Cabinet Design Services for Dealers: How Outsourced Design Works Day to Day
A cabinet design service for dealers is an outside design team that turns your measurements, photos and notes into a complete kitchen design: floor plan, elevations, 3D renderings and a cabinet list in the cabinet line you sell. You send the request, the service designs it, and you present it to the homeowner under your own name and quote the job.
Most cabinet dealers know design wins sales. The challenge is capacity. When every salesperson also has to draw every kitchen, designs pile up in busy weeks, homeowners wait, and some of them sign with someone faster. An outsourced design service adds design capacity without adding headcount.
What happens in a typical design request?
| Step | Who | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Measure | Dealer or installer | Measure the room and take photos of each wall |
| 2. Submit | Dealer | Upload measurements, photos, cabinet line and notes through a portal |
| 3. Design | Design service | Build the layout, elevations, renderings and cabinet list |
| 4. Review | Dealer | Check the design and request changes if needed |
| 5. Present | Dealer | Show the design to the homeowner and quote the job |
| 6. Order | Dealer | Order cabinets using the cabinet list |
At 247 Cabinetry, requests are submitted and tracked in our client portal, and most complete kitchen requests are delivered within 24 hours.
What should a design package include?
A complete package gives you everything needed to sell and order:
- 2D floor plan with dimensions and cabinet positions.
- Elevations of each wall, showing cabinet heights, appliances and fillers.
- 3D renderings the homeowner can understand at a glance.
- Cabinet list with SKUs in your cabinet line, ready for quoting.
- Design file in your design software where that is part of the package.
You can see a full example on our sample design page.
Why does designing in your cabinet line matter?
A design is only useful if you can price and order it. When the designer works in the cabinet brand you sell, the cabinet list uses real SKUs, sizes and options. That removes the step of converting a generic layout into orderable cabinets, which is where many errors creep in. Tell the service your brand, door style and finish on every request.
How do you get faster, more accurate designs?
The quality of the submission decides the quality of the design. Before submitting, check:
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Every wall measured, including openings | Prevents layout changes later |
| Ceiling height and soffits | Sets wall cabinet heights |
| Window, door and vent positions | Avoids conflicts with cabinets |
| Appliance sizes and models | Correct openings and clearances |
| Photos of each wall | Shows details measurements miss |
| Cabinet line, door style and finish | Correct SKUs and renderings |
| Homeowner priorities | Storage, island, budget, style |
Our guide on how to measure a kitchen for cabinets walks through the measurements step by step.
Which pricing model fits your dealership?
| Model | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Per design | Pay for each design you request | Occasional or seasonal design needs |
| Multi-room per design | One price for a kitchen plus smaller rooms | Whole-home and remodel projects |
| Monthly retainer | Fixed monthly fee for a set number of designs | Dealers with steady weekly volume |
Our own plans follow this structure: KitchenPlan at $29.99 per design, Full House at $59.99 for a kitchen plus up to three smaller spaces, and a $1,399 monthly retainer for up to 60 designs. New accounts get their first design free. See the full details on our pricing page.
How does outsourced design fit your sales process?
The most effective dealers use outsourced design to shorten the time between the first visit and the design presentation:
- Measure at the first appointment and submit the same day.
- Book the design presentation for one or two days later, while interest is high.
- Present with renderings so the homeowner can picture the finished kitchen.
- Make changes quickly by sending revision notes through the portal.
- Quote from the cabinet list without re-entering cabinets.
Our guide on how to present a kitchen design to homeowners covers the presentation itself.
In-house, outsourced or both?
Many dealers keep one in-house designer for complex custom projects and send routine kitchens, overflow and busy-season work to a design service. Others outsource all design and let their team focus on selling. Our comparison of in-house vs. outsourced kitchen design explains the trade-offs.
Getting started
Start with one real project. Submit a complete request, compare the result with what your team would have produced, and time how long it took. If the design is accurate and fast, add more projects. Learn more about our kitchen design services for dealers, or create an account to request your first design free.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cabinet design service for dealers?
It is an outside design team that creates kitchen and cabinet designs for dealers. The dealer sends measurements, photos and notes, and the service returns floor plans, elevations, 3D renderings and a cabinet list in the dealer’s cabinet line.
How fast can a dealer get a kitchen design?
It depends on the service and the project. At 247 Cabinetry, most complete kitchen requests are delivered within 24 hours, and the status of every request is visible in the client portal.
Do dealers keep the customer relationship?
Yes. The design service works behind the scenes. The dealer presents the design, quotes the job and owns the relationship with the homeowner.
What does a dealer need to send for a design?
Wall measurements, ceiling height, window and door positions, appliance details, photos of the room, the cabinet line and door style, and any homeowner preferences or budget notes.
Sources
Need this kitchen designed?
Upload your measurements and get 2D plans, elevations and 3D renderings in 24 hours.
Sign up for design service