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My old mentor would roll over if he saw the shortcuts some ask for today...

Back when I learned, we took pride in every joint being hand cut... Now I get folks wanting cabinets built fast with hidden staples. Just last month, a repeat client begged me to use MDF for the carcase to keep costs down. It felt like cheating, but they were on a fixed income. I ended up using plywood and eating some labor time... still not sure if that was right. The whole thing made me miss the days when quality wasn't a debate. Guess some lines get blurry when bills need paying...
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3 Comments
coleman.taylor
Yeah that hits close to home. My own old mentor would probably cry if he saw some of the plywood I've called 'good enough' on a back wall. The fight between what's right and what pays is real. I once used pocket holes on a drawer face frame because the client needed it yesterday. Still haunts me a little. We all bend sometimes just to keep the lights on.
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taraw16
taraw162mo ago
Man pocket holes on a face frame hurts to even read. But Uma's got a point, you gotta build that price for quality into the quote from the start. How do you handle those last minute rush jobs?
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singh.uma
singh.uma2mo ago
Charge more for the good stuff. Clients will pay if you explain why it lasts.
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