FAQs

• At Cucina Bella we offer Kitchen Design services as well as design solutions for all types of residential cabinetry throughout your home. We manage every detail from ideation to installation & completion to ensure a seamless experience.

• This includes a design consultation meeting, design drawing & estimating, a design presentation meeting with design & budget review, any necessary revisions, site measure, drawing up a contract, meeting to review and sign contract and final drawings, cabinetry order, coordination with your General Contractor, cabinetry delivery, installation & service.

• If you choose to purchase countertops for your cabinetry through Cucina Bella, we will coordinate the order & installation of those.

• We finish our cabinetry installations to AWMAC standards. This includes AWMAC standard clean-up. A broom clean, surface cleaning (removing pencil & ink marks from our cabinetry), and cabinetry debris deposited into bins or containers supplied by the General Contractor. Cardboard (cabinetry packaging) will be flattened into a pile for recycling services to pick-up.

• We are not General Contractors, so we do not manage aspects of your project outside of cabinetry. Plumbing, Electrical, Flooring, Drywall, Tile Installation, etc. are outside of our scope of services.

• Professional ‘move-in’ cleaning is not included in our services.

• We do not provide waste removal or a waste bin in our estimates. We can add Waste Removal services to your quote starting at $350 per load.

To help you get an idea of the stages of the kitchen design process - all the way through to installation & finishing - here is an overview of the process of working with us at Cucina Bella.

Summary: (see below for details)

• INTRODUCTORY CONNECTION & INFORMATION SHARE

• INITIAL DESIGN CONSULTATION, DESIGN PHASE, DESIGN REVIEW MEETING & DESIGN REVISIONS

• SITE MEASURE, FINAL DESIGN & CONTRACT SIGNING, ORDER PROCESSING

• DELIVERY, INSTALLATION & SERVICE

Details:

INTRODUCTORY CONNECTION & INFORMATION SHARE

• Give us a call us or send a message via our website. We love an introductory phone call to get some clarity on the goals you have for your project and to explain some of the process to you.

• Your vision, job scope overview, your ideal timeline & budget, Q&A.

INITIAL DESIGN CONSULTATION

• Floor-Plans/Dimensions: Once your initial design consultation is scheduled, gather the rough dimensions and photos of your existing space or new architectural floor-plans, as well as inspiration images for your project.

• Appliances: Appliance selections influence cabinetry layouts, clearances, overall functionality and quote accuracy. We recommend starting to think about your appliance needs early. We’re happy to help you explore the options.

• Consultation: Meet with a designer at our showroom so we can get to know how you use your spaces & gather information needed to create an optimal design for you.

• Product & Finishes: Together we’ll explore our cabinetry lines, door-styles and finish options to identify the best fit for your design vision, quality expectations & budget.

DESIGN PHASE

• Designer creates initial design plans, drawings and pricing for your project.

DESIGN REVIEW MEETING

• At this stage, we’ll present the initial design concept and proposed layout. We will discuss cabinetry options and review preliminary pricing.

• All consultation & services are complimentary to this point. If you are comfortable with your designer, design direction, budget & overall project scope - and would like us to continue to work for you, a Design Retainer of $2,500 + gst is required. This fee goes towards the purchase of your cabinetry and is non-refundable. This retainer secures our commitment to your project and allows us to release your design drawings & to further refine the design.

DESIGN REVISIONS

• Designer will revise design as needed.

• Appliance & plumbing fixture selections must be finalized and model numbers provided to us before this phase can be completed.

SITE MEASURE, FINAL DESIGN & CONTRACT SIGNING

• Once a final design is agreed upon, we go to your project site to get accurate measurements of the space and make any necessary edits.

• Then we put together detailed final cabinetry drawings as well as a contract for signing.

• We will meet with you to review the drawings and contract, and to sign the contract.

• Upon signing the contract a payment of 50% of your order total (minus the $2,500 Design Retainer Fee you’ve already paid) is due.

ORDER PROCESSING

• After the contract is signed and details are confirmed, our team thoroughly reviews the entire order before submitting it to the cabinetry manufacturer. They put it into their order-entry system, send it back to us for one more review, any necessary edits are made, and then the order is confirmed and the shipping date is provided to us.

DELIVERY

• Once we have the shipping date of your cabinetry from our cabinetry manufacturer, our Installation Coordinator will contact you or your General Contractor to coordinate a date to deliver your cabinets to your home.

• We will send you and/or your General Contractor information of the required site-readiness before we deliver and install your cabinets.

• Before your cabinets are delivered your payment of 45% of your order total is due.

INSTALLATION

• We do our best to schedule the delivery and to begin the installation of your cabinetry the same week that it arrives to Edmonton [with some exceptions - depending on the logistics of your project and our installers’ availability].

• The amount of time it takes to install your cabinets will depend on the number of cabinets and the complexity of your cabinetry design.

SERVICE

• If there are any cabinetry items that need to be replaced or re-ordered, our Installation Coordinator will contact you or your General Contractor to coordinate the replacement of items.

• The first payment is a Design Retainer Fee of $2,500 + GST. This payment is due after your initial design consultation and a second design & pricing meeting - if you’d like to move forward with us. This payment is non-refundable, goes towards the cost of your cabinetry (it’s not an extra fee) and is a commitment to retaining our services.

• The second payment is a 50% deposit on your total order, due at the time of signing your contract - and required for orders to be placed. (Your Design Retainer Fee goes towards this total.)

• The third payment of 45% is due before your cabinetry is delivered to your home.

• The final 5% of your order total is due upon substantial completion of your project.

*Any changes to the contractual agreement - including but not limited to - scope of work, design, timeline, materials, etcetera - will require a Change Order to be signed and payment for updated changes. This may also result in an extension of the project timeline.

Please send us the following items to help us understand the scope of your project and so we can more directly help you aim towards your end goal.

• Rough dimensions and photos of existing space - if it’s a renovation OR floor-plans/architectural drawings of the planned space - if it’s a new home-build.

• Design feature needs, wants & nice-to-haves for your kitchen (and/or other rooms).

• Appliances you’re planning or hoping to include in your new kitchen.

• Desired project timeline.

• Approximate cabinetry supply & installation budget range.

• Inspiration images - a Pinterest board, Houzz ideabook, Dropbox folder link, or emailed images.

If you would like clarity on this please don’t hesitate to contact us.

We’d love to work with you, but it’s smart to get clear on if we’re a good fit for your project. Some variables and expectations are optimal for what we offer, and some may be better met by another provider.

We might be the right fit for your project if:

• You are a home-owner looking to renovate or build your home to love & to last.

• OR You are a builder or contractor looking for full service cabinetry design, supply & installation services for your higher end, custom projects.

• You’re looking for high quality, customized design ideas & cabinetry.

• You’re open to professional design input & want your cabinetry to follow NKBA & AWMAC standards & guidelines as well as meet local building codes.

• You want to feel like your designer has your best interest in mind.

We might not be the right fit for your project if:

• You are doing cost comparisons and are looking for Edmonton’s lowest-cost cabinetry.

• You want to re-face your existing cabinetry - you’re only looking to replace the door & drawer fronts.

• You just found us, and you need your project completed (designed, signed-off, ordered, delivered & installed) in the next 12 weeks or less.

• You are flipping a home, on a budget, for re-sale.

• Your kitchen cabinetry supply & installation budget is under $20,000.

• Your bathroom cabinetry supply & installation budget is under $5,000.

If you’re not sure if we’re a good fit for your project give us a call or send us a message.

In most cases, yes.

While we manage all aspects of your cabinetry project, overall project management and coordination of construction activities fall outside our scope of service. A general contractor is responsible for overseeing the renovation or home build, scheduling their tradespeople, and ensuring the project goes smoothly.

We communicate with your General Contractor throughout the project to coordinate cabinet delivery, installation and any necessary service visits. We provide detailed drawings and specifications to help ensure trades understand the cabinetry requirements and that electrical, plumbing and other services are located correctly before installation.

It's a timeless truth: exceptional quality is an investment. Every detail of our cabinetry—from the premium materials and expert craftsmanship to the thoughtful design and meticulous installation—is carefully considered to deliver a level of quality that goes far beyond the standard of mass-produced, high-volume suppliers.

We want you to love your home and we want your cabinetry to endure. We consider your lifestyle and any custom storage or function needs, as well as any specific finish desires you want to achieve.

Our cabinets have thicker case material than your average cabinetry supplier, solid tops, higher end paint & stain finishes, lifetime warranty on hardware & limited lifetime warranty on cabinetry.

Our designers have years of experience and a keen eye for scale and proportions in order to create a classy, balanced and harmonious aesthetic for your cabinetry.

We design and install with high standards. We design to the 1/16th of an inch. We will include details like reveals and hinge-stops in your cabinetry where necessary and design in a way that omits the need for trim mouldings where cabinets meet the floor and wall - by scribing our end panels and gables to the wall/floor.

Our installers follow Architectural Woodward Manufacturers Association of Canada (AWMAC) standards.

Manufacturing your cabinets takes about 7-12 weeks [from the time of order confirmation] depending on how busy the factory is and how custom you are going with your door-styles & finishes… but that is only one part of the timeline. In addition to manufacturing, it takes time to finalize a design, create the contract & drawings, confirm the order, deliver & install the cabinets, and finalize any service items.

Here’s a breakdown of average time-frames for the entire cabinetry process:

• 1 - 4 weeks - Design

• 1 - 2 weeks - Final Drawing Package

• 1 - 2 weeks - Contract Signing & Order Confirmation

• 7 - 12 weeks - Manufacturing & Deliver to Edmonton

• 1 - 3 weeks - Home/Site Delivery & Installation

• 1 - 5 weeks - Trim Installation & Service Work (Dependent on flooring/backsplash installation timeline and service parts manufacturing & delivery time).

Variables such as client or client’s General Contractor’s availability & response time, site-readiness, custom colour selections etc can affect this timeline.

I know - it’s a long process - but it’s worth it.

We cannot order your cabinets until your appliance model numbers are confirmed, we have measured the framed walls where your cabinets will go, and you have signed off on our completed contract and detailed final drawings.

Here are a few things to consider if you want to reduce delays in the cabinetry process

• Meet with a designer earlier in your process so that you are aware of decisions to be made sooner - to reduce delays once the project is underway.

• Ensure you or your general contractor submits your permit applications with ample time to be processed.

• Have your appliance models selected [and ensure they are in stock] ASAP so we can confirm our final cabinetry dimensions sooner.

• The sooner you pay your Design Retainer Fee - which goes towards the cost of your cabinetry - the sooner we can prioritize your project, release drawings to you and commit to a site measure.

• Have walls framed so we can measure. The sooner we can measure the framed walls where your cabinets will be installed, the sooner we can confirm dimensions before final drawings and ordering can be completed.

• We cannot shorten the manufacturing timeline, but if you select standard finishes and door-styles you can prevent extending the timeline by eliminating the need to order and confirm a custom colour sample before ordering your cabinets.

• If your cabinetry order is a joint decision, have both/all decision makers up to speed throughout the process. This can reduce the chance of needing to make changes further along the design process if one of the decision makers joins the process late.

• Stick to your decisions. Any changes result in delays since a Change Order is required and includes signing paper work, edits to your final drawings, edits to our order, and a thorough review.

Yes, all of the cabinets we offer are made in Canada.

Skilled Team
We at Cucina Bella proudly identify as cabinet nerds who care deeply about the details of your project. We’ve been in business for over 20 years, and our lead designer has been designing kitchens for 30 years. We are skilled & well educated professionals who have leaned from years of experience and have an eye for detail and style. We design our kitchens to follow National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) design recommendations & local building codes.

Made In Canada
The cabinets that we sell are made in Canada.

High Quality Cabinetry
If you are looking for cabinetry that will stand the test of time - in your long-time home we may be a good option for you.

Cleaning
You can wipe your cabinets clean with simple household water & dish detergent. Please do not use abrasives to clean your cabinetry.

Humidity
Ensure your home has proper humidity. Especially in Alberta - with the extreme changes in temperatures, you want to ensure that your cabinets are in a temperature & humidity controlled environment to protect them from warping, shrinking or cracking. Ideally keep the humidity of your home between 25 and 45% and try to eliminate rapid changes in temperature and humidity.

Yes, you can order cabinets ‘supply-only’ to be delivered outside of the Edmonton area. We can provide your contractor or installer installation drawings to ensure your cabinets are installed to the design specifications.

You will be responsible for arranging pick-up from our warehouse to your destination.

In some cases it may be possible to have cabinets shipped from our manufacturer directly to your site location - depending on some variables.