Our Joinery Workshop is now open for making bespoke kitchens and bespoke staircases
Our Joinery Workshop is now open for making bespoke kitchens and bespoke staircases
Please reach us at john@johnboynscarpentry.co.uk if you cannot find an answer to your question.
At the moment we currently have 4 team members:
1. John Boyns - Owner
2. Tim Groombridge
3. Ollie Dunning
4. Aaron Dunning
As the business owner, John is the Senior Carpenter and what he says goes! He is the boss - not just as the owner but in his level of experience.
He started training in carpentry when he left school and has not stopped. Some carpenters specialise in one or two aspects of the trade, whereas John is a specialist in all fields of carpentry.
He has over 20 year's experience in the following areas;
1. Rough carpentry - so John has specialist skills in timber framing, roofing and structural works.
2. Joisting - laying floor/ceiling joists
3. Trim or Finish carpentry - John has a wealth of experience with mouldings and trims. With his expertise her can easily fit mantles, skirting boards, base boards and door frames/architraves.
4. Framer - John also has expertise in erecting timber frame buildings
5. Roofer - with specialist skills in the rafters, beams and trusses of roof constructions. From pitched roofs to flat roofs, hipped to gable - John has strong knowledge in this field.
6. Bespoke Carpenter - John has excelled over the years in making bespoke fitted wardrobes, under stair storage, decking and log cabins
7. Kitchen fitter - John has an enormous amount of experience in fitting kitchens, islands and worktops.
8. Staircases - Whether you want a straight, half/quarter landing, stairs with kites and winders, suspended - spiral - the list goes on - This is one of John's favourite areas of carpentry
9. Flooring - laying wooden, laminate, luxury vinyl flooring, tiles
10. Loft conversions and extensions - at an early age John was gaining the skills and experience to convert lofts, create dormers and become creative in how to create space
In his new adventures John has opened a joinery workshop where he is working hard to make bespoke kitchens, doors, staircases, sash windows and many more items.
So you see there is not a lot that John does not know about carpentry. His dad was a carpenter, his stepdad was in the building trade, it is like carpentry runs in his veins. He is meticulous, almost a perfectionist for what he creates, so it is safe to say you are in very safe hands!
Tim Groombridge brings his own wealth of knowledge. Over 10 years' experience as a damp proof specialist. He started out as a Sovereign Chemicals Sales Representative and knew all the products inside out. It wasn't long before he took the time to train to become a damp proof specialist.
Tim also has many year's experience in plastering, tiling and fitting bathrooms. He has great multi trade experience and has a thirst to learn. So John is assisting in Tim's carpentry training in order to increase his skills and experience.
Ollie Dunning and Aaron Dunning as you can tell are brothers. Both bring exceptional skills to the table, and both are our Trainee Carpenters.
Not only do they learn whilst on the job, they also have dedicated carpentry training days for them to learn all aspects of carpentry.
Both have a huge potential to one day run their own teams. They undertake safety assessments so they can use all portable hand tools and joinery machinery safely and have Health and Safety imprinted into their brains, so they are safety conscious in all environments.
Learning how to become a competent carpenter in all aspects of carpentry is our aim for both Ollie and Aaron- so all we can say here is watch this space.
If you went to a car garage to buy a car, it would be fair to assume you would have an idea of what you wanted to spend on a new car.
Your home is no different. If you wanted a new kitchen, you would have an idea of what you could realistically afford. Being asked what your budget is ensures that we can manage your expectations. For example if you said you had a budget of £10,000 yet you wanted a bespoke kitchen made and fitted that was going to cost you £25,000, you would know straight away whether it was possible or not.
So when we ask "do you have an idea of what it will cost?" or "What is your budget for this project?", we are not asking so we can rub our hands together and maximise your spending. It is to make sure that what you want is affordable. We may be able to offer alternatives or solutions to help bring the cost down.
Our only advice is please DO NOT go by what Google says as it is outdated and does not reflect the increase in material prices.
Ask us and we will be open and honest. Please do not be scared to say what your budget is we are not Rogue Traders or Cowboys.
We are not a large company who employs an Estimator who can price during the day. We work during the day and research prices to create your quote in the evenings and sometimes at weekends.
Some small jobs such as:
We can give you a price at your consultation. So if you are happy with the price we give you, we can take a deposit payment and book you straight in.
Estimate at Consultation followed by a Quote within 1-2 weeks:
For large alterations, loft conversions and extensions we would provide a detailed quote within 1-2 weeks
Whenever we provide a quotation, we try to account for everything that could happen in that job. This includes materials, labour and additional work - such as capping of gas, or additional pipework for example.
However, with some works you cannot see behind walls or cabinets until the work starts. This means there is always going to be a possibility of uncovering something that had not been factored into your quotation.
If this happens, the work will temporarily stop so that John can discuss with you what has been uncovered, how to rectify the issue, and if there are going to be any additional costs. This all gets logged in a Variation Book that we ask you to sign to say that you are in agreement for the variation. Once you are in agreement work will continue as normal.
Sometimes you may get comparison quotations - and that is perfectly normal. However, our advice is don't always base it on cost alone. Yes, you may find other companies are cheaper, but they may not have factored elements of the job into the quotation, which could lead to an "Additional Extras" bill, that bumps your cost up.
By all means compare the quotations on a like for like basis. If you can't see the like for like, then ask the companies (including ourselves) for clarification.
With John's experience, he ensures that everything is factored into your quotation in order to avoid an "Additional Extras" bill.
Your quotation will clearly show if it is for "Labour only" where you would then supply the materials; or a "Supply and Fit", meaning we would supply all materials and labour; or a "Make, Supply and Fit", where we would supply all the materials to make specific items and then fit. The "Fit" aspect of the quotation will consist of the labour costs.
If ever you are not sure, or want to discuss an aspect of your quotation, please don't hesitate to contact us as we are always more than happy to provide any further clarity.
Whenever we send a quotation, we will always attach our terms and conditions. You can also find these on our website too. Within our terms and conditions, we make reference to deposits and instalments.
We will send your quotation to you via an email that will state the next steps of the process if you are happy to go ahead. The next step will ask for a deposit to be paid.
What needs to be considered is that we will need to purchase your materials before any work commences. This is why we ask for a 50% deposit in order to cover the purchasing of any/all materials.
There are many scare mongering tactics on the internet that will insist you never pay anything upfront. To be honest we are not a multi-million-pound company who has deep pockets. We are an honest and reputable company that will ask all of our customers to pay a deposit in order to purchase their materials. If you went to purchase a sofa - you would need to pay a deposit for them to start making it. This covers their cost of materials. We are no different.
Once a deposit has been paid, start dates will be discussed and allocated. Our terms and conditions then go on to state that when we start work, the first Friday after we start, we will invoice for a further 25% of the balance. This is because we need to pay for the labour to carry out your work.
When the work is completed, any snags have been carried out and you are completely happy with our work and service, we will invoice for the final 25% balance.
This way there is always money left in the job, but we need to operate in a fair way so that we can cover the outlay of materials and ensure labour is paid for.
We are always happy to discuss other payment options too in order to suit your needs.
There are 3 options when it comes to waste removal:
1. You may decide to clear it yourself to save costs if there isn't much
2. If there is space, we can include the cost of a skip(s) into your quotation
3. We are registered Wate Carriers, so we can factor a lower cost to remove the rubbish and dispose of it away from your property
The choice of waste removal will be written clearly on your quotation. We pride ourselves on our cleanliness, so you will never be left with any waste.
I love it when a customer wants to update their kitchen, there is so much inspiration out there on the internet and so many possibilities for a total transformation. The most important factor to consider is your budget. Once you have established what your budget is, is it realistic for what you want? There is no point setting your heart on a kitchen that is going to set you back £20,000 if you only have a budget of £10,000. You need to keep saving for the kitchen of your dreams, look to see how and where you can compromise or look at ways in which you can save money. We will help you with ways to compromise and save.
Here are a few things to consider when changing your kitchen:
1. Visit several retailers to gather ideas and inspiration. Look for their deals and sales to save some money. Ask them to use the measurements of your kitchen to create a design for you. Don’t make any quick decisions that you may come to regret. Mull the plans over to see if the design is what you want
2. A carcass is a carcass wherever you buy it from. What condition are your existing carcasses in? Do they need replacing or can you just change the doors and handles? This can save money as you are only replacing what needs to be replaced.
3. You need to consider how much space you have in the kitchen. Ask yourself:
o Will it fit everything you want in your new kitchen?
o Do you have room for an island?
o Can you fit an overhanging breakfast bar?
o Can you comfortably open all your cupboards and draws?
o Look at your existing kitchen, is it functional? What works well?
o Would you have enough storage space from the design?
o Can you utilise the space better?
o Do you want to open it up to create a kitchen/diner area?
o Would it be better to put an extension on the house and have a bigger kitchen?
o Are there any impractical gaps that you can use for storage?
o Are you wanting a dishwasher? Can it be positioned close to the sink? Can you get access to both sides?
The space you have is going to determine the design of the kitchen. You can potentially save costs by keeping the same layout as your existing kitchen. This way you don’t have to change any plumbing or electrics to accommodate your appliances.
4. What materials will you choose?
If you are keeping your original carcasses, then you may be able to go for a higher end kitchen door. You can choose from high gloss or matt and in a variety of styles. If you have a healthy budget for a kitchen, just be mindful with the choice of worktop. Stone or Marble can be high end in price, however Marble is also prone to staining (red wine), chipping and etches. You may choose to cover your worktop with another design or replace it entirely. Generally, you buy worktops in lengths, so you may have some left over. Could this be used anywhere else? To make a small desk, shelf or worktop in a utility room?
5. Follow the Kitchen Triangle to create balance within the kitchen. A general rule of thumb is that your kitchen is designed so that your cooker, fridge and sink are positioned to make a triangle.
6. Is there going to be enough storage?
Be sure to factor in enough storage to house all your groceries, pots and pans and appliances. Do you cook from scratch a lot? If so, you may find you have quite a few herbs and spices. Would it make your kitchen more practical to have a pull-out section for your spices? Do you want an internal bin within a cupboard, so you don’t have to have bins on show? The location of a bin is quite important too as you don’t want to be carrying dripping rubbish across to the other side of the kitchen.
Are you looking for a minimalist look for your new kitchen? If so, you may want to consider hideaway cupboards that sit on your worktop with a pull-down door to hide items such as the kettle, tea, coffee and sugar pot and toaster. This could also mean having sockets positioned inside the cupboards. An uninterrupted worktop will create an impression of more space while providing a practical area for cooking and food preparation.
Be sure to factor in enough storage for what you need. Just remember what you have now may not be practical or enough.
7. Flooring
Opt for something that is hardwearing, scratch resistant and water resistant as this is going to be one of the main rooms in your house. It is more likely that objects will be dropped on this floor and liquids spilt. Plus consider the colour. If for example you have dogs that go outside, a light-coloured floor will show up all the grubby paw prints, and you may be forever with a mop in your hand! Another factor to consider is whether you will need to have any part of your floor levelled before laying any flooring.
8. Electrics and Plumbing
o Will you need any additional sockets?
o Would you need to change the lighting to spotlights?
o Would you want under cupboard lighting?
o Are you wanting to have an electric hob instead of gas? You may need to have the gas capped if this is the case
o Are you moving any electrical appliances to different locations where you will need cable run to?
o Are you wanting a induction hob? If so, be mindful as these draw over 7 kw of power so a normal socket will not do.
o Do you need to plumb any additional appliances in?
o Don’t assume that you’re existing plumbing is adequate for a new kitchen
o Are you wanting to move the sink which will need an adjustment in pipework?
9. Finishing touches
o Do any of the walls need plastering?
o Are you wanting tiles or a splashback between the base units and wall units?
o What colour are you wanting to have on the walls – is it wipeable?
So hopefully these factors to consider may help in the design of your kitchen. When it comes to cost, you can see there could be some behind the scene works, that you may not have thought of or known about. We are always here to help and advise, so if we have missed anything, please feel free to send us a message.
The first question to ask yourself is, do you want to update all the existing doors, or are there only a couple to change? If it is only a couple, can you purchase the same style of doors to match the existing ones?
There are a few points to consider such as:
Hope fully that gives you an insight for the factors to consider when changing internal doors.
Watch this space