FAQ
Frequently asked questions
First call, quote, payment, deliverables, quality, what we don’t do: answers to the questions we’re asked most often.
Updated
7 questions
Is this for me?
I don’t know where to start: is this for me?
Yes, that is exactly why Make Lab exists. You know what you want to open or launch. Where to start, who to talk to and what it really costs: that’s our job. The simplest way is to start with the questionnaire.
What does Make Lab do?
Make Lab guides entrepreneurs who know what they want to open or launch, but not how: one team designs what you need, has it made, inspects it and delivers it, and one person is accountable for all of it. We support the opening of a physical store (restaurant, coffee shop, retail store, gym, leisure venue, concept store) and the launch of a brand, sold to consumers or to businesses.
Do I need a company?
Yes. We work with businesses, existing or being set up: articles of organization signed or registration filed. We do not work with an individual who has not yet started setting up their company.
Does my project need to be decided already?
Yes on the what, not on the how. You know what you want to open or launch, with a budget and a date. The how is our job, starting with a study of your market in the Frame phase.
Why not order directly from the factory?
You can. But a factory price on its own says nothing about what the product will cost you once delivered, or about the quality of the run. With us, you get a reference sample, a pre-shipment inspection when your order includes it, delivery to your door and a single point of contact. And you don’t have to travel.
Which countries do you work in?
France, Belgium, Switzerland, Morocco, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and elsewhere case by case.
Is there a minimum budget?
We do not publish a minimum. The questionnaire asks for your budget: if it does not allow the project to be done properly, we tell you before the first call.
6 questions
How does it start?
What are the steps before we start?
The questionnaire, a first call, then your quote, presented on a second call. None of them commits you. The work starts after you sign, with the first phase of the project.
How can I contact you?
On WhatsApp or by email, we reply within 48 business hours. For a new project, everything starts with the questionnaire: it takes three minutes, and it’s what lets us review your project.
What is the first call for?
We go over your answers to the questionnaire and gather the information we still need to price your project. It is used to prepare your quote, nothing else: work on the project starts after you sign.
What is the difference between the first call and the “Frame” phase?
The first call prepares your quote, with no commitment. “Frame” is the first phase of the project, once the quote is signed: we set the scope, the budget item by item, the suppliers and the schedule, and we hand these documents over to you.
How quickly do you reply?
Every project is reviewed by our team within 48 business hours. If it fits what we do, we send you a link to book your call.
Does my idea stay confidential?
Yes. Everything you send us is used only to prepare your quote. On request, we sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) before our call. Once the quote is signed, confidentiality is covered by the terms of sale attached to your quote.
4 questions
How much, and how do I pay?
How much does a project cost?
Every project has its own fixed-price quote, presented on the second call. To see where yours stands against the market, ask for your estimate: it is sent to you by email.
When do I pay?
The payment terms are written in your quote: you know what you pay, and when, before you sign. Nothing starts until you sign. Any expense not provided for in the quote is submitted to you for approval before it is committed.
Can you give me manufacturing prices before I sign?
No. A manufacturing price on its own says nothing about what the product will cost you once delivered, or about whether it can be made: it would mislead you. Before you sign, you receive your estimate, sent by email, then your quote. Prices, options and product sheets are part of the work we deliver.
What if I ask for something that is not in the quote?
Yes. We tell you what it costs and how much time it adds, and you decide before it’s done.
5 questions
What do I receive?
What does the quote contain?
What is included, what is optional and what is excluded, the deliverables, the schedule, the price and the payment terms. You know what you are buying before you sign.
Who owns the work?
You do, once the engagement is paid: identity, printed materials, plans and source files provided for in the quote. Domain names, online stores and accounts are opened in your name as soon as they are created. Molds you pay for belong to you.
Where are the products made?
Furniture, fit-out, packaging and products are most often manufactured in China, within our network: for each item, we choose the manufacturer that best fits your project on quality, price and lead time. You approve a reference sample, production is inspected before shipping when your order includes it, and we arrange delivery to your door. We manage the relationship with the manufacturers: you have a single point of contact, in English.
Will I know the manufacturers?
Our teams manage the relationship with the manufacturers: they’re identified by a code in your files. That is what allows us to negotiate, to inspect and to take your claims to them.
What are the lead times?
They depend on the product, the quantities and how quickly you approve each step: the exact schedule is written into your quote. Two benchmarks apply to anything manufactured in China: sea freight to France takes about five to six weeks, or 45 to 60 days door to door, not counting production; and factories shut down for about two weeks around Chinese New Year (February 6 in 2027), so a winter order should be placed before mid-December, or after late February.
4 questions
What if it goes wrong?
How can I be sure of the quality?
No manufacturing starts without a reference sample that you have approved and signed, unless you waive it in writing. One round of sample corrections is included; beyond that, a new sample is ordered. When your order includes it, production is inspected once finished, before packing and shipping, with a dated photo report.
What if a product arrives with a defect?
You report it to us in writing, with photos, within seven days of receipt. We handle the claim with the manufacturer, based on the signed sample and, if one took place, the inspection report.
What if the project runs late?
We let you know as soon as a delay is foreseeable. The lead times in the quote are suspended while we wait for an approval from you: the schedule moves at the pace of your approvals, and any time spent waiting on an approval pushes delivery back by the same amount. The details are in the terms of sale attached to your quote.
Can I change my mind along the way?
One round of changes is included for each deliverable. Beyond that, or if a change reopens a step you’ve already approved, it requires an additional quote.
1 question
What we don’t do
What don’t you do?
No dropshipping and no single-unit orders. No sales prospecting: we can hand you sales tools, we do not sell on your behalf. No construction work, installation or site supervision: we deliver what we supply on the date agreed with you, and the installation is done by your contractors. No location search, bank loan applications, trademark filing or lab testing: for these, we point you to the right professionals.
1 question
What comes next?
What about after the opening or the launch?
Restocking, a new range, a second location, a franchise kit: each next step has its own quote, built on what is already in place.
Let’s talk about your project.
- Free
- Reply within 48 business hours
- Nothing starts until you sign
A question? WhatsApp (opens in a new tab)contact@makelabco.com