Why Kennedy · Your furniture project, start to finish
One local team. No surprises.
A furniture project has more moving parts than most people expect. Here is the whole process, step by step, and who handles each part.
Planned, specified, and installed by one accountable team.
Long Beverage, Rocky Mount
A typical project at a glance
The Why Kennedy series
We talked about price. We talked about service. Here is how a project runs.
Anyone can order a desk. A furniture project is a plan, a design, a factory order, a delivery, an install, and a walkthrough. Kennedy runs every part of it, and we tell you up front how it works and how long it takes.
1Price
Honest pricing, side by side.
Five cartons of copy paper priced next to the national sellers. Ours is the lower number in every one.
2Service
Service is how we say thank you.
A real person answers the phone. Co-owner Mary Catherine Sigmon on why Kennedy has worked this way since 1960.
3Process
You are hereOne local team. No surprises.
Six steps from first meeting to ongoing support, with the timing, the terms, and the five things that keep your project on schedule.
See the six steps ↓The process
Six steps. One team.
Your account representative is your single point of contact the whole way, backed by the full Kennedy furniture team.
- 1
Discovery & Planning
1 to 2 weeks- Goals, priorities, and the look you want for the space
- Operational needs, existing drawings, and floor plans
- Timeline and budget, discussed openly and up front
- 2a
Design & Product Selection
2a and 2b: 2 to 6 weeks- Product recommendations from your Kennedy designer
- Preliminary layout and space plan
- Fabric and finish selection
- An initial quote for budgeting, at the price tier you're targeting
- 2b
Final Design & Approval
2a and 2b: 2 to 6 weeks- Final floor plan, renderings, finishes, and bill of materials
- Two rounds of revisions are typical. More than that adds time
- Your approval locks the design
- 3
Proposal & Ordering
Signature and deposit- Proposal review: product, installation scope, and schedule
- Signed proposal and deposit release the order
- Kennedy audits every purchase order before it goes to the factory
- Order acknowledgement with a confirmed ship date
- MilestoneSigned Proposal & Orders Released
- 4
Manufacturing
4 to 12+ weeks- Lead time is set by the manufacturer and depends on product, availability, factory workload, and holidays
- Kennedy tracks the order and passes along any change in ship date as soon as we know
- Everything is received and inspected at our warehouse before it comes to you
- 5
Installation & Completion
1 to 5 days- Product received, inspected, and staged in Kennedy's warehouse
- Delivery, installation, and site readiness coordinated by your rep
- Final walkthrough with you; punch items noted and resolved
- MilestoneSubstantial Completion
- 6
Ongoing Support
Repair labor at no charge, first year- Kennedy files warranty claims with the manufacturer and handles repair labor at no charge for the first year
- Service and reconfigurations after that. Same team, same accountability
The details
What happens, and when.
Before the order on the left, after the order on the right. Click any card for the full detail.
Read this firstWhere changes stopEasy before release. Limited after.
- Most furniture is built to order. Before the order is released, changes can usually be made.
- Once released, changes are limited. Special-order product can't be returned, and cancellations after release carry the manufacturer's charges.
- That is why we confirm colors, dimensions, and quantities with you before release.
Quotes and proposalsBudget quote in Design. Proposals valid 30 days.
- An initial budget quote comes during Design so you can plan before anything is final.
- The formal proposal follows final design approval and covers product, delivery, installation, and schedule.
- Proposals are valid for 30 days. Manufacturer pricing and freight change without notice, so we revalidate after that.
Deposit and payment50% releases the order. The balance is due at install.
- A 50% deposit with your signed proposal releases the order.
- The balance is due at completion of installation. If a punch list remains, we bill for everything installed and bill the punch items when they're done.
- We accept check, ACH, credit card with a processing fee, and approved commercial accounts.
Lead timesQuick-ship 1 to 2 weeks. Standard 4 to 12+ weeks.
- Lead times are set by the manufacturer. They are estimates, not guarantees.
- In-stock and quick-ship product: 1 to 2 weeks.
- Standard manufacturer lead time: 4 to 12+ weeks.
- Custom finishes, large casegoods orders, and holiday periods run longer.
- If a manufacturer tells us about a delay, you hear from us as soon as we know.
Delivery and installation5 business days' notice. Install takes 1 to 5 days.
- We call to schedule once your product is in our warehouse, with 5 business days' notice.
- Installation runs one to five days depending on scope.
- Kennedy installs the power and data parts built into the furniture. Connecting workstations to building power is electrical work, so an electrician you hire makes that connection.
- The crew walks the space with you at the end to confirm everything is right.
Walkthrough and punch listFlag anything within 5 business days. We handle the fixes.
- Note anything at the walkthrough or within 5 business days.
- Fixes from our warehouse happen quickly. If a part has to be reordered, it follows the manufacturer's lead time. We keep you posted either way.
- Kennedy handles reorders and swaps. You don't re-coordinate anything.
How you keep your project on schedule
Most of the timeline is in our hands. These five points are in yours.
- Tell us about the site early.Loading dock, elevator, stair carry, after-hours access, power and data. It sets crew size and schedule.
- Decide finishes promptly.Every added option or revision extends Design. Naming one decision maker keeps it moving.
- Sign and deposit on time.Nothing goes to the factory until both are in. The lead-time clock starts at release, not at design approval.
- Lock the scope before release.Changes after release are limited, and special-order product can't be returned.
- Have the space ready.Old furniture out, construction done, power locations confirmed, and an electrician lined up if needed. Site readiness is the most common reason an install date moves.
From a customer
"The installation was, to me, as important as the furniture itself. There were so many pieces that the way it looked could have been all over the map. It wasn't."
Dan Peterson
Facility Senior Specialist, The Poe Center
Meet the team
The same team, from first call to final walkthrough.
Every Kennedy furniture project is handled by people you can name. They plan the space, specify the furniture, run the install, and stay involved until it's right. When you call Kennedy, you reach someone who already knows your project.
Sarah ClaytonCore Account Manager
Sanford HinkleFurniture Specialist
Sarah TroxellDesigner and Space Planner
Mike MerschHead of Furniture Purchasing
Larry BentonManager of Kennedy FurnitureMary Catherine SigmonCo-Owner and Executive Furniture ExpertWant to talk through a project? Call 800-733-9401 or email custserv@kennedyoffice.com.
Planning a space? Start with a conversation.
Tell us what your team needs. A Kennedy furniture specialist will walk you through the process and give you a realistic timeline for your project.