Adventures in home improvement - what do I need to know about the consultation?

[Yogi]

I am looking to install some custom bookshelves to frame my closet and bathroom doors, which are on the same wall. The shelves would start on the left side of the wall and go up and over the bathroom door, down the middle wall to the floor, and up and over the closet door. There would be one row of shelf above the door so it's as though you are walking through the shelves when you walk through the door.

I have a to-scale design drawing and some magazine photos that show some of the finer details I'd like.

I have a consultation with the owner of a well-recommended carpentry/home renovation company tomorrow at 3pm. He knows my building - I told him the location and he wrote back "Is that the old nunnery?" so that's encouraging He comes well-recommended on the community list-serves, has a lot of repeat business, etc.

I would also like him to replace one missing cabinet door in the kitchen. It's the one that goes to the garbage disposal so it's kind of ugly not to have a door on that cabinet. I have the handle but I need a door.

Anyway, the shelves would look like this except I have two doors and those aren't my colors.



So what do I need to know going into this? What questions should I ask? What would be some red flags?

[Richard21142]

You have to know what kind of wood you want him to use and decide if it will be stained or painted. You might want different estimates with different types of wood.   Before he starts, he has to give you detailed drawings of what he will do for your approval.  You may also want a sample of the stain or paint on the same wood before he starts. 

[Yogi]

You have to know what kind of wood you want him to use and decide if it will be stained or painted. You might want different estimates with different types of wood.   Before he starts, he has to give you detailed drawings of what he will do for your approval.  You may also want a sample of the stain or paint on the same wood before he starts. 

Thanks - so he won't use my drawing? It's professionally done and to scale, and even drawn so it can be overlayed with a photo of my wall.

I know what COLOR I want the wood to be. Do you think when he comes tomorrow he would know what types of wood are that color? As for stain/not stain... I have no idea. I have some furniture that is the color I want... I'm hoping he can match it. I'm sure it's stained.

Good call on the stain sample, though. Thanks.

[Laurlita]

Yogi,

My Dh is a master carpenter, and he is sitting right here with me.

He says " You should use a nice quality hardwood, cherry being his favorite, rather than fir (or other cheap wood that you would stain)with a stain. The result being a rich warm quality, and an end product that will make you happy forever.  using a cheaper wood with stain will lose its lusture and eventually look aged. Cherry becomes more beautiful with age.  With cherry, once the selves are done use a polyurathane finish or linseed oil rather than stain and as it ages is seasons to a deep beautiful color.  He also says that cherry or a nice hardwood is not much more expensive, but it is the difference of something "enviable" to something you buy at Target.
He also says that "any carpenter who loves his trade will want to use a nice product over a cheaper wood. "

he also says "If you want to pay for his ticket he would be happy to do it"!

of course he is saying this while i am typing and I can't keep up!! (haha)

[Laurlita]

p.s.  he says that in California cherry is aobut 6.50$$ a board foot.

[Yogi]

L - so he is saying cherry with a stain or cherry without a stain is better than something else with stain? Just want to make sure. I have some other dark wood furniture and my wall is chocolate brown above the chair molding and a warm sandy color below the chair molding. The molding is white. So I want a really dark color, not a medium color.

Thank you for the wood estimate. I know that my guy marks up the materials 25% (if doing a 'time and materials' job). But I may have him to a general estimate even though it may be more expensive.

[Run Amok]

Hire a licensed and bonded contractor and verify the license and bonding (you should be able to do this through the state). Require a recently issued certificate of insurance (proof of insurance).

Read your bylaws and make sure it's ok before you start if they are "built in".

[Laurlita]

L - so he is saying cherry with a stain or cherry without a stain is better than something else with stain? Just want to make sure. I have some other dark wood furniture and my wall is chocolate brown above the chair molding and a warm sandy color below the chair molding. The molding is white. So I want a really dark color, not a medium color.

Thank you for the wood estimate. I know that my guy marks up the materials 25% (if doing a 'time and materials' job). But I may have him to a general estimate even though it may be more expensive.

he said cherry without a stain--use a polyuranthane or linseed coat to preserve the wood. As cherry ages and is exposed to light it darken naturally. It darkens to an amber color/dark honey color.
 If you want dark wood you might consider walnut, wenge or bobinga. He built a small shelf with peruvian walnut a while back, and it is lovely.  the cost of walnut is close to that of cherry. Wenge and bobinga are extremely expensive. he also says beech ( a cheaper wood) with a wenge stain would be nice.
I think walnut or the beech with a walnut or wenge stain may be a good thought??

[moroccangirl]

I can't answer your question, but I love love love those shelves!

[Been Glacial]

he said cherry without a stain--use a polyuranthane or linseed coat to preserve the wood. As cherry ages and is exposed to light it darken naturally. It darkens to an amber color/dark honey color.

Nekkid cherry is absolutely spectacular.

[Reallyfuckingstubborn]

Yogi,

My Dh is a master carpenter, and he is sitting right here with me.

He says " You should use a nice quality hardwood, cherry being his favorite, rather than fir (or other cheap wood that you would stain)with a stain. The result being a rich warm quality, and an end product that will make you happy forever.  using a cheaper wood with stain will lose its lusture and eventually look aged. Cherry becomes more beautiful with age.  With cherry, once the selves are done use a polyurathane finish or linseed oil rather than stain and as it ages is seasons to a deep beautiful color.  He also says that cherry or a nice hardwood is not much more expensive, but it is the difference of something "enviable" to something you buy at Target.
He also says that "any carpenter who loves his trade will want to use a nice product over a cheaper wood. "

he also says "If you want to pay for his ticket he would be happy to do it"!

of course he is saying this while i am typing and I can't keep up!! (haha)

Crap, if I could think of something we needed, I would sooo buy him a ticket. He makes it sound awesome.

[intransijan]

Nekkid cherry is absolutely spectacular.

1.  That is what our kitchen is, but it doesn't seem to be what Yogi is looking for.  Unless she changes the color scheme that is.

Walnut sounds like a better option.

I would get him to make a shelf and let you look at it before he does everything.  Especially if you are staining it.  It is really tough to judge the color with a stain as it takes differently to different types of wood.  Also, I can understand why he would want to do the measurements etc. himself.  Then, he can be really sure that it is correct but that should be part of the price.

I also concur with going with a good wood rather than a cheap wood.  Having said that, I think beech has a nice grain.  

I usually say get a couple of different quotes but with woodworking...it seems almost like an art.  I would find someone I really liked, look at some of their previous work and get references.  Here we pay 50% up front, and then 50% on completion, but I don't know what the rule is there.

[sweetie darling]

he said cherry without a stain--use a polyuranthane or linseed coat to preserve the wood. As cherry ages and is exposed to light it darken naturally. It darkens to an amber color/dark honey color.
 If you want dark wood you might consider walnut, wenge or bobinga. He built a small shelf with peruvian walnut a while back, and it is lovely.  the cost of walnut is close to that of cherry. Wenge and bobinga are extremely expensive. he also says beech ( a cheaper wood) with a wenge stain would be nice.
I think walnut or the beech with a walnut or wenge stain may be a good thought??

Just stopping by to swoon over your hubby ... 

[Lily]

I love Cherry and had kitchen cabinets built from it.  The one thing I will say is it is soft.  It dents and really shows wear and tear.  There is another wood that looks very close to Cherry, but is harder and cheaper.  There's also Maple which is very nice too.  

I love shelves like that.  It's going to look beautiful.

Have they fixed the wall from the storm damage yet?

[CheryG]

he said cherry without a stain--use a polyuranthane or linseed coat to preserve the wood. As cherry ages and is exposed to light it darken naturally. It darkens to an amber color/dark honey color.

Wouldn't that be problematic for a book shelf?  Part of the shelf would be exposed to light, and part not exposed to light.

I have friends that put in cherry that regretted it due to the darkening.  I think Maple is nice.

[Been Glacial]

Walnut sounds like a better option.

Which happens to be my other favorite.   

[Yogi]

I'm glad this thread picked up a little!! Laurlita please thank your DH a million times for his input! Beers on me next time you guys are in DC

How do you pronounce 'wenge'?

Jan I will definitely make sure I see a sample of the wood coloring before he goes out and buys all the materials and stain. Since he is coming over I can show him my other furniture and the color I want my shelves to match.

Walnut with a stain sounds like a good plan.

I did check with my condo board and they said that I do not need to get permission or anything... my condo and I can do what I want They just asked me to make sure that on the day of installation the folks don't park in the driveway all day

[Dodo fett]

he said cherry without a stain--use a polyuranthane or linseed coat to preserve the wood. As cherry ages and is exposed to light it darken naturally. It darkens to an amber color/dark honey color.
 If you want dark wood you might consider walnut, wenge or bobinga. He built a small shelf with peruvian walnut a while back, and it is lovely.  the cost of walnut is close to that of cherry. Wenge and bobinga are extremely expensive. he also says beech ( a cheaper wood) with a wenge stain would be nice.
I think walnut or the beech with a walnut or wenge stain may be a good thought??

I am not be using linseed coat because it is be getting gummy in warm weather.  Other things he saying all be good.

[McG]

I'm very curious how your consulation will come out! We have a wall in the living room that I would love to build custom shelves into. Just another thing on my list! The whole process of finding qualified people and getting estimates for all this stuff is very overwhelming.

[Yogi]

Have they fixed the wall from the storm damage yet?

Thanks for asking. The roof people came out and found the problem on the roof and are sealing that up. Once that's done we will get someone inside to look at the walls. It's happening slowly, but there's progress.

I'm very curious how your consulation will come out! We have a wall in the living room that I would love to build custom shelves into. Just another thing on my list! The whole process of finding qualified people and getting estimates for all this stuff is very overwhelming.

I know right?? At first I wanted to get a whole bunch of different estimates, etc, but I have the money to spend on quality work so I would rather have quality even if it is a bit more expensive. This person comes very highly recommended, has a lot of repeat local business, got back to me within a couple hours of my email, was available to meet for a consultation the next day, and the photos on his website are gorgeous.

So unless I get a super bad vibe I will probably go with this guy. I'll keep you guys posted on what happened this afternoon!