How Outsourced Drawings Changed the Way We Work

Rob has been running Ashcrest Joinery for years. He’s good at what he does - his clients know it, his reputation reflects it, and his workshop is a direct result of the standard he holds himself to. But a few years ago, he recognised something that a lot of skilled joiners eventually recognise: creating beautiful cabinetry and being great at running a business are two different things, and time spent on one often comes at the expense of the other.

Drawings were where some of the time was going. Pencil sketches, rough cut lists that weren’t always right, hours spent at a desk that could have been spent on the tools or with clients. Rob knew something needed to change and what he found, through a search on Instagram, was Clifford Design House - and the relationship has shaped how Ashcrest Joinery operates ever since.

Finding Clifford Design House

Rob came across Clifford Design House the way a lot of trade clients do - through Instagram, not long after the studio had launched. The account came up in searches, he made contact, and within a short time he was on an initial call with Maria.

“After an initial call with Maria, everything was really clear from the get go. It was something we could implement immediately.”

— Rob, Ashcrest Joinery

That clarity from the outset is something Rob returns to more than once. The pricing was mapped out, the process was explained and there was no ambiguity about what working together would look like or what it would cost. For a joiner who was used to chasing quotes and navigating uncertainty, that straightforwardness was immediately valuable.

From that first call, Rob knew it was going to work. Not just as a service, but as a long-term working relationship and three years on, the relationship still thrives.

What changed in the workshop

Before working with Clifford Design House, Ashcrest Joinery relied on pencil drawings and self-produced cut lists. It was a system that worked, until it didn’t. Cut lists were sometimes wrong and time was lost correcting them. This meant that workshop flow suffered.

“Working out cut lists and they were not always right — we were spending hours and hours doing this. Having a proper working drawing with cut lists has saved a lot of time with my business, and therefore the growth of my business has been much better.”

— Rob, Ashcrest Joinery

The shift to professional CAD drawings with proper construction packs changed the rhythm of the workshop entirely. Every project now comes with a complete package — floor plans, elevations, sections, dimensioned details, and cut lists that the team can work from without ambiguity.

The impact on new staff has been particularly significant. When Ashcrest Joinery brought on new joiners, getting them up to speed quickly and consistently was a challenge but working from construction packs solved it.

“It can be quite tricky when taking on new staff, but working from a construction pack it really helps the workshop flow and keeps everything consistent, whether a simple or complex job.”

— Rob, Ashcrest Joinery

The drawings have made everything more consistent across the board. Whether the job is complex or straightforward, every member of the team can see the whole process in the drawings, resulting in very few questions from staff and fewer mistakes - a workshop that runs the way Rob always wanted it to.

How it changed the Ashcrest client experience

The workshop improvement alone would have justified the decision but the impact on how Ashcrest Joinery presents to clients has been equally significant - arguably more so when it comes to the growth of the business.

Before working with Clifford Design House, client presentations relied on pencil drawings and verbal descriptions. They communicated the idea, but only up to a point.

“There’s nothing like presenting in 3D on letter-headed paper. It’s mapped out so the client can visualise everything.”

— Rob, Ashcrest Joinery

The 3D drawing packages produced by Clifford Design House include handles, paint colours, worktop finishes, and internal details - everything the client needs to see the finished project before a single cut is made. For Rob, the effect on client confidence has been immediate and consistent.

Clients can see exactly what they’re getting, meaning they sign off faster, they query less, they ghost less - and when they do have questions, the drawing helps to support Rob’s answers.

“The drawings look more professional - more than what I could provide myself. I can spend more time with the client and feel more confident presenting to them with the drawings.”

— Rob, Ashcrest Joinery

That confidence in the room has allowed Rob to pursue bigger projects, commissions that require a level of client presentation that pencil drawings simply can’t deliver. For a complex kitchen, he notes, having exact measurements, draw heights, and internal details mapped out in a professional drawing is invaluable.

Reliability that works for a growing business

One of the things Rob highlights most consistently is reliability, specifically, the ability to give his clients a precise date for when drawings will be delivered, and knowing that date will be met.

“One of the best things I’ve found is being able to give my clients an exact day that my drawings will be over to them, which goes down really well - and it has never been missed in three years.”

— Rob, Ashcrest Joinery

For a joiner juggling client meetings, pricing new jobs, and managing a workshop, that reliability is more than a convenience.  Rob knows that while he’s focused on winning work and managing relationships, the design side is being taken care of to a standard and on a timeline he can commit to.

When changes are needed quickly - especially when a job is close to sign-off and something needs to shift - the responsiveness of the team at Clifford Design House has been a consistent differentiator.

“Sam is always on the end of the phone if I need a change made or anything like that. He’s back to me within hours sometimes — especially if you’re trying to get the job over the line.”

— Rob, Ashcrest Joinery

That kind of responsiveness, from a team that understands the pace of a joinery business, is what makes the relationship work so well.

Growth, year on year

Rob is clear that outsourcing his drawings has been one of the contributors to the consistent year-on-year growth of Ashcrest Joinery. Not the only factor, but a meaningful one  because it freed him up to focus on the parts of the business that actually drive growth.

“If I’ve got to be having client meetings, busy pricing new jobs — working on my business — I know that the designs are getting taken care of.”

— Rob, Ashcrest Joinery

That distinction, between working in the business and working on it, is one that every joiner who wants to grow eventually has to grapple with. For Rob, outsourcing drawings was a direct answer to that challenge. Time that used to go on cut lists and CAD work now goes on client relationships, new project development, and the kind of strategic thinking that builds a business rather than just sustains one.

He also values something less tangible but equally real: the sense of having people in his corner who know the industry and genuinely want to help.

“It’s nice to have friends in the industry too. They’ve always gone the extra mile for me — even on small jobs with tricky little details.”

— Rob, Ashcrest Joinery

What Rob would say to other joiners

Rob has recommended Clifford Design House to a number of his joiner contacts and would continue to do so. When asked to describe the service in three words, he didn’t hesitate.

“Easy. Good value. Friendly.”

— Rob, Ashcrest Joinery

His advice to other joiners considering making the change is straightforward. If workshop flow is something you’re trying to improve  or if there are other areas of the business you want to develop, outsourcing your drawings to Clifford Design House will help you do that. The process is clear, the value is evident, and the results speak for themselves.

For Rob, the decision to work with Clifford Design House wasn’t just about getting better drawings. It was about building a better business. Three years on, that’s exactly what’s happened.

Ready to Find Out What Outsourced CAD Drawings Could Do for Your Joinery Business?

If Rob’s experience sounds familiar — if you’re spending too much time on drawings and not enough time growing your business — we’d love to talk.

Book a free discovery call — no obligation, just a conversation about your workflow and how we can support your next project.

Explore our CAD studio — find out what a professional drawing package includes and how our process works.

Read: How Better Drawings Help You Win Better Jobs — more on the connection between drawing quality and the projects you win.

Read: Why Your Business Coach Keeps Suggesting Outsourcing Drawings — the business case for making the change.

Get in touch — we’re always happy to hear about your next project.