The demand for bespoke furnishings is growing, with more and more homeowners seeking one-of-a-kind pieces to make one-of-a-kind homes. We are growing out of the faddy Ikea mentality – where the lifespan of furniture is less than milk’s best before – instead, we crave something more divine, more durable and ultimately better quality. With this in mind, we wanted to interview a real local expert, to find out exactly how the professionals do it, which is why we interviewed ‘Steve Burke’ and ‘Neill Roberts’ of Custom Made – the local experts in unique, custom furniture.
The guys with the know-how
With a combined experience of over 60 years, Neill and Steve’s knowledge is unmatchable. Since he was just 16 years old, Neill has been a tradesman, working on an incredible vast array of projects, in that time gaining an incredibly large scope of understanding. Not just how to, but why; a deep understanding of materials and their unique properties and uses. Steve too has always had a passion for crafting the exceptional. During his 21 years at luxury yacht builders Sunseeker he oversaw the furniture manufacturing, which taught him how to overcome all kinds of challenges – such as interiors at sea – imparting him with an innovative, ‘outside the box’ approach to projects.
In 2003, Neill started Custom Made with just a van and a small workshop; today it’s forever busy showroom/workshop sits within the thriving Chalwyn industrial estate in Poole, taking on all kinds of joinery projects, from multi-million pound homes in Sandbanks to cozy
studio apartments.
From Concept To Delivery
Each and every project is overseen – if not handled – by Neill and Steve; a special service that you wouldn’t dream of receiving from a chain store. With Neill’s immense field experience and Steve’s shrewd knowledge of costing, the pair works as one mind to produce phenomenal results, planning, crafting, budgeting and fabricating projects, big and small, with unwavering passion and enthusiasm. The Custom Made process always starts with a
no-obligation consultation, followed by initial sketches that give you a flavour of the potential end result. Customers are never pushed or forced into going ahead; “we like to give our clients room to breath, free of any pushy sales pressure”, says Steve. Once you are happy to go ahead, elaborate CGI’s are created to further portray the end result, allowing you to truly visualise your dream furniture. The guys pride themselves on always being on-hand or on the other end of the phone to answer any queries along the way, and even long after the project is complete.
A Fair Price for All
Unless you’ve got some kind of relevant industry background, it can be really tricky to know somethings true value. Well, the team at Custom Made have a solution: “All of our prices are all on a set template, containing flat rates for the cost of each and every material, fitter’s day rate, and any other miscellaneous costs. We punch in the figures and it gives us the final, honest price”. This might seem elementary explaining this, but the fact is that this is a really transparent way of conducting business; giving all customers the same fair pricing, whether it’s Canford Heath or Canford Cliffs, the price is the price.
“Why shop for the perfect furniture, when you can have it Custom Made?”
Quality Assured
Whilst their workshop might be more industrial – which the guys freely admit and even promote – their expert eye for detail is second to none. There’s something incredibly authentic about their workshop and being able to watch furniture being made right in front of you is a heartening experience.
All of their fitters are employed, as opposed to sub-contracted, which ensures that they can control the quality and consistency of each and every project. The fitters are motivated because they have the full time employment and in-turn produce superior results.
Having seen their workshop and learnt more about these guys’ commitment to beautiful design and manufacturing, we can easily see why so many put their furniture needs in their talented hands. If you have a home (or work) project coming up, get in-touch and see how Custom Made can create your ultimate vision to life.
t. 01202 737 555
w. www.customiseyourhome.com
e. info@custom-made-furniture.co.uk
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