Do you provide free quotes?

Yes, if you want we can give you an estimate or a quote if we have enough detail, just email us at info@empatlka.com some rough dimensions and a sketch and ideally some pictures of the area you have in mind and you will get a quote very quickly by email. If you are happy with the estimate then we can come and visit you when it suits you and talk in detail.

How reliable are your carpenters?

We are very reliable, stick to start times and days agreed, we do what we say we will do, we turn up on time every day in order not disrupt your schedule. And we are there throughout the job, not disappearing for one day to do something else.

Do you provide drawings?

Yes once we receive your deposit, we provide you with a hand drawn from scratch 3D computer scale drawing precise to the millimetre for you to check how it looks and to see if you are happy with the dimensions. If you like you can make any changes until the drawing is perfect.

How do I know you will do a good job?

Before I buy anything I read reviews so I suggest you do the same, we have over 100 independent testimonials on the internet. Please have a look at our testimonial page to see what our clients say about us

You call or email us, we asses your needs and give you an estimate or quote, then we arrange a time to come round and visit you, ask you more questions in detail to find out exactly what you would like, listen very carefully to your ideas and offer design ideas and solutions to best use your space and needs. We go away, email you a final quote. Once you decide to go ahead, we take a small deposit, then send you the drawings, once you have agreed the drawing we can book your place in the diary and we agree a start date. We then turn up with the materials and tools and build your units, then once built we paint them or oil them. Then once we are totally finished and you are delighted, only then do you pay us the balance, lastly if you feel testimonials have helped you choose us, please help us keep them fresh and leave us a testimonial here: https://plus.google.com/101927655300158702077/about?hl=en&review=1

Are you going to make a big mess in our house?

We understand that your home is precious and we do everything we can to make sure we leave it in the state we found it. All our materials are cut to size by a specialist cutting company before being delivered to your home, so minimal cutting is required onsite, even then we cover and protect the floors, cover your furniture with plastic sheets, use dust extractors connected directly to power tools, we even use a fine dust and chemical extractor for really sensitive areas, this is well over the top but we like to do the very best we can and offer the best service, and when the work is all finished we take all our rubbish away and give your place a clean.

What materials and finishes do you offer?

Our units are built of quality Medite FSC certified MDF wood then painted, or made of wood veneer we can oil or use matt water based clear varnish, and also melamine coated wood as typically found in kitchen units. We are also pioneering research in alternative healthier eco friendlier materials, we are the first UK fitted furniture company to use UK sourced strawboard which is totally natural and bound with no glues at all to make our bespoke furniture, we can build your units out of formaldehyde free MDF too, we also use recycled plastic sheeting for decorative purposes with lighting behind and recycled glass as well as many other sustainable materials and finishes to find out more please see our eco page.

Do you paint the units and what colours do you offer?

Yes, we use the best quality professional waterbased DULUX and Farrow and Ball eggshell semi matt white paint . If you would like the eco option using more natural paints please see our environment page. We mostly use white but can paint any colour you like (If you would like to paint your fitted furniture we can offer you free advice).

Do you spray the units and do high gloss?

We can arrange to spray the doors and outside visible parts and make the internal carcass of a white or other colour melamine coated laminate.

Are your charges transparent?

All charges are stated in advance in the final quote, you know what you will pay from the start, everything is listed in the quote. Only handles are optional and to be supplied by you or us, also parking is extra, so they are priced separately. All of which is clearly stated in your quote.

Does your service represent value?

For the quality of service we offer from beginning to end we offer outstanding value, we take great pride in producing only the best bespoke furniture that you will be proud to own for years to come, we offer a 2 year guarantee on our work, we are endorsed by various independent certification bodies, we take customer service very seriously, we understand that there is more to producing furniture than wood and screws, your total satisfaction is our number one priority, but don’t take our word for us see what our clients say.

How flexible are you once the work has started if something needs changing?

Our craftsmen all speak good English and have a great deal of skill and will do everything they can if you feel that something needs adapting, for example you change your mind about how many shelves you want, or the spacing between them, then if it is possible we will do what we can to please you, either free of charge or at extra cost depending on what it is.

Can you fix stuff in my home?

Yes if you need anything fixing in your home while we are there making your fitted furniture, if we can do it we will help you out. I like to offer a service that I would like to use myself so for such things as hanging pictures, fixing doors that don’t close and generally anything wood related tell us when we come to measure up for your fitted furniture.

Do you use real wood?

We use real wood veneers or plastic laminates that look like wood but not generally solid wood, we work with close associates who use solid wood, just ask us for contacts.

We don’t do bathrooms but if we are already working in your house doing other fitted furniture, we will consider any storage you would like for your bathroom.

I have sockets where I want my fitted furniture how will you deal with this?

If you have an electrical, phone or TV areal socket that is ok as we can cut a hole in the back so you can still access them, we can move electrical sockets around if they haven’t got far to go. Phone sockets we can more if there is enough spare wire.

Do you make kitchens?

No we don’t make kitchens but sometimes can make units that go in your kitchen such as a bookcase.

Biggest Mistakes When Buying Built-In Furniture: Number 5

Home » Blog » Biggest Mistakes When Buying Built-In Furniture: Number 5

If you’ve not been reading our helpful blog series, Biggest Mistakes When Buying Built-in Furniture, where have you been?! We’ve been posting one huge mistake every month so we can help people avoid making bad decisions for their homes. Mistake number five is turning your home into a building site – nobody should have to deal with that when paying for a home improvement service.

Before we tell you how to avoid this common mistake, make sure you don’t miss the other blogs in this series – we’ve already explained why it’s so important to get a guarantee and choose a company with a good reputation. Now, the fitted furniture experts at Empatika will share how to elude the building site at home transformation.

How can the process be more stressful than it needs to be?

Inviting strangers into your home can be daunting at the best of times, you’ll probably feel apprehensive before you have built up that trust. Homeowners are putting their most important asset into the hands of a carpentry company, and if they get it wrong it can have devastating effects. Most of the time the fitted furniture workmen will be expected to work in the house alone, if the family is out at work – do you trust the company with your house keys? How about that expensive jewellery of your Grandma’s or the wooden flooring you spent a fortune on?

Yes, allowing these strangers into your home to do their job can be stressful if you worry about these sorts of things. But once the job is done, it could get a whole lot more taxing if the company has damaged your property or left their rubbish for you to clear up.

Most good furniture companies will realise that cleaning up after themselves is included in the price of the service. Every home should be left as it was found, with the exception of a brand new piece of contemporary bespoke furniture.

So if you’re not sure exactly how messy carpenters can be, here are a few examples:

Workmen walking on your flooring/carpets with dirty boots
Not putting down protection in the room they are working in – could damage flooring or get paint on the walls/carpets
Not using a dust extractor, so the house gets full of dust and debris
Not clearing up once the job is complete, leaving scrap wood and leftover paint tins for example

Is waste removal included in the price?

If you asked for a range of quotes from different companies and you opted for the cheapest option, then no doubt they will have to cut corners somewhere. Rubbish disposal might be one of them. You need a company who is willing to dispose of their waste, otherwise it will be left for you to deal with.

It is getting more difficult and expensive to dispose of waste these days, which is why some companies can try and exclude this from their services. So we recommend always asking, before the job is started, if all rubbish will be removed at the end of the job – and make sure it is included in the price. A company may say they will clear the waste and then charge you extra and add it on your bill. This is why it is extremely important to get a full quote and breakdown written down to refer to, if the company tries to add any hidden extras.

Respect for your home

What this ultimately comes down to is your company of choice having respect for their workplace, your home. A true craftsman will recognise the beauty of the place he is working in, and want his work to complement it. This means he will work quietly and respectfully, and leave the place as clean as he found it.

We hope this blog has helped you consider things you may not have even thought about when hiring a fitted furniture company. We aim to help you make the right choice for your home, first time around. Read the full booklet of tips for buying custom furniture.

Biggest Mistakes When Buying Built-In Furniture: Number 5

How can the process be more stressful than it needs to be?

Is waste removal included in the price?

Respect for your home

Why Bespoke Furniture Is Getting More Popular

Top Tips for Reducing Background Noise at Home

Autumnal Interiors: How To Refresh Your Home on a Budget