Managing Expectations

Funeral Space Remodel, Expansion, or New Construction

It’s your baby. It’s your livelihood. It might be the livelihood of your son or daughter. There’s one thing for certain – you’ve built a business and now for what might be a variety of reasons – the building needs an update, an addition, or maybe you’ve purchased another location. Where do you start? And what should you expect?

No matter the size of the project, a good team will work through 5 stages along the way. Planning is key. A good team will plan the design objective, brand considerations, timeline, impact to your business while you’re still open, functional needs of you and your staff, needs of the community as you lay them out and a good team will listen to what works and what doesn’t. Expanding on the first – and fixing the latter. This is also where preliminary budgets are established. Once you’ve established your team, expect a month or two, to secure the right plan.

Once the team and overall plan are in place, the Schematics (drawing) stage will formally begin. So important in a building project, is the electronic drawing. That’s YODA speak for absolutely, we need a drawing. Building projects and interior design in particular, can be subjective. Drawings clear all of that up. Drawings allow for discussion and collaboration on paper and help prevent costly mistakes in the field. They show furniture space planning, lighting layouts, of course wall, window and door locations, critical elevations (wall views) and other pertinent information that your contractor will need to build the dream. Drawings may take from 4 to 6 weeks – sometimes longer in larger projects.

At this point, you and your team are well on your way to the start of construction. The design plan is progressing and the electronic / paper plan is off to your contractor for their estimate. Once you’ve got a handle on budgets and funding, it is time to firm up Selections (specifications). This is where color, texture, vibe, warmth, and brand take shape. An accomplished interior design firm will understand the need for the right product, the right shape, the right finish, the right fabric, and the right frame selection. An error here undoes all of your upfront work. Furniture must be rated for durability in a funeral home environment. It’s got to mirror your brand. It’s necessary to place chairs with the right seat and arm height. Loveseats with the right foam density. And all the other right stuff. Expect a good 4 weeks or more for this stage.

Design Management is the next stage where your design team will process furnishings orders, expedite orders, and monitor the production of orders. Once options are reviewed, the decision to order should be done quickly. Fabrics might become discontinued. Stock may be unpredictable. It’s custom. US manufacturers are building the furniture pieces for you, with the right fabric and finish. It takes a minute and generally, this is the time where your contractors are on-site completing the structural work to your facility. The timeline for this stage will vary. Upholstery may take from 8 to 12 weeks to complete. Some US made chapel chairs are taking 2 weeks and some require as much as 16 weeks to complete.

Once construction is complete, the space has been thoroughly cleaned, the dust is settling and your furnishings are ready to be delivered, you are now ready for Installation. This is the exciting part. This is where you get to see everything come together. The paint and/or wall covering is up, carpet is down, furniture trucks arrive and window treatments and artwork are hung. The space is staged down to the tissue boxes and waste containers. It is installation week and may take anywhere from 3 to 5 days to complete. The photos are taken, the punch list is addressed and the client is hopefully – exceedingly satisfied with the result.

Managing expectations for any project is important. Owners and directors do that all day long for the families they serve. Same is true in a building project. It starts with a knowledgeable team, progresses with good discussion, collaboration, and execution of ideas. Continued attention to detail, budget and timeline. And when this happens, the end result is amazing!

The FFH design team would love to hear about your business. And if we can assist in your remodeling, addition or new construction, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Tam Schreiner
Owner & Managing Director
FFH design