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Comparing
Quotations
Don’t
shop on price alone
Standards of workmanship and construction techniques
of staircases vary greatly along with price. Usually
the best value is not the cheapest price. Quotations
can be misleading because details such as the quality
of the work, materials used and features are different
for each. For example one quotation may include cheap
mass produced machine turned newel posts and balusters
in the price, while another includes top quality hand
turned ones. Check that you understand exactly what
is described in the quotations. Look at our Stair
Terms Dictionary and the Parts
of a Stair diagram for explanations.
Comparing
quality
Compare the quality of work by looking at photographs
of each company’s stairs, asking questions on
how they are built, and reading references from their
customers. See our Customer Reference section.
Ask
how the stairs are built
F W Tod has a long history (almost 90 years!) of quality
workmanship. For us “Quality” refers to
some very specific details about how our stairs are
built. We do things the traditional way making them
long lasting and not prone to squeaks.
We
sand every exposed surface, ready for polish or paint
(removing machining and assembly marks).
We screw fix the treads and risers together with the
riser on top of the tread, not down behind. This does
take more time, but the stairs are more structurally
sound than a stair built with a nail gun, which can
work loose and squeak.
We put skirtings around the edges of our landings
and nosings around the edges of stairwell voids as
finishing touches to your stair.
Our newel posts are attached to the stringers with
full mortise and tenon joints, not just a shallow
haunch.
We set level handrail into the faces of the newel
posts, and don’t just butt and nail them.Our
balusters are fixed with a dowel on the bottom that
fits into a hole in the tread or nosing, which makes
the balustrade stronger than those just nailed down.
Wall stringers are screwed or bolted to the wall,
not just nailed to the supporting walls.
Our installers are knowledgeable staircase joiners,
not subcontractors, and will stay on site until the
job is completed to a high standard.
Check
for warranty
We give a full lifetime warranty on all materials
and workmanship for all our stairs.
Look
for value
F W Tod are good value for money. The difference is
in the details.
We offer more choice in designs, top quality work
and a high level of expertise by our staff. We are
a full service company offering design advice, building
and installation of stairs and custom joinery.
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