Quality craftspeople in toronto?

January 2, 2008 8:14 PM

Hey there, Torontonian-on-a-budget remodelers and refurbishers! I want to reglaze/refinish and re-tile my bathtub (and install new hardware), and I also want to refinish a dining table and chairs, and also reupholster the chairs' seats. Please refer to me your non-scammer budget-priced reasonably-proficient craftspeople. (Random refinishers from the yellow pages or with those displays in malls all seem pretty sketchy, so i'm looking for referrals for people you've had previous experience with.)

If you know the approximate price range for the services i'm looking for, I'd love to know that too!

posted by Kololo to home & garden (4 comments total)

I haven't used them, but Handyman Connection might be worth a look. It's made up mostly of retired and semi-retired tradepeople, who are (theoretically) pre-screened for membership. Maybe a little more expensive than the guy off the street, but they'll know what they're doing.
posted by Chuckles McLaughy du Haha, the depressed clown at 6:48 AM on January 3, 2008

anyone else? Anyone???

Bueller?
posted by Kololo at 12:41 PM on January 3, 2008

I used to do a lot of furniture work -- a few facts might help you:

"Reupholster" can mean different things to different people, and can involve everything on top of the basic frame -- webbing, springs, foam, etc. Be clear from the outset about what you want done. Just change the fabric? Add some new batting or padding, or replace some/all of it? This work can often be done by someone who specializes in sewing for the home; you may not need a furniture expert.

A lot of the cost for the chair seats will be fabric. Some furniture tradespeople sell fabric and require you to buy from them; some will work with your fabric, and others work only with COM (customer's own material). You won't really know the cost of that part of the job till you choose the fabric. Some cloths with a prominent or large design need to be positioned in a certain way on the seat, possibly with the design centered, and that can affect how much you have to buy. Solid colors and small patterns tend to call for the least material.

"Refinishing" actually means removing the existing finish and then applying stain (maybe) and one or more finish coats. When you repair/improve/spruce up the existing finish, or sand lightly and recoat, you're refurbishing or restoring -- that can cost a LOT less and still be high-quality work. Also, an accepted way of renewing the look of scratched wood is to apply shoe polish or to fill areas in with a marker or a small brush dipped in stain. These methods can all work well and last a long time -- there's nothing wrong with them. But you want to talk with whoever is doing the work and know what you're paying for.

Completely refinishing the top of a table can go pretty quickly and easily, and table legs are often fairly uncomplicated, while refinishing a single chair can be hellish and time-consuming, depending on what kind of rails, carvings, etc., are involved in the chair back, and how many rungs there are underneath. Every part needs to be stripped thoroughly and sanded before coating and between coats, so be prepared for a surprisingly high price on refinishing chairs.

If you like the existing color of your furniture, there's no reason not to touch up the chairs and the table legs even if you completely re-do the tabletop. You don't have to do the same work on all the pieces.

Ask a lot of questions, because nobody expects you to know all this stuff. And stay far away from anyone who gives you an estimate without seeing your furniture. By the way, you can often get a recommendation for an upholterer or wood finier from the owner of an antique shop.
posted by wryly at 12:51 PM on January 3, 2008

wryly, thank you for all that information! That will be really helpful knowledge when I eventually do find someone to do the work. (Now that I know what the various terms mean, I know that I need the table and chairs refinished, the seats to have new foam and new fabric. thanks!
posted by Kololo at 10:58 AM on January 4, 2008