I've moved to www.dpajoineryservices.moonfruit.com

DPA Joinery Services can now be found at www.dpajoineryservices.moonfruit.com where you can check out pictures of my work and read testimonials of happy customers. Please do take a look, it's just new and I'm a bit of a web builder novice so any feedback would be great :)

And don't forget, if you have a joinery or building idea and fancy a chat about it then call me on 07830347525. There's no obligation! Alternatively, you can email me at dpajoinery@live.co.uk.

Reproduction Victorian joinery

Not for the faint hearted.
There have been people over the past year, that have contacted me about joinery problems with their Victorian houses. And the sheer horror about the cost of having, for example, a sliding sash window replaced or sections of stair parts missing or damaged. Plus the total frustration of having other joiners turn up to tell them that it wouldn't be worth their while and that it's too complicated to reproduce.

So they have been quite relieved when I’ve managed to recreate items of carpentry without making them worry about taking out a second mortgage on their home just to pay for the privilege.

I’m not saying it’s easy by any means; it’s a case of doing lots of research and getting the right pricing through suppliers. Each job is different and brings its own difficulties and rewards. But it’s always nice to see something restored to its former glory and actually working the way it’s supposed to be. Added with the look of relief on the owners’ faces, when their home functions normally.

another four months..

Sorry it's been so long; time has flown over.

Here's a word from a happy customer...

“I am delighted with the quality of the wooden deck that Darren installed into our garden and was impressed with how smoothly the whole build went. Darren worked hard and was always friendly and kept us updated with the progress.

"He had some great ideas and the end result is high-quality and really complements my garden.” Sheila, Newcastle

Back after four months!

It’s been a while – four months to be precise. So what’s new? It’s been busy lately – I have interest from a few different people looking to take on projects; one kitting out a hairdressing salon, another involves building a garden shed. So it’s certainly varied!

To be honest it’s all been a bit quiet over Christmas – which I fully expected; I mean who in their right mind wants the builders in over the holidays? What has freaked me out (as I’m sure it has everyone) is the constant doom and gloom news about the state of the economy. And the redundancies. And the credit crunch. And the recession. Or is it a depression?...

Well, in my opinion, the more we talk and debate, and scare each other witless, the worse it will get. Confidence is at an all-time low; especially in the business sector. Especially for little guys like me running solo.

This whole recession business bit me a long time ago – on 15 July 2008 to be precise. But I haven’t ground to a halt or curled up in a corner. Nope, I’ve been plugging away and slowly but surely interest is picking up and business is trickling in. It’s not a dead cert yet, but it just shows that business can still thrive.

Times may be changing, but everyone will at some point need a new door, a replacement floor or even nice new decking in the garden – after all it’s nearly spring!

Odd requests

Every now and then I’m asked to provide a quote for a really quirky piece of work.

Yesterday a client, who I have worked with a few times now, has asked me to look into designing and making a revolving wall!

I immediately thought about James Bond movies and I’m sure Superman III featured a revolving wall… An inconspicuous side complete with an armchair once revolved features a state-of-the-art music system and a fully-stocked drinks cabinet. Nice!

Anyway, watch this space...

Free joinery advice here!

Looking for advice and pointers on carpentry and joinery? I am happy to advise with any dilemmas you're facing - free of charge!

Leave a comment to this post or send me an email and I'll reply asap...

What's in your tool bag?

I always say a joiner needs good tools. Here is a handy list of the essentials when approaching any joinery work:

Hammer. Essential for all joinery worth whether hammering nails down into wood or using the claw to break up and remove wood for replacement.

Handsaw. Make it at least 22 inches - the longer the better! Needed to cut materials to accurate sizes.

Chisels. Invest in a range of chisels – from 6ml to 25ml – to chop locks and hinges out.

Keep it straight with a two foot or five foot spirit level.

Battery drill. As a minimum, an 18 volt drill complete with auger bits will make life so much easier when drilling doors out putting screws in.

Smoothing plane for a fine finish.

Oil Stone. To deliver the best, your tools need to be in good nick. Use an oil stone to sharpen and hone.

Tape measure – not strictly a tool, but essential for taking accurate measurements to plan the joinery where all the above tools will be needed!

But always remember, a good joiner never blames his tools!