Warning: The client who wanted a 'quick' built-in for a 1920s bungalow

Last month, a guy in the historic district hired me to put a built-in bookshelf under a sloped ceiling in his living room. He said it was a 'simple box' and wanted it done in a week. The wall wasn't plumb by over an inch and a half, and the original baseboard was a custom profile. I spent two days just scribing and building the carcass to fit. He called every day asking if it was finished yet. Has anyone else had a client who just doesn't get that old houses aren't square?

3 comments

3 Comments

karen_west591mo ago

Simple box" in an old house is a red flag every time. I had a client with a similar sloped attic wall who thought I could just slap up some Ikea shelves. The look on his face when I showed him the first angled cut was priceless.

patricia_schmidt1419d ago

Used to be one of those clients myself honestly. After buying a fixer-upper and trying to DIY a simple shelf, the whole house being crooked taught me a quick lesson. Now I cringe when I see people talk about "quick" projects in old houses.

laurac961mo ago

Understand that old houses fight back. The charm comes from the quirks, but they make every cut a custom job. Some clients just see the final picture, not the process.