Building More Efficiently: Turn-Key Interior Doors and Trim

Did you know that Brand Vaughan Lumber has an installed services program as a part of our commitment to our customers?

The Installed Services department was launched almost a decade ago, and we recently added a new warehouse in Tucker to expand Brand Vaughan’s door and trim production capabilities. We spoke with John Donkar, head of Installed Services, to find out what’s new when it comes to this convenient service that we provide for builders.

A debate on Twitter went viral not long ago, this time about something only mildly controversial: doors vs. wheels.

“Well, I’d probably have to go with doors!” says John, when asked about his take on the debate. He might be biased, but that’s only because he’s installed a large number of doors throughout his career.

“I’ve been in the install business for almost my whole career — for 18 years,” says John. He’d been working in the installed services field for about a decade when he joined the Brand Vaughan team in 2013. At Brand Vaughan, John helped launch the installed services program. “We started with framing, then siding, windows and doors. And the program has grown a lot since 2013.”

Because of John’s and his team’s commitment to the program, it’s evolved to become a valuable resource to builders and their clients. “We meet with the builders prior to the job, check in the material on the job site and meet onsite with the labor,” John explains. “Then, we come back to inspect the work.”

Because Brand Vaughan stocks and sources doors from partners we trust — and then we help our customers install them — the process is streamlined. “Our Norcross facility is now solely for interior doors and trim manufacturing, and all of our shipping and warehousing has shifted over to the new Tucker facility,” explains John. “Being able to shift our shipping portion over to Tucker has allowed us to carry more inventory and build more doors faster to meet demand.”

We talked with John about more of what this efficient, turn-key process looks like behind the scenes.

A large part of what our Installed Services team helps with is planning and pricing out new building projects. “That allows builders to have less staff on hand for estimating,” explains John. “Builders benefit a great deal in time and money savings because our Installed Services Team takes full responsibility for accuracy and helping reduce waste when it comes to interior trim. This gives them peace of mind as well.”

Brand Vaughan Lumber sells Masonite and Steve’s Doors, and we’ve worked with them for years now because we know they offer a range of great, reliable products:

• Options for all styles of doors, including bi-fold doors, sliding options for pocket and barn doors or double doors

• Six-, five-, four-, three-, two- and one-panel designs

• Smooth or textured finishes

• Archtop, squaretop and other designs

• Solid core, hollow core and fire-rated core options

If you’re not sure of your door or trim design yet, the Installed Services team offers options and will consult customers on style. “There are three to five door styles that are standard, and there are several size options for casings,” says John. “We’re not seeing orders for two-piece crown molding much anymore. Our trim comes in multiple options, and we’ve got a fireplace and kitchen island trim as well.”

Once your design is finalized, the doors are cut and casings are assembled, they’re ready to be delivered and installed, along with the trim package. “A majority of the trim work is shipped out in lengths, then cut to size on-site,” explains John.

Brand Vaughan knows how important it is to get the job done right the first time — after all, no one wants to receive a callback. Our install crews are there to support an on-time, high-quality project. “We’re out there walking the job,” John explains. “Interior trim and door installations can be tricky to get right the first try. You can’t put a price tag on handing all that off to us.”

Brand Vaughan’s commitment to “Extra Mile Service” is further guaranteed when builders choose to work with our Installed Services team. “We’ve increased our capacity, and there’s actually a new door machine on order as we speak,” John laughs. “Now, we can produce more doors in a shorter amount of time.”

By using turn-key solutions for doors and trim, builders can help guarantee a smoother and more reliable installation. “And we offer a one-year installation warranty if it’s done turn-key,” says John.

Our service doesn’t stop at only doors and trim. We also build and install custom features such as bookcase built-ins, benches — anything that the plans calls for.

“We have seen more demand for turn-key projects,” explains John, “and price volatility has contributed to that. But with an install, builders have more steady pricing, and because of current market conditions, there’s been more of a migration towards that solution.”

To experience efficiency in installation and get the support you need on your next door and trim project, give Brand Vaughan’s Installed Services team a call. “We pride ourselves in our service,” says John, and we’d love to get started on your project today. Learn more about our turn-key doors and trim solutions, and contact us if you have any questions regarding a project, we’ll be glad to help.