Avoid avoid avoid
We hired Stephen, trading as Furniture Repair Shop Newport (via woodwork.co.uk), to restore our dining table and eight chairs. He told us it was a good quality set worth restoring and that the tabletop would be brought back to its original condition – this was also confirmed in the quote and WhatsApp messages.
The job was meant to take 2–3 weeks but took around five. We were understanding about this.
When it was delivered, it looked okay at first, but on closer inspection there were multiple issues – missed areas, uneven and chipped paint, brush hairs in the finish, and the tabletop was in a very poor state with varnish runs down the sides. We sent photos the same day.
He apologised and said he would return to fix it. We gave him several chances over the following months, but visits were cancelled or didn’t happen, and nothing was resolved. Communication was poor throughout, with slow or no replies to messages.
Since then, the condition has got worse. The paint is now chipping off badly and the table and chairs look absolutely terrible.
I also felt pressured to pay the remaining balance on delivery while I was alone, and I never received a receipt.
More recently, after leaving honest reviews about our experience, we have received threats of legal action, which has been quite concerning.
He is now also claiming the furniture was in poor condition to begin with, which contradicts what we were told at the initial inspection. If we had been told that, we would not have spent £580 on restoration.
This started in September and it is now March with no resolution. We have been left out of pocket and will likely have to replace the set.