Our Process · Four Stages

A method refined over three decades.

Every commission moves through the same four stages — from first assessment to final delivery. You are told what is happening at each one, and nothing proceeds without your approval.

See the timeline →
01
Consultation
45–60 minutes
02
Proposal
3–5 business days
03
Restoration
5 days – 12 weeks
04
Delivery
1–3 business days
01 In Detail

Four stages, documented throughout.

Below is exactly what happens at each stage — including what we send you, what we ask of you, and what you can expect to see at the bench.

01

Consultation & assessment.

45–60 minutes

We begin with a conversation. Bring the piece to the workshop, or request an on-site visit if it cannot travel. Either way, one of our senior craftsmen will spend up to an hour examining it — opening drawers, checking joints, taking moisture readings, and asking how you use it and what you want from the work.

What we do
  • Full visual inspection under bright light
  • Joint testing and structural probing
  • Moisture and finish condition assessment
  • Photographs from multiple angles
  • Honest recommendation — restore, conserve, or walk away
What you bring
  • Any provenance, history, or prior repair documentation
  • Reference images if you have a target look in mind
  • An honest picture of how the piece will be used
No cost. The consultation itself is free, with no obligation to proceed.
02

Written proposal & sample boards.

3–5 business days

Within five business days you receive a written proposal by email. It contains a full scope of work, itemised cost, projected completion window, and — critically — one or more physical finish sample boards prepared on matching wood. Nothing starts until you approve both the scope and the sample.

In every proposal
  • Itemised scope with cost breakdown
  • Material specifications
  • Projected start and completion dates
  • Photographs of the piece as received
  • Deposit and payment terms
Sample boards include
  • Same species, grain, and age as your piece
  • Two or more finish options
  • Sheen and colour comparisons
  • Available for pickup or shipped free
Two adjustments included. If a sample is not quite right, we adjust and re-send — no extra charge.
03

Restoration at the bench.

5 days – 12 weeks

Once approved, work begins in the order it was queued — we never start a project until we can dedicate uninterrupted time to it. Structural work, surface work, and finishing happen in that order, with a photograph update sent to you at the end of every week.

Typical work sequence
  • Disassembly and cleaning
  • Structural repair — joints, dowels, tenons, splits
  • Veneer and inlay replacement
  • Surface preparation by hand
  • Finish application in our climate-controlled room
  • Cure time (typically 3–10 days depending on finish)
What you receive
  • Weekly photo updates by email
  • A call before any decision not in the original proposal
  • Direct line to your craftsman for questions
  • No silent substitutions of materials
If anything changes. Occasionally, hidden damage surfaces mid-project. You are always called before we proceed, with a revised cost and timeline.
04

Inspection & delivery.

1–3 business days

Before anything leaves the workshop, it goes through a final quality review by a second craftsman. We check joints, finish, hardware, and symmetry — and we photograph the finished piece against the original condition report. Delivery is white-glove, with a walkthrough at your home or project site.

Final review includes
  • Second-craftsman inspection
  • Joint stress test and hardware check
  • Finish sheen and colour verification
  • Before-and-after photography package
On delivery
  • Care instructions and maintenance schedule
  • Written five-year guarantee certificate
  • Placement and minor adjustments on-site
  • Direct contact for anything that comes up later
Not quite right? If anything is not what you expected, we take it back and fix it. That has not happened since 2019, but the policy stands.
Craftsman working by hand at the bench with traditional woodworking tools
02 Methods

The tools are old. The standards are not.

We use traditional hand tools — cabinet scrapers, spokeshaves, hide glue, French polish — because they give us control no machine can. We also use modern dust extraction, moisture meters, and archival adhesives, because they protect both the piece and the craftsman.

What we never use: chemical strippers that raise grain, sanding that flattens carvings, or fillers that fail within a decade. Every material in our workshop has been chosen because it can be undone without harming the original wood.

Hide glue
Reversible, period-correct
Slow cure
3–10 days per finish
Hand-applied
Every surface, every edge
Documented
Every step, every change
Meet the craftsmen →
03 Expectations

What working with us actually looks like.

We are slow on purpose

Restoration cannot be rushed. We schedule one project per craftsman at a time, which means we sometimes have a queue. It is worth the wait.

We tell you the truth

If a piece is not worth restoring, we will say so. If a cheaper route gives you 90% of the result, we will offer it. We would rather lose a commission than oversell one.

We do not subcontract

Every hour of work happens in our workshop or on-site with our own crew. Nothing leaves the state, and nothing is farmed out to a cheaper shop.

Five-year guarantee

Every restoration carries a five-year workmanship guarantee. If something fails, we fix it — no argument, no invoice.

Real updates, not silence

You hear from us every week during a restoration. If something is delayed, you will know before the deadline, not after.

Our name is on it

Every piece leaving this workshop carries our mark. We only sign off on work we would be proud to have in our own home.

04 Begin

Ready to start at stage one?

Every project starts with a free consultation. Bring the piece to our Mountain View atelier, or request a visit anywhere in the Bay Area. Nothing proceeds without your approval.

Full Commission Form → See pricing →