IMPORTANT - Please make sure to read our policies page prior to placing an order to review general information about our shop and guidelines in which we operate:
If you are interested in having a custom piece made by Mez Works, please send an email to contact@mezworks.com and be sure to include the following information:
1 DESIGN
A: Which of our designs are you interested in? Please send a specific link to the item that interests you most, as we have several variations shown on our store page (material, finish, etc) that are associated by the same name.
B: If you have any custom design requests, let us know and we would be happy to discuss other options. Please provide imagery or examples of what you are looking to have built.
2 DIMENSIONS
A: Please provide us with your preference for the length, width and height for the project, and the measurements for each leaf extension if the design is extendable.
B: Our standard tabletop thicknesses is finished at 1.5” thick unless otherwise specified in the item description if it is thicker or thinner. If you prefer a thicker tabletop (ex: 2-2.5” thickness), that will require that we special order thicker materials specific to your project, which can add considerable costs onto the project (averaging anywhere from about +$500 onto a smaller project to +$1500+ onto a larger project depending on current board footage pricing and wood species by our material suppliers).
3 SEATING NEEDS
For dining table projects specifically - It’s important for us to know how many people you are looking to accommodate seating for when choosing the right size for your table. Not all table designs will accommodate the same seating due to the style of the base.
Please answer details for each section below:
A: How many people to you plan to seat at the table for everyday use? If you are opting for an extendable table, how many people would you like to seat at the table when extended?
B: How many inches of space do you want to provide each person seated on the table sides (in inches)?
C: What are the dimensions of your chairs? Particularly, the chair width. It’s important to consider this when determining how much space to allow per person and whether the chairs will fit around the table as you envision. Many designs require that chairs be placed between the table legs on the sides of the table, so having a general sense of the amount of space there will be between the table legs is crucial to determine available seating.
D: Will you place seating at the head and foot of the table? Or on the sides only? This is important to relay to us so that we can make sure to place the table legs accordingly, especially if the design includes inset table legs or if it’s a relatively narrow table where those seated at the head/foot of the table will have to share leg room with those seated on the sides.
E: Consider the size of the table leg on certain designs, as in some cases the table leg or base will impede a person’s leg room. Does the design you are considering have a table leg that could limit the seating you envision? The image next to this section shows a narrower, more inset table leg that allows 12” of overhang for chairs to be placed on the sides nest to it, which is the minimum recommendation for comfort. Most designs such as the one show would have the chairs placed between the table legs, and additional chairs can be added by the table leg when the occasion calls for more seating.
For more information, please visit our ‘Seating & Size Guidelines’ page.
4 MATERIAL
A: Please specify your material preference. You can read more in-depth information about some of the materials we work with regularly in the following link: https://www.mezworks.com/materials
DIMENSIONAL LUMBER | Many of the designs displayed on our website are shown in walnut, which is our most frequently requested and sourced material we use. There are two grades of dimensional walnut available to us. Common grade walnut (example) tends to be a bit more rustic in character, often having many knots, cracks/inclusions (which we fill with a clear epoxy resin for a smooth, flush surface), sapwood (sporadic blonde coloring from the outermost part of the tree), and “wild” grain character. Prime grade walnut (example) is sourced from the center-most part of the tree (the heartwood), hand selected by the millers for character that includes few-to-no knots, little-to-no sapwood, and more 'mild' grain character. Prices differ considerably between common grade and prime grade walnut, outlined in most listings in the details section toward the bottom of the page. We also have a variety of other materials we work with including the following wood species (dimensional hardwood lumber): white oak, ash, cherry, and alder. Other species can be available upon request, including other salvaged slab species (prices varying) and reclaimed lumber.
SLAB WOOD | In addition to the dimensional walnut lumber (pictured on most designs on our store page), we also have access to live edge salvaged walnut slabs. Please note, slabs are considerably different than dimensional lumber, and processing slab wood takes longer than a dimensional lumber table, as well as costs being much higher to source the material. To learn more about how we source and salvage slab wood, please visit the following link: WORKING WITH LIVE EDGE SLAB WOOD
B: Our standard finished tabletop thickness is 1.5” (included in pricing on all dimensional lumber table listings, and pictured in most listing example images). We can also special order thicker material that will allow us to achieve up to a 2.5” thick tabletop upon request (pricing varying depending on tabletop dimensions, usually adding between +$900 - $2500). Live edge and other slab projects are usually finished anywhere between 1.75 - 2” thickness, unless otherwise requested (up to 2.5” is generally possible).
*Please visit our ‘Materials’ options page to review all wood species that are regularly available*
COMMON GRADE WALNUT EXAMPLE
PRIME GRADE WALNUT EXAMPLE
SLAB WALNUT EXAMPLE
5 WOOD FINISH
We have several wood finish options to choose from. Please visit our ‘Wood / Finish Options’ page to view detailed descriptions of each option. It should be noted that of the options, our preferred finishing method and product is the first option outlined, Osmo Polyx hardwax oil. It is automatically included in all of our listings, unless otherwise is requested. Our motivation when it comes to our preferred finish is guided by an intent to use as many eco-friendly aspects in throughout our process as possible, as well as our desire to acquire a particular look, feel and sheen throughout our line. Other options are also available at varying prices, and we encourage you to read about the properties of each finish.
Need a sample to compare? We have a limited selection of samples in our most commonly ordered materials and finishes.
6 STEEL FINISH
We have various steel finish options to choose from, all final coated with an extremely durable oven-baked powder coat, with no upkeep required. Please visit our ‘Steel / Finish Options’ page to view detailed descriptions of each stock option, upgrade option, or custom color options.
7 DELIVERY ZIP CODe and location details
SHIPPING:
For orders outside of Northern CA/Northern NV, we outsource freight carriers to ensure safe transit & guaranteed delivery. Shipping often requires that we build a custom wood crate around the item being shipped so as to ensure the piece's safety during transit, of which standard crate fees will apply depending on the size of the item being shipped. The shipping costs are largely dependent upon the design and dimensions of the piece being shipped, and can be expensive if such variables include a table or base that cannot be broken down/disassembled into smaller dimensions for better shipping rates, combined with transit distance as well as the delivery service level chosen. Our preferred shippers have several delivery options that range from their least expensive "basic" service level that is an outside/curbside or doorstep delivery, to upgraded "white-glove" options that include inside/room of choice delivery with unpacking and removal/discarding of the empty crate and packing materials, and option for assembly.
Please specify the following to receive a quote:
A: In order for us to obtain a delivery or shipping estimate, please provide your delivery zip code.
B: Is the delivery location residential or commercial?
C: Do you prefer a basic/outside delivery for lesser shipping costs? Or do you prefer a full service white glove delivery? Costs will vary considerably between the service levels.
D: Does the item need to be transported to a higher floor? If so, is there an elevator that the piece will fit into?
E: Will the item need to be transported up stairs? If stairs are required, how many flights? Will the item fit in the stairwell easily?
F: Are there ay tight/narrow hallways or corners that will make transporting the item difficult?
This information will help the delivery service understand how many people to send for the delivery. Without this information being accurate, deliveries can be cancelled and the shipper may charge an “attempted delivery” fee if they are not informed of the parameters ahead of time.
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LOCAL DELIVERIES:
Some orders within California or Northern NV qualify for personal delivery and installation, upon which the rate would be based off the general delivery area and round trip transit distance from our workshop, current fuel surcharges, etc. Please note, we (Terren + Allie) do most deliveries ourselves, so it’s important that we understand the location details to assess our ability and costs accurately. On occasion we may need to outsource a professional delivery crew, depending on the delivery parameters, upon which additional charges would apply.
Please specify any delivery parameters that affect access to the home:
A: What is your delivery zip code?
B: Is the delivery location residential or commercial?
C: Do you prefer a basic/outside delivery for lesser delivery costs? Or do you prefer a full service white glove delivery?
D: If the delivery location is in a major city, is access to the location on a one-way street? Is there is limited parking or a loading zone to offload the delivery?
E: Is the delivery location on a steep hills or steep/narrow driveway? Is the delivery address accessible with a trailer? We have a 17-ft trailer in tow that we often use for deliveries and it’s important to know if it can access the delivery location, if there is a turnaround, etc.
F: Is there ground level access to the delivery entrance? Or are stairs or an elevator required to access the delivery entrance?
G: How wide is the doorway/entrance at the delivery location? Is the doorway/entrance wide enough to fit the item through without having to tip it on it’s side?
H: Does the item need to be transported to a higher floor? If so, is there an elevator that the piece will fit into?
I: Will the item need to be transported up stairs? If stairs are required, how many flights? Will the item fit in the stairwell easily?
J: Are there any tight/narrow hallways or corners that will make transporting the item difficult?
It’s important to have this info ahead of time so that delivery costs can be assessed accurately. If we do not have this information up front, there may be a chance that it may not be possible to do the delivery with the amount of people present, and thus a new delivery may have to be scheduled at additional costs.
8 OTHER INFO
Is there any other info that you can provide that would better help us outline a quote for you? Such as, if your requests differ from what is pictured or outlined in our product listings, please let us know.
Specify for dining table projects:
9 PLACING AN ORDER
We schedule all projects in the order received by deposit date placed. Reservations in our schedule are held with a deposit or order placed in full. In most cases, a 70% deposit is required with the balance portion due at project completion (prior to shipping), though we may offer to split payments up in thirds depending on the specific project details. In some cases, full payment is required up front. If you are unsure about your project details and need more time to narrow down specs, a $50 non-refundable temporary deposit can be made to hold a spot in our schedule for 10 days. If the order is placed within the 10-day window, the $50 temporary deposit will be subtracted from the full deposit amount (applied toward the order).
A: Order placement options include:
check transaction | For this option an invoice can be paid via check with no fees associated. You can mail a check to our workshop address on the invoice, and once we receive it I will send over a receipt for the specified amount.
bank transfer transaction | This option allows you to place the order online by bank transfer, upon which the accounting software we use, Wave Accounting, charges a 1% transaction fee. To access the online invoice we will send a PDF invoice that has a 'Pay Securely Online' button which will take you to Wave Accounting to place the order.
credit card transaction | This option allows you to place the order online by credit card, upon which the accounting software we use, Wave Accounting, charges a 3% transaction fee. To access the online invoice we will send a PDF invoice that has a 'Pay Securely Online' button which will take you to Wave Accounting to place the order.
B: Please acknowledge that our custom order policies have been read and are understood.
Please visit our ‘Policies’ page to review our custom order terms and conditions prior to placing an order: https://www.mezworks.com/policies. An order placement acknowledges your agreement and understanding of our custom order policies.
C: Please be sure to review lead times outlined below in section 10.
10 LEAD TIMES
Please be sure to view our current custom order availability outlined below and let us know if your project requires any specific timeframe needs and we can determine if they work with our schedule (rush order rates may apply if we have overtime available in our schedule). Rush order details are also outlined below, though please understand that we cannot always accommodate them. 'Pay Securely Online' button which will take you to Wave Accounting to place the order.
A: GENERAL ESTIMATED LEAD TIMES: SUMMER 2024 | We are currently accepting orders for our summer 2024 calendar with the possibility of completion on the earlier side if and when production capacity resumes back to ‘normal’. Our lead times often can have about an 8 week variance of an “estimated” project timeframe, which can be sooner than the original expected lead times, or later than the original expected lead times. We apologize sincerely for any inconvenience and timeframe uncertainties, and assure everyone that we are always doing our best to complete projects as quickly and efficiently as possible. Please note, due to our current high order volume we cannot guarantee a specific delivery date or timeframe at the time of inquiry, but we will keep you updated of our progress periodically after an order is placed to inform you with more precise timelines. We recommend not placing an order if you have a firm/inflexible delivery date, or inquiring if we have any open dates for rush orders (which are rare but sometimes possible). Estimated timelines can be as early as a start date of about 14-16 weeks, or as late as about 18-24 weeks (from the date that a deposit is placed). Current average lead times are approximately 20 weeks to our next available custom order reservation. We are constantly striving to speed up efficiency without compromising quality of craftsmanship in any way, so your patience is very much appreciated while we build your custom piece!
B: RUSH ORDERS: On rare occasion, and depending on our existing order queue, we are able to squeeze in rush orders with extended hours, so please be sure when reaching out to us to state a deadline preference if there is an event or occasion that you absolutely need your order delivered by and we can assess if we can accommodate it in our schedule. Rush orders require that we add overtime hours to our schedule and thus fees will apply. Rush orders must be paid up-front/in full.
15% fee added to total project cost for orders over $7500 for completion within an 8-10 week timeframe
20% fee added to total project cost for orders up to $5000 for completion within an 8-10 week timeframe
25% fee added to total project cost for orders up to $3500 for completion within an 8-10 week timeframe
30% fee added to total project cost for orders under $1500 for completion within an 8-10 week timeframe
Percentages noted above apply to the cost of the item only (tax/shipping not included).
Some timelines can be accommodated sooner than others depending on the scale of the project, complexity of design, etc.
Rush order timelines do not include shipping/transit times which may add another 3-14+ business-days depending on the shipping service level chosen and time of year that the item is shipped (depending on shipper volumes and transit times), or delivery availability of you are located within our local delivery area.
PLEASE NOTE - We are a very small company, a production team of only 2 in our workshop, and as such we are limited in the number of pieces we can produce in a given timeframe so as to ensure the utmost quality of our products. With that, our lead times can be lengthy and unpredictable depending on the number of projects we have booked out in our queue.
MEZ WORKS BUYBACK PROGRAM - NEW IN 2022!
Read about our buyback program in the following link:
INQUIRY RESPONSE TIME
Our goal is to answer your questions and custom order inquiries as quickly as possible, generally within 1-3 hours for emails sent during normal business hours. However, please allow up to several days for a response during busier times of the year such as 6-8 weeks before any major holiday, with the likely occasion that we are experiencing a higher volume of orders and inquiries than other times of the year. Longer response times should be expected in the fall as well as prior to and during Thanksgiving and the holiday season through post New Years.
We look forward to talking with you about your custom Mez Works Project!
MEZ WORKS FURNITURE
To visit our South Lake Tahoe workshop, please contact us to make an appointment.
For inquiries please email: contact@mezworks.com