A joinery enquiry that arrives with a clear set of information gets a more accurate answer, and gets it sooner. One that arrives as a single line and a mood board starts a long exchange of questions before anyone can talk about price or programme. This is the checklist we would give an architect or contractor sending us a project for the first time.
Drawings and the stage they are at
Send whatever drawings exist, and say what stage they represent. Concept sketches, planning drawings and construction-stage packages are all useful, but they answer different questions. Plans, elevations and sections of every area that carries joinery matter most, along with any details already developed. If the design is still moving, say so. A workshop can price a range and flag the decisions that will move the number, but only if it knows the design is open.
Scope: what is and is not in the package
Be specific about what you want from the workshop. Is it drawing, making and fitting, or making only? Are doors, staircases, panelling and fitted furniture all in one package, or separate? Is ironmongery supplied by you or specified by us? Is decoration included, or does a decorator follow? Gaps in scope are the commonest cause of disagreement later, and they are far easier to close at enquiry stage.
Finish and timber
State the intended finish if you know it: painted, stained, polished, or natural. If you have a timber in mind, say so; if a sample from an existing room needs to be matched, tell us before anything else, because matching shapes the whole approach. Where a finish has not been chosen, say who will decide and when.
Programme and access
Give us the dates that matter: when drawings must be approved, when the building will be watertight and dry, when first and second fix happen, and the date the joinery must be complete. Tell us about access too. Stairs, lifts, narrow doorways, parking restrictions and floors that cannot take load all affect how work is made and delivered.
Who decides, and who pays
Name the people involved: the architect, the interior designer, the main contractor and the client, and which of them signs off drawings. Say who the commercial contact is, and whether the price should be to the contractor or the client. Reeve and Co Interiors works on a trade basis, so estimates are quoted plus VAT.
A simple way to start
If you would rather talk before writing anything down, our trade estimates page explains how we price early, and the page for architects and interior designers and page for builders and contractors set out how we work with each. You can also contact the workshop directly.
What information does a joiner need to give an estimate?
At minimum, plans and elevations of the areas involved, the intended scope, the finish or timber if known, the programme dates that matter and the site location and access. Early estimates are possible from less, but they will carry assumptions that should be stated.
Can I send an enquiry before the design is finished?
Yes. Say clearly that the design is still developing and which decisions are open. A workshop can then give a range and tell you which decisions will move it.