Terms and Conditions

These terms apply to estimates for carpentry and joinery work and form part of the contract when an estimate is accepted. They should be read together with the scope, price and payment schedule shown in the estimate.

1  Validity and acceptance

This estimate is valid for 30 days from its date unless stated otherwise. It is based on the scope of work, quantities and information available to us when it was prepared.

The estimate must be accepted as a whole. Any requested alteration to the scope, quantities, specification or timing may require a revised estimate.

Acceptance of the estimate, including by email or payment of a requested deposit or booking fee, creates a contract incorporating these terms and conditions.

2  Scope and unforeseen work

The estimated price covers only the work and materials described in the estimate.

If unforeseen circumstances or additional work become apparent, we will explain the issue and provide details of the proposed change and any additional charge. Except where urgent work is reasonably necessary to prevent damage or address a safety issue, we will not carry out chargeable additional work without the customer's written approval.

Approved changes will be treated as variations to the contract and may affect the price and completion date.

3  Customer changes and postponements

Please give us as much notice as reasonably possible of any requested change or postponement and, where possible, at least 14 days before the agreed start date.

We will try to accommodate reasonable requests but cannot guarantee that the original start or completion date will remain available. A change to the work may require a revised estimate.

4  Deposits booking fees and payment

The amount and payment date of any deposit or booking fee will be stated in the estimate. Unless expressly stated otherwise, payments will be applied towards the total contract price.

Invoices are payable within seven days of the invoice date unless the estimate or invoice states otherwise.

For bespoke joinery, the estimate will specify the required payment schedule. Because bespoke items are manufactured specifically for the customer, payment for their manufacture may be required before delivery or installation.

We may suspend work or withhold delivery on reasonable written notice if an undisputed payment is overdue.

For business customers only, we reserve the right to claim statutory interest, fixed compensation and reasonable recovery costs on overdue sums where permitted by the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. This provision does not apply to consumer customers.

5  Cancellation or postponement by the customer

The customer may cancel or ask to postpone the work by giving us written notice.

Subject to the customer's statutory cancellation rights, where less than 14 days' notice is given and we cannot reasonably fill the reserved time with other work, we may charge for the reasonable net loss caused by the cancellation or postponement. This may include loss of income from the unfilled time, after deducting any costs we have saved and any income earned from replacement work.

We may also charge for work already completed, materials ordered specifically for the project that cannot reasonably be returned or reused, and other unavoidable commitments made for the project.

Any charge will reflect our actual, reasonable loss and will not be imposed as a penalty. We will take reasonable steps to reduce our losses and, upon request, provide an explanation of how the charge was calculated. Any payment received above the amount properly due will be refunded.

6  Consumer cancellation rights

A consumer may have a statutory right to cancel a contract made at their home, online, by email or by telephone within the applicable 14-day cancellation period. Where that right applies, we will provide the required cancellation information and cancellation form.

If the consumer asks us in writing to begin services during the cancellation period and subsequently cancels, we may charge a proportionate amount for services supplied up to the date of cancellation. If the service has been fully performed during that period following the consumer's express request and acknowledgement, the right to cancel may be lost.

The statutory right to cancel generally does not apply to goods made to the consumer's specifications or clearly personalised, including bespoke joinery.

7  Materials and finishes

Natural timber varies in colour, grain, texture, knots and movement. These natural variations are characteristics of the material and are not defects.

Colour-matched finishes will be matched as closely as reasonably possible, but an exact match cannot be guaranteed because of variations in materials, age, lighting, surface condition and manufacturing batches.

Unless the estimate states otherwise, timber will be finished using our standard preparation methods and finishing products. Any particular product, colour or finish required by the customer must be agreed in writing before work begins.

8  Decoration by the customer

Where decorating or finishing is not included in our work, the customer must apply a suitable protective finish within seven days of installation, or within any different period stated in our written aftercare instructions. All preparation and decoration must be carried out correctly, using products suitable for the material and its location.

Our additional workmanship warranty will not cover damage or deterioration caused or contributed to by delayed, unsuitable or incorrectly applied decoration. Any exclusion will apply only to the extent that the failure to decorate properly caused or contributed to the problem.

Nothing in this clause excludes or restricts the customer's statutory rights, including their rights in relation to faulty goods or services.

9  Wet work and moisture after installation

Timber and timber-based products may move, swell, shrink or warp when exposed to moisture or significant changes in humidity.

If plastering, screeding, painting, decorating or any other wet work is carried out after our installation, the customer must protect the installed items and ensure that the property is adequately heated and ventilated so that excess moisture can escape.

We will not be responsible for movement, swelling, shrinkage, warping, staining or other deterioration to the extent that it is caused or contributed to by moisture, condensation, inadequate ventilation or wet work carried out after installation.

10  Waste removal

Removal or disposal of waste is not included unless it is expressly listed in the estimate. We will leave the work area reasonably tidy, but the customer is responsible for disposing of waste not included within the agreed work.

11  Access and customer responsibilities

The customer must check that the description and specification in the estimate meet their requirements and tell us promptly about any errors or omissions.

The customer must provide safe and reasonable access to the property and working areas at the agreed times, including access inside the property where necessary. The customer must also tell us about any known hazards, hidden services, access restrictions or relevant site conditions.

We will not be responsible for delay or additional cost caused by inaccurate information, unsafe conditions or a failure to provide the agreed access, although we will notify the customer and explain any proposed additional charge before incurring it where reasonably possible.

12  Statutory rights

Nothing in these terms excludes or restricts any rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted, including a consumer's rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.