I am compelled to share our experience with Vintage Workshop, in the hopes that others do not have the same disappointments. Sorry for the novel but we want to give all the facts.
I try to use local businesses when I can to enrich my community and that's how I found Vintage Workshop. I was a bit worried because the business has been around since 1982 and there were only a few reviews which were only on one website and the business is not listed with the BBB. But because the business website specifically spoke about working with heirloom antiques, I thought I would give it a go and hire them to restore two mahogany dressers that had been handed down in our family. About 85% of the wood on both dressers was in excellent shape, however, a large drawer was cracked down the middle and needed regluing and also the back board on one side. Two small drawers which were covered in veneer needed some serious TLC and the pieces needed a thorough cleaning and a protective coating. I texted Steve, the owner, with pictures of the pieces and explained what I wanted and that was to maintain the patina, have the repairs done and for the pieces to look good and useable again. He assured me several times that the pieces would look great. I was quoted 350-375 each piece to restore.
On February 17, 2018 he agreed to pick up the dressers on Tuesday the 20th at 9:30am. On the 20th at 9:45am I text him and he says he had me on his schedule for the next day but would pick them up at 11am that day. Says it will be about 10 days.
Understand that Steve is a very poor communicator as you will see by the timeframes below. I always had to initiate all conversations.
On February 26th he says that he is starting to strip tops.
On March 6th he tells me that that they have to dry 2 weeks
March 23rd he is having trouble with the veneer area and must order a clamp from Germany but says he will get it done and deliver next week. Assures me again that they will look great.
On April 9th I ask for an update and he finally answers on May 2 with a few pictures. He also says that he is having a small problem with the veneer. He offers to deliver one dresser and I tell him to wait and deliver both together. I ask how long on the second piece and he doesn't answer back.
Next time I decided to call and he told me that he got white paint splatters on both pieces while spray painting some kitchen cabinets and that he would need to redo them. (Why would he not take the care to cover the pieces when spraying so close?)
Finally, on May 19th I ask when he will be done and the next day he answers next week.
No word from him until June 4th when he says he can deliver and that it will be 850 which is 100.00 higher than his top estimate. He said because of stripping the tops.
Then, 3 1/2 months from the pick-up date, he finally delivers on June 7, Steve and a helper unload them and I can see underneath the dressers are covered with webs and fuzzy balls (spider egg sacks?) When the pieces were placed upright, I couldn't believe that they delivered the shape they were in, both dressers and the mirrors were absolutely filthy and covered in dust and made me so upset. What professional would deliver the restored pieces like that? The veneer drawers did not look good from what I could see under the dust but he explained that was the best that could be done and protect the patina. I trusted that this was true but had tears in my eyes and told him I was so disappointed. I also
didn't understand why he would not stain the raw edges where the crack in the drawer was, so that it would blend in better. But he put a clear coat on it so that's no longer an option. He just kept telling me that he thought they looked great. I had been saving cash for this service and asked for a cash discount of which he gave 50 and so I paid him in greenbacks and he was really excited about that. Unfortunately, we couldn't move the furniture until my son was home to help with it, which ended up being July 1st. I got the rags and oil out to clean the pieces and found white paint splatter on the fronts of both pieces and when I took the drawers out and clean them, the dust wouldn't come off. He had put a clear coat right over a thick layer of dust in the drawer inserts! I sent him pictures and told him what was wrong. I kept texting him and calling with no answer so I finally sent him a text on July 12th (11 days from the text and pictures I sent) with 3 firm options to resolve the issue and bingo it was the one and only response I would get from him. He blamed me for waiting 3 weeks,so I guess I should not have trusted him and made him and his helper wait for me to get the rags and oil out and clean up the pieces that were to be cleaned by him in the first place. Let that sink in for a minute. Then,he said if I was honest and cordial he would have touched up the furniture. Also, he said I got what I paid for,useable furniture. What happened to looking great? Dishonest,unethical businessman. read more
