, wood components are never shown using placeholder colors.
Paint Sample Timing
Our cabinet coatings are made to order and are not locally stocked products. Material typically requires 7-10 business days to arrive before a sample can be scheduled for production.
Producing a paint sample requires interrupting active spray booth production and completing a full finishing process on a special project. As a result, samples impact production schedules for both your project and other active projects in our shop.
For this reason, we encourage customers to request paint samples only when they are truly necessary.
Why We Do It This Way
Our finishing department is a specialized cabinet finishing operation, not an onsite painting service. Cabinetry is finished in a controlled environment using professional coating systems designed specifically for cabinetry and architectural millwork.
For the best possible results, all components of a project should be finished together whenever practical. Spraying the complete project as a single production run helps ensure consistent color, sheen, texture, and overall appearance across every cabinet, panel, molding, and accessory.
For this reason, we work hard to eliminate assumptions before production begins. Final paint selections, approvals, and production information are confirmed before parts enter production. Our rendering standards, paint sample policies, and color approval procedures all exist to support this goal.
Although minor touch-ups can occasionally be performed, a field-applied touch-up should never be expected to duplicate the appearance of a factory-applied cabinet finish. Cabinet coatings are engineered to be sprayed under controlled conditions, and even small repairs completed onsite may be visible under certain lighting conditions.
Our objective is simple: produce every painted component correctly the first time, finish the entire project as a coordinated system, and deliver a finish that meets the standards our customers expect from Hitchcock Woodworking.
8. Wood & Finish Variation Standards
This section describes the natural characteristics of wood and wood finishes, including grain variation, color variation, seasonal movement, and other conditions that are considered normal rather than defects.
Wood is a natural product, and no two pieces are identical. Variation in grain pattern, color, texture, and character should be expected and is considered a feature of real wood, not a defect.
Customers should not expect a perfectly uniform appearance throughout a room when utilizing natural wood products. Some degree of color, grain, and character variation is normal and should be expected.
Customers may notice variations due to:
Natural color differences between pieces of wood
Grain pattern and texture variations
Horizontal versus vertical grain orientation
Differences between solid wood and veneered materials
The way stain or clear finish absorbs into individual pieces
Finishes can also amplify these differences. In many cases, color variation is not fully visible until the finishing process is complete.
An easy way to visualize this is by looking at a freshly striped lawn. The grass itself is identical, but it appears lighter or darker depending on the direction it is laying and how light reflects off its surface. Wood behaves similarly. Two pieces with similar grain may appear different simply because they are oriented differently within the project.
Customers should also understand that Hitchcock Woodworking utilizes a combination of solid wood and veneered materials throughout a project. This is intentional and necessary for proper construction, stability, and long-term performance.
Because solid and veneered materials are produced differently, slight variations in color, grain, and appearance should be expected. It is not possible to guarantee an exact visual match between all components throughout a project.
Our goal is to create a balanced, cohesive finished product rather than an identical appearance from piece to piece. Natural variation is one of the defining characteristics that makes custom woodwork unique and beautiful.
Why We Do It This Way
9. Cabinet Inserts & Specialty Accessories
Hitchcock Woodworking is happy to incorporate specialty inserts and organizational accessories into your cabinetry, including pull-out organizers, waste systems, spice pull-outs, tray dividers, appliance lifts, and other third-party products.
Please note that these products are manufactured by other companies and integrated into Hitchcock Woodworking cabinetry at the customer's request. As a result, they often utilize hardware, slides, and adjustment mechanisms that differ from our standard cabinetry systems.
Customers may notice differences in:
Drawer opening and closing feel
Soft-close operation
Reveal and gap consistency
Weight capacity and movement
Overall fit and finish
Long-term adjustability
These products are installed according to the manufacturer's specifications and intended use. Hitchcock Woodworking is responsible for proper installation, but is not responsible for how these products were engineered to operate.
Customers should not expect specialty accessories to operate, adjust, align, or feel identical to Hitchcock Woodworking's standard drawers, doors, and hardware systems.
Any future performance limitations, adjustments, or warranty concerns associated with these products remain subject to the original manufacturer's design and specifications.
Recommendations:
Here is a list of inserts we RECOMMEND, and a list that we specifically DO NOT RECOMMEND
Face-Mounted Pull-Out Accessories
Hitchcock Woodworking strongly discourages the installation of cabinet doors or drawer fronts on specialty accessories that utilize side-mount slides or other non-standard hardware systems. These products do not operate or adjust like Hitchcock Woodworking's standard undermount drawer systems and are significantly more susceptible to changes in alignment over time. Customers who elect to use these products acknowledge that differences in operation, reveal consistency, adjustment, and long-term performance are inherent to the manufacturer's design and are not considered defects in Hitchcock Woodworking's cabinetry or workmanship.
Plumbing Drawers (Vanity Sink Cabinets)
Hitchcock Woodworking offers two options for plumbing drawers beneath vanity sinks.
Option 1 – Pre-Manufactured U-Shaped Drawer (Preferred)
If field-verified plumbing dimensions are provided before production begins, Hitchcock Woodworking will manufacture and install a custom U-shaped drawer prior to delivery. Dimensions must be supplied by the customer, contractor, or plumber. Hitchcock Woodworking does not field measure plumbing locations or make assumptions regarding the final plumbing configuration.
If verified dimensions are not available before production, Hitchcock Woodworking can manufacture the U-shaped drawer after field dimensions have been provided. The completed drawer will be shipped separately, and installation will be the responsibility of the installing contractor.
If the completed plumbing does not match the dimensions provided, any required drawer modifications or replacement will be the responsibility of the party who supplied the dimensions.
Option 2 – Field-Fit Plumbing Drawer
If a custom U-shaped drawer is not required, Hitchcock Woodworking will provide a full-size drawer along with a loose insert designed to be field-cut around the completed plumbing. Because this fitting occurs after cabinetry has been installed and the plumber has completed their work, final fitting and installation of the drawer are the responsibility of the installing contractor.
Payment
Vanities and cabinetry are invoiced according to the terms of the project, regardless of whether a plumbing drawer is being manufactured or is awaiting field dimensions. Final payment for the vanity or project may not be withheld while waiting for plumbing dimensions, fabrication, shipment, or installation of a plumbing drawer.
Why We Do It This Way
10. Appliance Selection & Specifications
This section outlines the information required for appliances, and explains why final manufacturer specifications are necessary before production begins.
Why We Require Appliance Specifications
Custom cabinetry is built around the exact requirements of your selected appliances. While many appliances appear similar, small differences in dimensions, clearances, panel requirements, ventilation, and installation methods can significantly affect cabinet construction.
Our goal is to deliver cabinetry that fits your appliances exactly as intended. To do that, we require complete manufacturer documentation before design is finalized and before production begins.
Providing accurate appliance information early helps prevent delays, redesigns, unnecessary costs, and installation issues.
What We Need
For each appliance, please provide the manufacturer's specification sheet (PDF) for the exact model being installed.
The specification sheet should include, where applicable:
Required cabinet opening dimensions
Required installation clearances
Flush vs. standard installation requirements
Finished interior requirements
Ventilation requirements
Decorative panel dimensions
Mounting instructions for integrated panels
Any installation details that affect cabinet construction
Please provide the manufacturer's specification sheet—not a retailer listing or product webpage whenever possible.
Timing
Final appliance selections and specification sheets should be provided before shop drawings begin.
Cabinet production cannot begin until all required appliance specifications have been received.
Changes made after shop drawings have started or after production has begun may require redesign, revised shop drawings, additional engineering time, material changes, and production delays.
Responsibility for Specifications
Hitchcock Woodworking builds cabinetry using the information provided by the client, designer, architect, builder, or appliance supplier.
Hitchcock Woodworking may review appliance specifications for coordination purposes; however, we rely on the information provided by the client, designer, architect, builder, or appliance supplier. Verification of appliance selections, model numbers, installation requirements, and specification sheets remains the responsibility of the party supplying that information.
The party providing the specifications is responsible for ensuring:
The model numbers are correct
The specification sheets match the exact appliance being installed
The installation method is correct (including flush vs. standard installations)
All required panel dimensions and installation details have been provided
Cabinetry will be built according to the information supplied.
Common Issues We See
Many appliance issues occur because important details are overlooked during planning.
Examples include:
Assuming a "36-inch refrigerator" requires a 36-inch opening
Selecting the wrong specification sheet for a similar model
Designing for flush installation when a standard installation is intended
Missing decorative panel requirements for integrated appliances
Overlooking ventilation or clearance requirements
Selecting appliances that require more space than allowed in the design
These situations often require revisions to cabinetry and shop drawings that could have been avoided with complete manufacturer documentation.
Specialty Appliances
Integrated refrigeration, wine storage, coffee systems, steam ovens, warming drawers, hood inserts, and other specialty appliances often have unique cabinet requirements.
Please provide complete manufacturer documentation for every appliance included in the project—even if it appears to be a standard appliance.
Our Goal
Our goal is to ensure everyone is working from the same information.
Providing complete manufacturer specification sheets early in the project allows us to produce accurate shop drawings, build cabinetry that fits correctly, and keep your project on schedule.
Why We Do It This Way