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.

Chemicals in Your Home: The Truth

Home » Blog » Chemicals in Your Home: The Truth

Like most people, you probably haven’t given a second thought to the amount of unnatural materials and chemicals in your home. From furnishings such as carpets and mattresses to plastic children’s toys, you’ll be shocked to find out that almost everything in your home could be giving off harmful gases.

It’s a process called off-gassing or outgassing – never heard of it? Well it’s time to get educated, as off-gassing could be seriously affecting your health without you realising it. Off-gassing chemicals from household goods have been linked to 180 human diseases and health conditions – including cancers – so it’s time to pay attention and try and limit your family’s exposure as much as possible.

What is Off-Gassing?

Off-gassing or out-gassing is the name given to the release of chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from common household products. Some of these common chemicals you may have heard of which are released by household goods include ammonia, benzene and formaldehyde. The smell of new carpet and paint are indicators of off-gassing – but you’ll be surprised at which other items could also secretly be causing you harm.

Don’t forget that this is just the tip of the iceberg – these are the identified chemicals we know are harmful, yet are still being used. Over the last 50 years, more than 80,000 chemicals have been introduced into the environment, without any studies on how they affect animals or humans. Yet these chemicals are often used in manufacturing processes, and then released during off-gassing.

Effects of Off-Gassing

The whole spectrum of effects of off-gassing are still being studied so there could potentially be a lot more concerning health conditions we aren’t yet aware of. The one thing we know is that off-gassing is dangerous, as the chemicals can cause allergic reactions or other health problems. Specific health effects depend on the type of chemical exposed to, the concentration of the VOCs and the period of exposure.

The health problems we do know can be caused by off-gassing include asthma, skin irritation, congestion and coughing and diseases such as leukaemia.

What Household Items Are Guilty of Off-Gassing?

Look around you right now and you’ll find the majority of your household furnishings, items and belongings are VOC-emitting products. Electronics are a major source of off-gassing, and you’re reading this on a computer right now. Here’s a list of the most common sources of VOCs (you’ll do well to find something which isn’t on this list)

Cars – They are not in the home but you spend most of your time outside the home in the interior of your car, which is also a VOC emitter (think of that new car smell)

Furnishings – wallpaper, floor coverings, paint and varnishes are all culprits. Carpet is a huge off-gasser, and can emit VOCs for five or more years. That new carpet smell isn’t something to be proud of!

Furniture – mattresses, couches, chairs

Electronics – computers and their keyboards are common emitters, as are printers and photocopiers

Plywood – most homes contain plywood somewhere within furniture – but the glue used to hold the materials together contains a known carcinogen.

Household cleaners and air fresheners – detergents, glass cleaners and toilet cleaners are meant to make your home safer and fresher, but could be doing the opposite thanks to its toxic VOC content. Many cleaning products aren’t assessed for safety.

Real fires – fireplaces and wood burning stoves

Toys – most children’s toys are manufactured with dangerous chemicals which can be emitted over time and cause health conditions in your child.

Other household goods – pretty much everything is a source of off-gassing, even cosmetics and newspapers.

How to Reduce Exposure

So now you are aware of the dangers of off-gassing, you’re probably wondering how on earth we can remove these toxic chemicals from our home, when they are in absolutely everything. There are things to do to decrease your exposure without interfering in your normal life too much.

The first few days or weeks after a product is opened is when the majority of the off-gassing occurs. Therefore, if you buy a new mattress or piece of furniture let it sit in the garage for a week or two. If you don’t have a space to do this, call the manufacturer when you order and ask if it can be opened and left to air in the warehouse before you pick it up.

Airing things out can help reduce the exposure, so always choose to decorate in spring or summer. Even if you are just painting a piece of furniture, placing it near an open window will reduce the off-gassing effect.

Carpets are one of the biggest offenders when it comes to VOC emissions, so try and remove wall to wall carpeting in your home. Replace carpets with rugs and choose natural fibres such as wool.

Choose solid wood furniture, as this will not contain plyboard, chipboard, MDF or manmade boards which contain glues that emit Formaldehyde VOCs. Avoid cheap chipboard furniture and opt for a furniture company which sells formaldehyde free manufactured products – that way you know it will not offgass any extra VOCs into your home. However remember that even if you buy eco furniture, if you paint or varnish it with conventional paints, you’ll be adding to the VOCs. Empatika even has an eco paint option!

Another way to counteract off-gassing is to introduce nature’s chemicals – emitted by plants. Richard Francis from Scenescape says,

“The GOOD NEWS is plants can help with out-gassing. The following chemicals can ALL be regulated with the use of concentrations of plants:

Formaldehyde – Lirope / Anthurium

Trichloroethylene – Epipremnum (Devil’s ivy)/ Spathyphyllum (Peace Lily)/
Dracaena reflexa

Xylene & Toluene – Phoenix Roebelenii (Dwarf date palm) / Nephrolepis
(Bsoton Fern)/ Chamaedorea (Bamboo Palm) / Ficus Benjamina (Weeping fig)

Ammonia – Liriope / Rhapis excelsa (Lady Palm)

Chlorophytum (Spider plant) is also able to combat the effects of ozone (from those pesky printers)!

All of these I have successfully installed in offices and homes – in living plant walls which have been active for coming up to two years – all doing their job naturally and beautifully all day – every day.”