Jennifer Sherrill
CR, CKBR
Kitchen Design Concepts
Carrollton, TX
Jennifer Sherrill is president of Kitchen Design Concepts. She is the second woman and one of only 22 remodelers to receive the Certified Remodeler designation from NARI. Kitchen Design Concepts is a turnkey custom kitchen design and remodeling firm with showroom locations in Carrollton and Lakewood, Texas.
What are the top three things you look for from a supplier?
The three most important things we look for in any supplier are quality products, impeccable customer service, and breadth of the supplier’s product line.
Describe your best lumber and building materials vendor and why they are the best.
Our best vendor relationship is with Wilson Plywood & Door in Garland, Texas. We have a very experienced sales person, Tommy, who goes above and beyond to achieve our design goals. We don’t order a ton of standard lumber, more trim and doors from them, and their quality has impressed us for years.
When was the last time you changed vendors and why?
We changed to Wilson Plywood & Door about six years ago. Wilson is a much smaller operation and we get more personalized service and faster pickup of materials.
When and why would you accept a meeting from a new supplier/vendor?
We have built long-term relationships with our vendors and subcontractors. We don’t change these relationships unless there is a significant reason to do so.
What do you wish LBM suppliers understood about your business?
We are delivering the highest quality kitchens and bathrooms and even our framing needs to be of the highest quality so that our cabinets, counters, wall tile and other fixtures install perfectly. Therefore, delivered lumber, such as 2x4s, need to be of the highest quality. We have found most lumberyards deliver at least 20% defective lumber. If you are a production homebuilder this may be OK, but not in our world. We literally go to the big box stores to buy standard lumber so we can hand-select each piece. This is more expensive, but we have zero quality issues.
What products (if any) do you buy installed?
Some buy high-end window and door systems installed, (for example, a NanaWall door system).
What is the number one problem that keeps you up at night?
I worry about making sure each customer is more than satisfied with the kitchens and baths we deliver, as well as the process along the way.
What do you see as your biggest opportunity?
We need to always improve our processes and procedures to allow our company to continue to grow and meet the demands of the most discriminating customers.
