The first conversation
The first conversation is usually free, by phone, WhatsApp or in person at the workshop. It runs thirty to sixty minutes. The designer wants to find out what you have in mind, where the piece will live, what your timeline is, and roughly what you are willing to spend. You don't need to come with a fully formed brief — vague is fine. "We want a longer dining table, the room is six metres, we like wood, we have one toddler" is plenty to start with.
By the end of this conversation, both sides should know whether it is worth proceeding. About one in five enquiries don't go further, usually because the budget and the brief don't match, or because what the client wants is something a factory makes more cheaply than we sensibly can.
The site visit
If we are in your part of Malaysia, we will visit the room. We measure, we look at light at different times of day, we look at flooring, we ask about access (will the finished piece fit through the door?), and we listen to how you describe what you imagine. It usually takes an hour or two. There is no fee for a site visit within Sabah.
If you're elsewhere in Malaysia, we will ask you to send measurements and photos, and we will do a video walkthrough together. For larger commissions we will fly out — included in the project cost.
The first sketch and the indicative quote
Within ten working days of the brief, you'll receive a written summary of what we heard, a first sketch (often in pencil — we draw by hand at this stage), and an indicative price range. This is the moment to push back: "the sketch is too modern", "the price range is higher than I expected", "I want to see what it would look like in walnut instead". Don't feel polite about it. This is exactly when changes are easy.
The detailed design and the fixed quote
Once we have agreement on direction, the designer produces scale drawings, a material specification, a finish sample and a fixed quote. We don't proceed past this point on indicative pricing — the quote you sign is the price you pay. The only reason it would change later is if you, the client, ask for a change to the design, and even then we tell you what the change costs before we make it.
This stage usually takes two to three weeks. The fixed quote includes all materials, all labour, delivery within Malaysia and the ten-year warranty.
Deposit, build, build updates
Once the design and quote are signed off, we ask for a 50% deposit and we add the piece to the build schedule. From here, expect the build itself to take eight to twelve weeks for most pieces, sixteen to twenty for larger commissions or fit-outs.
You will get progress photos at three milestones: timber selected, frame complete, finish applied. You are welcome to visit the workshop at any of those stages. Many clients do.
Delivery, installation and the final invoice
When the piece is finished, we crate it, our crew delivers it (we do not use third-party couriers for finished pieces), and we install it in your room. You inspect, you sign off, and the remaining 50% is invoiced and due within seven days.
If anything is wrong on delivery, say so. We take the piece back to the workshop and correct it. We do not consider a piece accepted until you have signed for it.
What to push back on
Three things to push on, especially with a maker you don't know well:
- The fixed quote. Be sure it includes delivery, installation and the warranty. Be sure there are no per-hour charges hiding underneath.
- The timber specification. Ask for the species, the grade and the source. Ask if it's heart-wood or sapwood. Ask for the moisture-content reading at build time.
- The warranty. Ask what's covered, what's excluded, and what happens if the maker is no longer in business in ten years (rare, but real). Ask if you can call after warranty for paid repairs.
What we ask of you
To make the relationship work, we ask three things in return:
- Tell us the truth about your budget. We can almost always find a way to do good work inside a real budget. We cannot work around a budget we don't know.
- Tell us about changes early. Late changes are expensive and frustrating for both sides. Early changes are easy.
- Tell us when something is wrong, before you tell anyone else. We would rather correct a problem than read about it in a review.