Tag: Architects & designers

Most of the joinery we make starts on someone else’s drawing board. We work with architects and interior designers far more often than directly with homeowners, and over the years we’ve learned that the projects that run smoothly tend to share a few habits. None of them are complicated. So here, plainly, is how to get the best out of a maker like us.

Bring your joiner in earlier than feels necessary

The most common thing we hear is “I wish we’d had you in sooner.” By the time a scheme is fully detailed, a lot of decisions have quietly been made — wall build-ups, service runs, ceiling heights — that affect what’s actually buildable. Involving us at concept or early developed-design stage costs you nothing and usually saves a round of revisions. We can flag where a detail will be expensive, where a junction won’t resolve, and where a small change in setting-out makes the whole piece sit better.

A good brief is about intent, not just dimensions

We can read a drawing. What we can’t read is the bit in your head — how crisp you want a shadow gap, whether a run of cabinetry should read as furniture or as architecture, how the client actually lives. Tell us the intent and a reference image or two, and we’ll detail towards it. The more you tell us about tolerances that matter to you, the fewer surprises later.

Survey before you finalise

Buildings are rarely square, and period buildings never are. We take a measured survey and produce a full set of 3D CAD drawings before anything is cut, scribing every piece to the space. If we can survey once the structural and first-fix work is done — but before plaster — we can resolve service positions and fixings cleanly rather than chasing them on site.

Lead times, honestly

Quality joinery takes time, and it’s worth protecting that time in your programme. As a rough guide, a single statement piece might be six weeks from sign-off; a whole-house package can run to several months including survey, drawings, manufacture and installation. The making is only part of it — hand-finishing and a controlled paint or polish process can’t be rushed without it showing. Build that into the schedule early and the install becomes the easy part.

Let us install our own work

We install with our own team wherever possible. It’s not territorial — it’s that the person fitting a scribed panel to an out-of-true wall should be someone who understands how it was made. It protects the finish, keeps the programme tight, and means one point of responsibility from first drawing to final fit.

On budget

We’d always rather have an honest conversation about budget early than value-engineer the soul out of a piece late. Tell us the figure you’re working to and we’ll tell you, candidly, what’s achievable and where the money is best spent. Often it’s not where people expect — a restrained scheme made beautifully will always read better than an ambitious one made to a price.

If you’ve a project in mind, we’re always happy to look at early drawings and talk it through. You can see recent work in our case studies, read more about how we work with design teams, or simply get in touch.

Last updated: April 2026. By the Reeve & Co studio team.

The architects we work with most often — in London, the Home Counties and East Anglia — want one thing from a joinery sub-contractor: a fabrication partner who can take a concept and deliver it to the standard the architect has drawn, on programme, with no surprises. This article is for architects who are considering Reeve & Co for a project, and explains exactly how we collaborate from first concept review through to handover.

1. Why a joinery shop’s collaboration model matters

Bespoke joinery is the trade where the architect’s vision either lands or fails. Unlike off-the-shelf packages, every joint, profile and finish is decided between the architect and the joinery shop. A poor sub-contractor will value-engineer the design without telling the architect; a good one flags buildability concerns at concept stage and offers solutions that protect the design intent.

Our model is built around early architect engagement. We expect to be in the room (or on the call) at concept stage, not at tender.

2. The 5 stages of our collaboration

Stage 1 — Concept review (RIBA Stage 2/3)

• The architect shares concept GA drawings and mood boards.
• We mark up buildability concerns, suggest material substitutions where original spec is high-risk, and flag lead-time issues for any specialist veneers or stone.
• Output: a 2–3 page memo back to the architect, no commercial commitment.

Stage 2 — Tender response (RIBA Stage 4)

• We respond to the architect’s tender package with itemised pricing, programme, and clearly-listed assumptions.
• Where the spec is incomplete (e.g. ironmongery TBC), we price a placeholder and flag the gap.
• We do not undercut on price to win — PCL clients pay for substance.

Stage 3 — Shop drawings (RIBA Stage 4 detailed)

• 1:5 and 1:1 details for every joinery junction, issued in PDF and DWG.
• Architect-comment cycle: we expect 2 review rounds before drawings are frozen.
• Once frozen, design changes trigger a formal variation; this protects programme.

Stage 4 — Workshop fabrication (RIBA Stage 5)

• Fabrication in our Suffolk workshop. Hand-cut joints on visible carpentry, traditional finishes for heritage work, hand-rubbed lacquer or polyester for contemporary.
• For complex elements (curved staircases, large panelling runs), we build a workshop mock-up and invite the architect to inspect before delivery.
• Each piece is photographed and tagged for installation reference.

Stage 5 — Site installation & handover (RIBA Stage 5/6)

• Our install crews are directly employed (not subcontracted), CSCS-carded, and briefed on the architect’s tolerances before they leave the workshop.
• We attend snag walks with the architect and project manager, and clear the punch list within 10 working days.
• We retain finish samples and offcuts for any post-completion query.

3. BIM, Revit and CAD compatibility

We accept architect-issued drawings in the following formats:

• 2D CAD — AutoCAD DWG (latest 3 versions), DXF, PDF.
• 3D / BIM — Revit (RVT, IFC export), SketchUp, Rhino. We do not author the central model but federate our shop drawings as IFC for the BIM coordinator.
• Drawing standards — we work to BS 1192 / ISO 19650 naming conventions on Tier 1 sites.

4. What we expect from an architect’s tender package

To respond well at tender stage, we ask architects to include:

• GA drawings at 1:50 and key elevations at 1:20.
• An indicative finishes schedule (timber species, paint codes, ironmongery brand).
• Programme constraints — key dates, access windows, snagging windows.
• The Tier 0 main contractor (if appointed) — this affects our pre-qualification pack.
• Any planning or LBC conditions affecting joinery.

5. Recent architect-led projects

• Grosvenor estate office, Mayfair — full architect-driven joinery package.
• Sloane Square, Chelsea — interior-architect-led residential package.
• Oxford country house, c. £1.4m — multi-phase architect collaboration 2019–2022.
• Westminster office, c. £120k — commercial fit-out with full architect package.

Working with Reeve & Co

We currently have capacity to engage on 2–3 new architect-led projects per quarter. If you are an architect with a residential or commercial joinery package coming up in London, the Home Counties or East Anglia, we would be glad to share our pre-qualification pack and a sample of recent shop drawings.

Contact the studio to start the conversation.

Last updated: April 2026. By the Reeve & Co studio team.

“Tier 1” is a term construction managers use to describe their top tier of trades — the contractors and sub-contractors they will allow on a Prime Central London (PCL) job that is insured, scrutinised and watched by the client every week. For bespoke joinery, the Tier 1 standard is the minimum expectation on most projects in Mayfair, Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Kensington, Marylebone and St John’s Wood.

This article sets out what Tier 1 actually means for a joinery package in PCL, what HNW clients and architects should look for, and how the workflow differs from a standard residential commission.

1. The PCL boroughs and what makes them different

PCL is loosely defined as the seven postcode clusters where average residential prices exceed £2,500 per sq ft: Mayfair, Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Kensington, Marylebone and St John’s Wood. Three things distinguish a joinery commission in these boroughs from any other UK address:

• Building stock — mostly Georgian or Victorian terraces, frequently listed, in conservation areas, with stringent local-authority controls (City of Westminster and Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea are the strictest in England).
• Construction managers run the site — firms like Walter Lilly, Faithdean, Knowles, R W Armstrong, 4C, Broadland and West Green operate as the “Tier 0” on these jobs and pre-vet every supplier.
• Client expectations — HNW clients typically have an architect, an interior designer and a project manager all reviewing the joinery package. Tolerance for snags is near zero.

2. What “Tier 1” means in practice

When a Tier 0 main contractor calls a joinery shop “Tier 1”, they mean the shop has demonstrably cleared all of these:

• £10m public liability insurance as a minimum — many PCL projects ask for £25m.
• £5m+ professional indemnity covering bespoke design.
• Independent vetting — financial accounts, CIS/HMRC standing, GDPR compliance, modern slavery policy, and at least two reference projects on similar PCL addresses within the last 24 months.
• Health & safety — CHAS or SafeContractor accreditation, full RAMS for every install package.
• Lead-time discipline — the joinery programme integrates into a master programme with weekly lookahead reviews. Slippage on a PCL job costs the client £5k–£25k a week in extension-of-time and prelims.
• Finish standards — visible joinery is hand-finished to a level that survives white-glove handover. This includes proper grain matching across panel runs, no visible fixings, French-polish or hand-rubbed lacquer rather than spray-only.

3. Materials and finishes that pass white-glove

Across our PCL projects, the recurring specifications include:

• Quarter-sawn European oak, walnut or American black walnut — consistent grain, dimensional stability.
• Solid versus veneer — solid stock for visible structural members, premium veneers (1.0mm+) on large flat panels to maintain grain match.
• French polishing — on heritage projects and most reception-room joinery. Done in our workshop, not on site.
• Hand-rubbed lacquer — for contemporary kitchens and wardrobes; we use a 7-stage process with sanding between coats.
• High-gloss polyester — for piano-finish kitchens and feature panels. Demands a workshop with strict humidity and dust control.
• Ironmongery — typically Joseph Giles, Samuel Heath, or bespoke pieces sourced through Cox London or A&H Brass.

4. The CAD-to-installation workflow we use on PCL

1. Concept review — we sit with the architect and interior designer, mark up the GA drawings, flag buildability and lead-time issues before tender.
2. Tender response — itemised price, programme, and value-engineering options. We never tender below cost; clients pay for our depth on PCL.
3. Shop drawings — 1:5 and 1:1 details for every junction. Issued for architect & designer comment, then frozen.
4. Workshop fabrication — in our Suffolk workshop. Each piece tagged, photographed, and packaged for transit.
5. Site delivery & install — our two-man install crews on PCL jobs are directly employed (not subcontracted) and CSCS-carded.
6. Snag & handover — we attend the snag walk with the project manager, agree the punch list on the day, return within 10 working days to clear it.

5. Selected PCL projects

• Grosvenor estate office, Mayfair — panelling, jib doors, fan-coil-unit covers, new staircase.
• Sloane Square residence, Chelsea — walnut bathroom panelling, hidden doors, TV wall.
• Eaton Place, Belgravia — stainless bathroom vanity unit, polished stainless side doors.
• South Kensington residence — kitchens, wardrobes, doors, garage doors. c. £235,000+VAT.
• Park Lane, Mayfair — bespoke steel fence, c. £15,000+VAT.

Specifying a Tier 1 joinery package in PCL

If you are an architect, interior designer or main contractor specifying a joinery package in any of the seven PCL boroughs, we are happy to issue our pre-qualification pack — insurance, accreditations, recent project references and shop-drawing samples — on first contact, with no commercial commitment.

Contact the studio to request the pack.

The Problem with Standard Solutions

If you’re an architect or interior designer who’s ever worked with a client in a Georgian townhouse with uneven walls, or a Victorian property where every ceiling height shifts by a centimetre, not millimetres, you already know the frustration. Off-the-shelf kitchen or joinery companies arrive with their standard 600mm units. High street furniture showrooms offer limited finishes in preset dimensions. None of it quite works. And your design, the one that would solve the client’s storage problem elegantly, that would align perfectly with the period character, that would work with the structural realities of the space, gets compromised.

Good bespoke joinery from Reeve & Co interiors changes that equation entirely.

What Architects and Designers Are Actually Looking For

From conversations with practices across London and the Home Counties, certain priorities emerge consistently when designers specify joinery:

Precision that matches the design intent. You’ve spent weeks refining a detail. You’ve resolved how a run of wardrobes will integrate with a fireplace, how shelving will frame a window, where storage needs to hide and where it becomes a design feature. You need a workshop that understands technical drawings at the millimetre level, not as approximate guidance, but as specification.

The ability to work with constraints. Real houses have structural quirks: floors that slope, walls that lean, and ceiling heights that vary. Rather than fighting these, true bespoke joinery works with them. A kitchen isn’t squeezed into standard dimensions; it’s designed specifically for the space and the way your client actually lives.

Collaboration, not catalogue browsing. The best bespoke relationships don’t start with a supplier showing their standard options. They start with detailed conversations: How does your client use the space? What materials will work with the interior you’re creating? What finishes will stand the test of time? What’s the budget framework? This dialogue informs the design from the start.

Materials and finishes that enhance the design. A warehouse of MFC and veneered board isn’t enough. You need access to solid wood, commissioning of specific finishes, hardware that matches your aesthetic, and the ability to specify materials that won’t disappoint in five years’ time.

Realistic timescales and transparent costs. Projects with architects and designers have different rhythms: phased delivery, integration with other trades, and site coordination. A joinery partner needs to understand construction logistics, provide honest estimates upfront (including what’s in and out of scope), and deliver on schedule without surprises.

What Good Joinery Actually Adds to a Project

There’s a reason leading interior designers and architects consistently work with the same bespoke makers. The joinery isn’t just functional,”it transforms how a space feels and performs.

Consistency and coherence. Bespoke allows every custom element,” wardrobes, shelving, media walls, kitchen cabinetry, ”to speak the same visual language. Finishes, hardware, proportions, and details align across the entire project.

Solution-focused design. A client has odd corner spaces, unusual storage needs, or awkward dimensions. Rather than accepting compromise, bespoke joinery becomes the solution. It fills corners. It maximises storage. It makes the space work harder and feel more intentional.

Period sensitivity with modern function. Renovation projects especially benefit. A proper joinery partner understands how to design new work that respects the character of a period property’s proportions, details, and materials while delivering modern storage and functionality.

Longevity and value. Quality joinery, properly specified and well-made, improves with age. It also increases property value and, importantly, improves how clients live in their homes day to day.

Finding the Right Partner

When you’re looking for a bespoke joinery supplier to work with your projects, the right firm shares like us at Reeve & Co interiors has these characteristics:

Technical competence. They work from detailed drawings. They understand architectural specifications. They’ve managed complex projects with tight tolerances. Ask about their process: do they provide CAD drawings? 3D visualisations? Do they conduct site surveys themselves?

A strong portfolio in your sector. Look at the residential work they’ve done. Can they show examples of period properties? Kitchens? Fitted wardrobes and dressing rooms? Libraries and media rooms? The best partners have breadth.

Collaborative process. The initial conversations should feel consultative, not transactional. They should ask good questions about your design intent, your client’s lifestyle, the materiality you’re pursuing. They should be willing to iterate on designs.

Transparency on scope and cost. A realistic quote will break down what’s included: design, manufacture, installation, contingency. They’ll be clear about what changes cost and when. No surprises.

A real workshop. Visit if possible. Meet the people making the work. Modern machinery matters, but so does the skill and care of the team. A good workshop feels like a place where people take pride in precision.

Why This Matters Now

The market for bespoke joinery is growing precisely because designers and architects are demanding better solutions. Off-the-shelf no longer cuts it in the high-end residential market. Your clients expect and deserve joinery that’s designed for them, not adapted from a catalogue.

The right bespoke partner becomes an extension of your practice. We at Reeve & Co interiors understand your standards. We deliver on time. We solve problems creatively. And most importantly, we make your designs better.

Send an email to design@www.reeveandco.com to get further help form us at Reeve & Co interiors