When I took over purchasing for our 80-person architectural firm in late 2023, I figured my biggest challenge with materials would be pricing. You know, getting the best deal on a batch of Caesarstone for a new build or a big renovation. For a while, that's what I thought the job was.
But after managing about 50 different material orders through 2024—everything from sample tiles to full slab deliveries—I've learned something pretty inconvenient. The most expensive problem isn't the sticker price. It's the week-long delays that happen because of a mismatch between what the designer picked and what the fabricator can actually deliver.
And a surprising amount of that friction starts in the showroom. Especially when it comes to Caesarstone.
