(818) 926-1173
How We Work
Custom Lighting Can Be Complicated
We've Made It Straightforward
Most buyers who come to Doua have been burned before — by a manufacturer who couldn't execute their vision, a supplier who went quiet mid-production, or an overseas partner whose "on-time delivery" meant six weeks late. Our process was built specifically to solve those failures.
Here's exactly what working with Doua looks like
From first contact through final delivery and beyond
WHAT HAPPENS
You share your project specs, timeline, and design direction. We ask the right questions upfront so nothing gets lost later. This is not a passive intake form — it's an active conversation designed to surface the details that drive cost, lead time, and design feasibility.
WHAT WE ASK ABOUT
Project type and scale. Fixture quantity by type. Material and finish preferences. Brand standards or design guidelines. Install environment and code requirements. Budget parameters. Opening or delivery date.
WHAT YOU GET
A clear understanding of whether we're the right fit for your project, a preliminary timeline estimate, and a defined scope for the design phase. No ambiguity about what comes next.
PHASE ONE
01
Brief & Discovery
WHAT HAPPENS
Our team develops concepts or refines your existing design for efficient, scalable manufacturing. You approve before we build. Design for Manufacturing (DFM) is the step that most buyers never see but always feel — it's the process of engineering your vision so it can be produced consistently, at the right cost, without losing what makes it distinctive.
WHAT DFM MEANS IN PRACTICE
If you come to us with a full design, we review it for manufacturability and flag anything that would drive unnecessary cost or compromise quality at scale. If you come to us with a direction, we develop concepts and present options before committing to production drawings. Either way, you see and approve the design before a single fixture is built.
WHAT YOU GET
Production-ready drawings, material and finish specifications, and a confirmed quote tied to the approved design. No scope creep after approval.
PHASE TWO
02
Design & DFM
WHAT HAPPENS
Your fixtures are built in our facility with quality control checkpoints throughout — not a rubber stamp at the end. Every order goes through material verification, in-process inspection, and final QC before it ships.
WHAT QC LOOKS LIKE
Material and component verification against approved specs. In-process checks at fabrication, assembly, and finishing stages. Final inspection against production drawings and approved samples. Photography of finished units available on request.
WHAT YOU GET
Proactive production status updates so your project team is never left guessing. You'll know when production starts, when QC is complete, and when your order ships — without having to chase us for information.
PHASE THREE
03
Production & QC
WHAT HAPPENS
We manage logistics, handle issues if they arise, and stay accountable after the order ships. The relationship does not end at delivery.
WHAT POST-DELIVERY SUPPORT MEANS
If a fixture arrives damaged or defective, we handle it — not through a ticket queue or a warranty claim process that takes six weeks, but through a direct conversation with the team who built it. We know what we made, we stand behind it, and we move quickly when something isn't right.
WHAT YOU GET
Warranty coverage, a named contact for post-delivery issues, and the peace of mind that comes from working with a team who has reputational skin in the game on every order they ship.
PHASE FOUR
04
Delivery & Support
Questions Buyers + Designers Ask
Before They Start a Project
