Process
Commissioning a piece, start to finish.
No surprises and no hidden stages. This is exactly how a commission runs, what it costs to begin, and when money changes hands.
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Get in touch
The process begins with you and a space. Once you have an idea of the piece you are looking for, contact Bryan. You will talk through the scope of the project and outline the requirements before anything moves into design.
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The design phase
A non-refundable $250 design fee starts the design phase. It produces a hand-drawn perspective sketch of the piece. Drawings sometimes need further revision, and can develop into models and prototypes, which is particularly common for seating.
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Agreeing the work
When the design is settled, the design fee is subtracted from the initial deposit. Once the design, the timeline and the budget are all agreed, a 50% deposit is required before the build proceeds.
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The build
Lead times vary, given the nature of the work and the time each piece takes. Bryan builds one commission at a time, so ask early if you are working toward a date.
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Delivery
The remaining 50% is paid on completion, prior to delivery or shipment. Bryan meets clients in person and delivers the work himself whenever possible. Over greater distances, and for international orders, much of the communication happens online or by telephone.
Money, plainly
What you pay, and when
- $250 design fee to start the design phase on a new design. Non-refundable, and subtracted from your initial deposit if you go ahead.
- 50% deposit once the design, timeline and budget are agreed. Work starts after this.
- Remaining 50% on completion, before delivery or shipment.
- Shipping and crating at cost, where the piece is going too far for Bryan to deliver it himself. The same applies to wood samples sent out.
Invoices come from QuickBooks with a payment link, so you can pay by card or bank transfer, and you get a proper receipt for your records.
Ordering from existing work
Placing an order from a design already in the portfolio can be done at any time, and skips the design fee entirely. Those pieces can still be customised in wood species, textiles or dimensions. Pricing moves from the displayed price according to the materials, the specification and the quantity.
Working with interior designers
A good part of the work comes through designers and businesses rather than directly from homeowners. If you are specifying for a client, get in touch with the drawings and the schedule and Bryan will work to them.
Common questions
- Why is there a design fee?
- The $250 design fee pays for the design phase itself: working out the piece and producing a hand-drawn perspective sketch you can react to. It is non-refundable, because the drawing work happens whether or not the piece is built. If you go ahead, the fee is subtracted from your initial deposit, so it is not an additional cost.
- Can I order something from the collection without commissioning a new design?
- Yes. Placing an order from an existing design can be done at any time, and no design fee applies. Existing pieces can still be customised in wood species, textiles or dimensions. Pricing changes from the displayed collection price depending on the materials chosen, the specification and the quantity.
- How much does a piece cost?
- There is no price list, because the species, the finish, the amount of interior fitting and the timeline all move the number. Quotes are given once the design is understood. If you have a budget, saying so at the first conversation saves everyone time and usually produces a better piece.
- How long will it take?
- Lead times vary with the piece and with what is already in the shop. Because each commission is built one at a time rather than batched, an honest answer only exists once the design is settled. Contact Bryan early if you are working to a date.
- Do you ship outside San Diego?
- Yes. Bryan delivers in person wherever the distance allows, and further work is crated and shipped at the client’s cost. Wood samples can also be sent out. International orders are handled largely online and by telephone.
- Can I see the wood before you build?
- Wood samples can be sent to you, and shipping is charged at cost where it applies. If you are in San Diego, coming to the shop is quicker and tells you more than a sample in the post.
- What do you need from me to start?
- Dimensions of the room, photographs of the space, and anything you have collected that shows what you like. A sketch on the back of an envelope is genuinely useful. Say what will sit on the piece, who will use it, and whether it has to fit through a particular door.
Ready when you are.
Send Bryan the room, the rough dimensions and anything you have collected that shows what you like. He will come back with the scope and what happens next.
Or reach Bryan directly:
(760) 855-7701 bryan@ferriscustomfurniture.com