Recommendation - Crown Joinery - for new Front doors etc

[supermonkey]

I would like to recommend Alex of Crown Joinery, www.crown-joinery.co.uk/ who has just produced the finest example of joinery I have ever seen. We wanted to replace our old front door & frame with an exact copy and to retain the original 1930?s leaded lights. We had these restored by Vincent of Art with glass www.artwithglass.co.uk/ who did a brilliant job and I thoroughly recommend him too.

We found the whole experience dealing with Alex a pleasure, from his initial visit to the final fitting of our new door. Alex is a true artisan and takes real pride in what he does. He?s a thoroughly nice bloke and cares for his customers. He even invited me to his workshop a couple of times to see the stages of production as I was interested to see how it?s done. Over coffee he explained how he carefully selects the timber, which he leaves in the workshop for a couple of weeks to make sure it stays true. This is just one example of the level of attention to detail. The door is then assembled and checked at each stage, resulting in a perfect end result. An unexpected surprise was that he fits draught proofing for a snug fit between the door and frame.

We have noticed a marked difference in how much warmer our hallway is and traffic noise is definitely less noticeable. I never thought I?d describe a front door as beautiful, but freshly painted and fitted with new door furniture and locks, that?s exactly what it is. Thank you Alex!

I would welcome anybody who?s interested to contact me for more information

[mpm105]

I've unfortunately had a bad experience with Alex at Crown Joinery. I was told the quality of his work was very good and we went ahead and asked him to quote for several items in our house including a new set of balcony doors in the existing frame.

Once we agreed to go ahead with these Alex measured up and then several weeks later he unilaterally announced what day he would install them. It took him quite a while to try to fit the doors as the doors were new but the frame old, and so required adjusting several times. Once finished, there was a large gap between the two doors at the bottom, and Alex said it was best to wait a week or two as often the doors would settle and the gap could close of its own accord. If not, he would arrange a day to come back and adjust them. I paid him that night as I trusted him. Whilst at my house Alex spent a long time talking to me about his craftmanship, his pride in his work, and complaining about many of his 'bad' customers. He seemed like a total primadonna but I thought his 'perfectionism' would bring him back.

I really believed that Alex was a perfectionist and that he would come back to adjust the doors once they have settled so that the gap was fixed. That was 10 months ago and I have been strung out for a long time. We have exchanged maybe 50 emails. Since that day, Alex has also bizarrely visited us 3 times to talk (a lot!) about how he could fix the doors, the conclusion being the same each time that he would have to take the door off, shave the wood back here and there and rehang. However, he never had time to do it as he needed his assistant.

He visited us 3 weeks ago and told us that he would be coming this weekend. When he visited last he told me he no longer fitted new doors in existing frames as it was too difficult. He assured me it wasn't my fault! Thanks.

Today he emailed to say he couldn't come today after all and when I complained he emailed to say that he was under no obligation to fix the doors as I had contravened his 'policy' of not fitting new doors in old frames. He had only done the original job as a gesture of good will (not the ?2000 I paid him) and he would come when he could.

So, that is it. I do not expect Alex to ever fix the doors. I am an idiot for waiting for 10 months, but we had our first baby 6 months ago and I constantly thought my emails to him about the freezing draught all through winter would motivate him. All winter we had to put tape on the doors to keep the draught out. Alex has taken no responsibly whatsoever and is now blaming me for contravening his new made up 'policy', and insisting I went against his strongly worded advice. This is the first time in 10 months that I have heard this.

I would therefore recommend caution if using Crown Joinery and Alex. Things may go well but if they don't, I wouldn't expect Alex to take any responsibility or to fix the problem. It looks like there are others who have had this problem. If anyone can recommend someone who can rehang a door that would be very helpful.

[stephen509]

Quote was very expensive. Double all other bespoke makers.