That one job last Thursday made me want to sell my router table

Show up to install a custom set of shaker doors I spent a full weekend on. Client's wife walks in, takes one look, and says 'the panels are too recessed, they look weird.' I set them at 3/8 inch like I always do. She wanted 1/4 inch max. Had to plane down all 12 doors on site with a hand plane in her driveway. 95 degrees out. Took me 4 hours. Has anyone had a client totally change specs after the fact?

2 comments

2 Comments

william4074d ago

Wait, let me get this straight. You spent a whole weekend making doors and the client called you back to change them on site? Sounds like you missed the part where you install what the customer asks for, not what you always do. Did you show her a sample or a drawing before you started cutting? Because if you did, this is on her. But if you just showed up with your standard 3/8 inch panels and expected her to be cool with it, thats on you man. We all mess up communication sometimes, but 4 hours in 95 degree heat is a good reminder to nail down specs before you start.

thomas.piper4d ago

Right on @william407, but I think you missed a detail in the story. He said the client changed her mind about the style after he hung them, not that he skipped a sample step. A drawing or sample definitely would have helped, but sometimes people just don't know what they want until they see it in the space. That heat just made a bad situation worse, for sure.