Information and FAQ's
Contents:
Who are It Woodwork?
What is special about It Woodwork?
What do you mean by bespoke?
What sort of quality can I expect from an It Woodwork kitchen?
Why does this quality cost less than with other companies?
What do you specialise in?
Are there jobs that are too small?
What is your environmental policy?
Will you remove all waste after an install and what happens to it?
What about old kitchens and appliances?
What is sustainable forest management?
How long have you been trading?
Where are you based
Do you work outside the Bristol area?
Do you do plumbing and electrics?
Can you supply my appliances?
What is your daily rate?
Are you VAT registered?
Can you recommend any other tradesmen like builders?
Do I have to send you any drawings or dimensions?
How does the design process work and is it free?
How long will it take to complete the job?
What guarantees do I get?
Do you provide any aftercare service?
How do you protect your wooden worktops againts water damage?
Can I see examples of your work?
Do you have a paint range
Who are It Woodwork?
We are Charlie, Sam and Jack. Charlie and Sam have been shaping, crafting and working with wood for much of their adult life. Joining forces in 2007 together they set up It Woodwork aiming to provide both a high quality and a personal service for customers who want traditionally crafted items with little impact on the environment. Jack (Sam's brother) joined It woodwork in 2009 as the enthusiastic It woodwork apprentice
What is special about It Woodwork?
We like a challenge: Old houses with wonky walls, trees that need houses for little people, kitchens for unimaginably small or awkward spaces. Our attitude is that if you are making something completely from scratch then anything is possible!
We offer a highly flexible and accommodating service unmatched by our competitors: From the design and project management of the bigger jobs to a clever solution for a quick fix; we'll talk through your ideas and develop designs, taking as long as you need, if it requires fifty meetings to get it perfect then that's fine with us. Oh and at times which suit you!
We have extremely varied skills within our small team: During a kitchen install if we discover a phone line that needs moving then we can move it with no need to call out an engineer , the same goes for any mains wiring and plumbing alterations. Our install team have done whole house renovation projects, not just carpentry, so for all those little jobs that crop up whilst installing from plastering and tiling to fixing dry rot we can deal with them at minimal extra cost.
What do you mean by "bespoke"?
The word has different meanings for different companies. To us "bespoke" means; hand-made to a design that is unique to you. The results of a truly bespoke service are that; space is used much more efficiently (we are not restricted by using standard sizes), and absolutely anything is possible. Have a look at our bespoke kitchens to see what we can offer.
What sort of quality can I expect from an It Woodwork Kitchen?
There are too many kitchen manufacturers out there who use the word "quality" to wrongly describe what they are producing. Take a close look at their draw runners, carcass materials, drawer boxes, hinges and joints to see that they are actually supplying the opposite of quality.
Our cabinets are constructed from the highest quality solid Birch Plywood and our painted doors and frames are built from chunky hard sustainable Oak and hand painted in scrub proof paint in the colour of your choice. Our drawers are dovetailed boxes hand built from Ash or Oak with thick plywood bases and sitting on the best quality under-mount, full extension, soft-close drawer runners available anywhere.
Our doors hang on high quality soft close hinges and our shelf pins slot into stainless steel inserts, we believe quality is in the detail.
In our Workshop we believe that we have to use the very best of the technology and materials that are available to us ensuring that you can live and play in your kitchen without fear of breaking it. No shortcuts! No hidden surprises! No chipboard!
Why does this quality cost less than with other companies?
We are able to keep our prices lower than other high quality manufacturers because we are a very small team without a showroom, with much lower overheads we are able to invest in the best materials and still pass a huge saving on to our clients.
The lack of a showroom does make it more difficult to show you our work, which is why we ask all our clients, on completion of a job, whether they would be prepared to allow any future clients to come and have a look around their new kitchen and see our workmanship up close. All our customers are very accommodating in this way and are usually keen to show you our work.
What do you specialise in?
We make all sorts of things; alcove cabinets and shelving, furniture for in and outside the home, specialist one off commissions, we'll turn our hand and enthusiasm to pretty much anything we are asked to make.
However; it is kitchens that we have really specialised in. We work with you to find the perfect layout, from the ideal placement of your appliances, how best to show off your quirky collection of teapots and ways to integrate the recycling boxes, to where to store that Thali Tiffin it's all equally important.
Are there jobs that are too small?
Sometimes there are those small jobs that just need doing to finish off your home, make things easier, complete something you meant to complete last year, and that's fine with us.
What is your environmental policy?
Our environmental concerns are what really define us as a company. Our love for the environment and all things natural and wooden has brought us into direct conflict in a sector that has been so horribly unsustainable for so many years. It isn't that we need to reduce illegal logging in the great forests on this planet it's that we need to stop it completely, no questions.
It goes without saying that we do not supply tropical hardwoods! Nor do we supply any timber that does not come with a classification from the Forest Stewardship Council, deeming that is has been sourced from well managed forests. Through our partnership with the Woodland Trust we are helping them to replant the UK's lost native woodland and prevent any further loss of this ancient resource. The It Woodwork tree dedication scheme ensures the planting and maintaining of trees with every kitchen produced.
Our exclusive use of next generation LED lighting provides long life, minimal maintenance and pure, saturated and warm colours whilst only using a fraction of the electricity that standard halogen lights require.
We need to run a van in order that we may run our business, but we offset the carbon we use by investing in Forest Credits providing a true carbon saving with the benefit of targeted reforestation and the rehabilitation of degraded forests. Plus we contribute an extra 10% making us a carbon positive company.
We strive to re-use and recycle wherever and whenever possible committing little or no materials to waste. Every customer receives a free hand-made chunky wooden chopping board made from the off cuts from previous projects.
See here for more information about our envirnmental policy.
Will you remove all waste after an install and what happens to it?
We will remove all waste from any install we do. This is done free of charge for most works. For Larger works such as kitchen installations, there's likely to be a small charge for this service. All waste is taken either to BCC Recycling centre or to Abacus who recycle around 90% of waste.
What about old kitchens and appliances?
With your permission; any surplus and usable elements of your old kitchen will be photographed and offered to the public through the Freecycle network. Anyone interested in what's on offer will be notified of the removal date and invited to come and inspect/collect the bits they want on that date. Only on the date of removal, will we let them know the address and we will only give out our contact details so you don't get bombarded with questions. Weather and space permitting, we will move all units etc outside so as not to invite the masses into your home.
It's good to Freecycle! Visit your local group here for more information.
What is sustainable forest management?
The Food and Agriculture Organization defines sustainable forest management as: The stewardship and use of forests and forest lands in a way, and at a rate, that maintains their biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality and their potential to fulfil, now and in the future, relevant ecological, economic and social functions, at local, national, and global levels, and that does not cause damage to other ecosystems.
How long have you been trading?
We've been trading as It woodwork for four years, but working on woodwork projects individually and together for more than ten years.
Where are you based?
The It Woodwork workshop is in Kingswood, North East Bristol.
Do you work outside the Bristol area?
We do work outside the Bristol area; we are regulars in Bath, Stroud and Gloucester, but also venture further into the southwest and at times the south east. As long as we are confident that location isn't going to hinder the 100% service we offer then we will travel. There may be an additional charge for delivery for customers outside the region.
Do you do plumbing and electrics?
Jack and Charlie are experienced electrical installers, Jack doing 2 years with Clarkson Evans and Charlie doing 8 years with Allied Argus Security services.
The whole team are able to do the plumbing involved with fitting a kitchen; sinks, dishwashers and washing machines, but for anything more complicated or anything involving gas then we get a Corgi man in for you.
Can you supply my appliances for me?
Yes. You can either tell us exactly what you want or let us help you to decide based on the ideas we have about your kitchen. We use local supplier Nailsea Electrical for most of our appliances. The benefit to you is internet prices and extended warranties from a local and trusted supplier.
What is your daily rate?
Our standard daily rate is £150, but large jobs have more complex pricing systems, once we have a clear idea what you are after then we'll provide you with a full quote detailing materials and man hours.
Are you VAT registered?
Yes. Our VAT number is 992073304 and our company number is 7162846
Can you recommend any other tradesmen like builders?
Over the years we have developed a network of reliable tradesmen who regularly help us with jobs of all sizes. This enables us to take on and manage projects of all types, so if you need to extend or knock through before fitting your new kitchen then we can help you with that too.
Do I have to send you any drawings or dimensions?
We'll come to your house, talk about ideas and measure up, then we will return with designs to talk through the options. Just call the workshop to book a free meeting. 0117 961 6471
How does the design process work and is this free?
We'll come to you house with a check sheet and run through your ideas at this initial stage and discuss what variations you would like to see with the quotes. We'll turn this information into 3d designs, which if you have a home computer can be emailed to you to look over before our next visit. This is a free service, and we will meet and discuss your ideas and adapt designs as many times as necessary to get the perfect solution for you.
How long will it take to complete the job?
The complexities of a job change on a case by case basis, but we'll be able to give you an accurate estimate after our first visit based on this initial conversation. But for a rough guideline; we normally expect a kitchen to be built in under 4 weeks and installed in under 2.
What guarantees do I get?
Every kitchen comes with a 10 year warranty as standard, but if you take advantage of one of our maintenance contracts then this can be extended indefinitely
Do you provide any aftercare service?
Take out one of our maintenance contracts and receive the following benefits:
• A fresh coat of paint every 2 years and regular touch ups when needed.
• Regular sanding and oiling of wooden worktops so they remain protected and immaculate
• An installer will be on hand, free of charge, for the removal and re-installation of appliances should it be required.
• Regular maintenance and repair of lighting and cabinet hardware.
• Lifetime extension to the 10 year warranty.
• Removal and replacement of mouldy silicon
• Your kitchen will stay looking brand new
You will also receive a handover pack containing a worktop maintenance guide and all the relevant warranties for your appliances.
How do you protect your wooden worktops against water damage?
In the past we have tended towards an oil such as Danish or teak oil, and whilst these are natural products and do provide good protection against water, they do need to be tended to and maintained on a regular basis. These days we use a product known as Hardwax oil: This is a totally natural and eco-friendly product that offers a lot more protection than oil. Firstly we apply a primer which soaks deep into the timber and then several coats of the hard waxy top coat which forms an impenetrable barrier to the water that can damage your worktop, whilst really bringing the natural colour and texture of the wood to life.
Can I see examples of your work?
As most of our work is one off unique pieces made to order we do not keep stock or readymade items in our workshop. Our gallery page shows a good selection of our recent work but we are more than happy to provide you with more detailed images of specific examples / pieces that you would like to further inspect. Our references of which a selection are uploaded onto the It woodwork website come from a broad selection of our customers and demonstrate the happy cliental we pride ourselves on. However we completely understand for larger work you might like to examine our craftsmanship up close, see the real thing. For such situations we rely on our great relationship with past clients and regularly arrange for new clients to visit previous projects. There is no better way to see our work than in the room it was designed to be in.
Do you have a paint range?
We are in the process of developing our own range of paints so watch this space. But for the moment we can get any paint that you like.
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