The fine print, written like I talk.

Quotes & Pricing

Every quote I send is good for 30 days. Wood prices move around more than people realize — a bad cedar season or a supplier price hike can change my cost between the time I quote you and the time you're ready to order. If it's been longer than a month, just ask and I'll confirm the number is still good before we start anything. Quotes are based on the dimensions, wood species and finish we talked about; if you change any of those after I've quoted, the price changes with it.

Deposits & Payment

I ask for a 50% deposit before I order lumber or block off a build slot. Once I've bought the materials for your piece, that deposit is non-refundable — the wood is cut for your project and I can't sell a half-finished Adirondack chair to someone else. The deposit isn't extra, though; it comes straight off your final bill. I take checks, cash, and card (card has a small processing fee, which I'll tell you about up front).

Lead Times & Build Slots

When I give you a lead time, that's a good-faith estimate based on what's currently in the shop, not a guaranteed ship date. I'm one guy with one bench, and things move: a wet summer slows down outdoor finishing, a supplier runs out of the cedar grade I want, or a bigger commercial order lands ahead of yours in the queue. I'll tell you as soon as I know if something's going to push your date, and I'll never just go quiet on you. Spring and early summer book up fastest — if you want something for a specific date (a wedding gift, a graduation, a holiday), tell me early and we'll plan the slot around it.

Design Changes

Small changes before I've cut anything — a different stain color, an extra inch of seat width — are easy and usually free. Once I've started cutting or joinery is underway, changes get harder and can cost you in both time and materials, since I may have to scrap parts that are already shaped. If you want to change something mid-build, call me first. Sometimes it's a five-minute fix; sometimes it means restarting a piece from rough lumber, and I'll be straight with you about which one it is before you decide.

The Nature of Wood

Real wood isn't plastic, and I don't finish it to look like plastic. Grain patterns, color variation between boards, small knots, and slight movement as the seasons change are part of what you're buying, not defects. Outdoor pieces in particular will develop checking (small surface cracks along the grain) over time — that's normal wood behavior, not the piece falling apart, and it doesn't affect the strength of the joinery. If a board has a flaw I think you'd genuinely object to, I won't use it; but I'm not going to pretend wood is uniform when it isn't.

Finish & Care

I finish every piece with a marine-grade or exterior-rated product suited to how you told me it'll be used, and I'll walk you through care when I deliver it. Outdoor furniture needs a re-coat every couple of years depending on sun and weather exposure in your yard — that upkeep is on you once the piece is in your hands, the same way you'd reseal a deck. Neglecting finish care (or leaving a piece sitting in standing water) isn't something I can warranty against.

Delivery & Setup

Local delivery — generally within about 30 miles of Milford — is included in your price, and I'll set the piece where you want it and walk the site with you before I leave. Outside that radius, we'll agree on a delivery fee up front, no surprises added at the door. If a piece needs two people to carry it safely (most porch swings and larger tables do), I'll either bring a hand or ask you to have someone available.

Workmanship Guarantee

Every piece I build is signed, and I stand behind the joinery for as long as you own it. If a joint fails or something I built comes apart under normal use, call me and we'll make it right — repair or rebuild, no argument. What that guarantee doesn't cover: normal weathering and wood movement (see above), damage from abuse or accidents, alterations someone other than me made to the piece, or wear from use outside what the piece was built for. If you're not sure whether something's covered, just call — I'd rather look at it than guess over the phone.

Commercial Orders & POs

For restaurants, inns, town projects and other commercial orders, I work off a written purchase order or signed proposal covering quantities, specs, delivery schedule and payment terms — usually a deposit with net-30 on the balance for established accounts. Repeat commercial clients can set up standing terms after the first order. If your project needs matching pieces built in batches, I'll build a sample first so you can approve it before I run the full order.

Photos of Your Piece

I like to photograph finished work in the shop and, once it's delivered, sometimes in its new home — those photos may end up on the Shorey Woodworking Facebook page or this website. If you'd rather your piece or your property not be shown, just say so when we place the order and I'll leave it out, no hard feelings.