Think Iv'e made it!

[mailee]

I got a call today from a guy who I fitted a kitchen worktop for. He owns a restaurant and asked me if I could pop down to have a look at a little job he had for me in the restaurant. Well it seems he has a problem with esimating the size of a job. He wants me to design and build a new bar with canopy and design and build the tables and chairs......ALL 50 OF THEM! I ran a few ideas past him and took some measurements and told him I will come back to him with a few designs for him to see then I can give him a price. As for the timescale he is in a bit of a hurry but said he understands I am a one man band. All I have to do now is try to get some inspiration for the designs so I can draw them up on Sketchup?? He does like the idea of a raised panel front to the bar and the tables must have formica tops and all be the same size and shape so they can fit together for larger parties. As for the seats thay have to be low ones and not have much lean on the backs so they can be grouped closer together. It is a pretty swish Greek restaurant and they do have a lot of clientele. Well this could be just the sort of start I need for setting up my own business I guess.

 

[OPJ]

Sounds like this has come at the perfect time for you, Alan!

It does sound like an awful lot of work for one man though - do you think you'll need to source another pair of hands on this one? :?

 

[Digit]

Well done Mailee!

Roy.

 

[speed]

well done fella, 50 chairs :shock: few days of batch cutting there

 

[neilyweely]

Congratulations! :lol: :lol:

 

[Karl]

Nice one Alan - that's great news.

Something like this could kickstart your new business venture.

Cheers

Karl

 

[motownmartin]

Nice one, I wish you all the best, nobody deserves it better than you.

 

[Rich]

Great news mailee, it could'nt have come at a better time, one door closes etc etc, mind you, don't forget that panelled door your making, I'm looking forward to seeing pics of it completed.

Rich.

 

[wizer]

Well Done, what a score. If you was local I'd offer to give you a hand.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Congratulations mailee, sounds like a top gig. Well done and all the best.

Cheers

Mark

 

[bjm]

Is that Hughie Green I see walking through the door.....

Brian

 

[DeanN]

Should be an interesting project to see being progressed. It would certainly be a great addition to any portfolio - good luck.

 

[seanybaby]

Nice one Alan

Bar and tables easy peasy! But the chairs to go with the bar and tables?? Do you really want to make them yourself?!!

Maybe sub them out or get some help, that sounds like a lot of work. Even if you had the jigs already made.

I work for a bespoke furniture maker and make board room tables, desks, filling cabinets, tables, receptions, credenzas, lecterns etc. These are mostly in veneered MDF.

We make NO chairs!

You will probably be able to buy the chairs from China, cheaper than you can make them.

I have seen your WIP threads and your work progress is very fast! So good luck and all the best in your new ventures.

 

[woodbloke]

Mailee - nice one...but have you ever made chairs? 8-[ - Rob

 

[DeanN]

Have to agree with Seanybaby on the chairs. Its worth looking into buying chairs that will complement your table design, or design the table around an appropriate design of chair. Bid for the entire fit-out, but buy-in and sell-on. The customer is happy because it works out cheaper, and you get to move onto your next project with a reasonable profit.

 

[BradNaylor]

Mailee,

Do not even think about making the chairs!


The bar and the tables are a great opportunity to kick-start your new business, but the chairs could sink you before you start.

I did a similar job a couple of years ago and the client bought the chairs in from a specialist contract furniture supplier. They were finished in Italy but I suspect were actually made in China. They were superbly made, very stylish, and cost him around £35 each!!!!!

I will dig out some info and photos when I get home tonight.

The other thing is payment.

Restaurant jobs are notorious for giving difficulty in collecting you money. Make sure you have a written agreement stipulating that you are paid half your money before starting work, and the the other half on completion Not a month later, but on the day you finish. Preferaly in cash.

In fact, I would build in a 10% discount into your price that you can give back if he pays you in £20 notes, rather than a cheque. This is nothing to do with tax evasion; it is to improve the chances of getting paid. Virtually ALL restaurant owners are on the fiddle to some extent or other, and have fair chunks of cash kicking around. If he thinks you are giving him a special deal and he is saving money he will more than likely go for it and use his stash to pay you. Otherwise you will simply join the queue of other suppliers waiting for him to write out a cheque.

And cash doesn't bounce!

You must of course, pay the cash into your bank and account for it correctly.

Good luck Alan!

Cheers
Dan

 

[woodbloke]

Dan's got it spot on here on all count's...and don't make the chairs - Rob

 

[Doctor]

Mailee,

The other thing is payment.

Restaurant jobs are notorious for giving difficulty in collecting you money. Make sure you have a written agreement stipulating that you are paid half your money before starting work, and the the other half on completion Not a month later, but on the day you finish. Preferaly in cash.

Dan

Mailee as a new business I would recommend trying to get your money on completion, however there is absolutly nothing wrong with giving terms provided you have the cashflow to cover it.
When you are competing against other companies for large contracts and they are offering 60 day terms then provded I have run credit checks and I have a large enough deposit I have done similar terms in the past, having said that I would be wary of such terms at present.

I think Dan's being a little harsh tarring all restaurant owners with the same brush. Might as well say all retailers are on the fiddle and your unlikely to get paid, which is rubbish, genuinely most people I know don't willingly rip people off.

 

[MikeG.]

Just from the design point of view, if you are going to buy the chairs in you ought to settle on those before you decide on your table designs. Its reasonably important that they look a little like each other!!!

I wish you well with this venture...........and it shows how uncommercial I would be because I would certainly be making the chairs myself!!!

Mike

 

[joiner_sim]

Sounds like great news! Good luck for the future! :wink:

As it's already been said, hired help or contracting some of the work out might be a good idea. If you find out where your nearest training centre is, you could probably get an apprentice on board for £80-£150 a week, labouring and helping out.

Also watch out for the dodgey payers. Where I work we are owed thousands of pounds and its slowly trickling back in, but businesses just can't afford to pay it back all in one go.