FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
Because no two pieces of furniture are the same, no two jobs are ever the same, so it is not feasible to create standard pricing that can cover all tables, all chairs, all dressers, etc. If you need the cane replaced on your chair, for example, that could cost between $125 and $325 depending on the type of cane (machine or hand-woven). If a dining table needs to be stripped and refinished, that would start at $600. A wobbly chair could be fixed for $75-$175 depending on how many joints are loose. I am happy to travel a good distance to meet a client, but of course time and travel are then added. Refinishing and repairing furniture is an investment, and I recognize that sometimes people might think it's more cost-effective to throw out what they have and purchase new furniture. In an effort to stop this flow of unnecessary waste into landfills (the United States dumps more than 10 millions TONS of furniture into landfills every year!) and also to save people the heartache of spending good money on new, poorly-made, manufactured furniture, I do offer a 10% discount for clients committing to the repair or refinish of six or more pieces of furniture at once. This is often helpful in the case of dining room chairs, for example, but can be used for any combination of pieces.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I always enjoy the initial phone conversation to chat with a client and get to know him or her before launching into job details. The work you hire me to do is important to you and me both, and that initial conversation is where we start our relationship. The next step is to discuss the furniture, so I can understand your needs and explain what I can do to help. Then I will come to look at the furniture in person and remove it to my workshop, though some jobs can actually be conducted on-site at a client's home. If the piece comes to my shop, I take pictures of its progress to share with you, and on the agreed return date I bring the piece back to you in glorious new condition.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
In 2014 I left my career as a NYC EMT in the 911 system to bring different life-saving skills to the world of antique, vintage, and fine wood furniture. Refinishing and painting furniture has been a hobby since I was little, but I knew I had to learn so much more to stand alongside some of the really excellent professional woodworkers and finishers in this field. I apprenticed in two fast-paced workshops with renowned craftsmen and they generously shared their knowledge and expertise, and along with an unquenchable desire to learn more and more from all kinds of sources, I gained the skills necessary to open my own shop and provide work of a quality my mentors can be very proud of.