Do you have a custom project idea? We may be able to help! Some things to consider before reaching out:
- Our highly experienced staff do need to be compensated for design time. Our initial 30 minute consult is complementary but any additional work will require a non-refundable deposit to move forward. For clarification on why we limit our spec work, see this video.
- Glassblowing is a costly medium, due to the cost of the consumables, specialized equipment and highly skilled labor required. We aim to combat this with efficiency and always offer our best price from the start. Being upfront about your budget can help us determine the viability of your project before you are asked to put any money down.
- We are a small business that relies on other small business to supply our glass, color and custom tools. Our quickest turn around time is usually around three weeks. Wherever possible, we will exceed that timeline without additional charges. If we are required to expedite shipping or work overtime to meet a tighter deadline than originally quoted, those additional costs will be forwarded to the client.
Next steps:
- We can schedule an initial 30 minute consult or equivalent email exchange. This is our opportunity to review the project brief to assess if it seems viable and to provide you with some background of what we are able to provide. Come with any questions and concerns. In the event of an email exchange, please provide as much information as possible upfront so that we can get to the heart of things as quickly as possible. Parameters to include in your brief are budget, dimensions (and tolerances where necessary), color, function (if any), timeline and quantity of items. If you don’t have something specific in mind, please provide as much info regarding your preferences as possible. For potential color inspiration, see here for Reichenbach or Gaffer colors.
- If the project is very straightforward, we may have enough information to go straight to fabrication. If so, we will take 50% payment in order to purchase materials/tools and get the project onto our fabrication schedule. The remaining 50% can be paid upon delivery/pick up. If installation is required, that will be billed separately and paid when we arrive to install the project.
- If further design or prototyping is required or desired, we will provide an invoice to cover an agreed upon program. A typical design format might be a $150 fee for the team to provide multiple sketches with pricing for your review. A paid prototyping session might be appropriate for bulk orders so that you may see the finished project before committing to the full order. In that case, the single prototype will not receive any benefit of bulk pricing.
- Once items are fabricated, we are unable to modify them so please make sure that you have communicated all parameters before we begin to produce your order. Any custom tools purchased cannot be returned and returning any color will incur shipping charges both ways. These “change order” costs will be forwarded to the client.
- If we determine the project is not viable due to budget, design, timeline or otherwise, please respect that determination. We are a skilled but small team and cannot meet every project brief.
We are happy to move at whatever pace works for you and be totally transparent about our processes and pricing. You are always welcome to come into the space to see examples of our work and see how we work to create glassware by hand. If you want to vet multiple artists for your project, we understand. We just ask to be compensated for any services rendered and reimbursed for any material expenses specific to your project so that if you choose to forego the project or work with someone else, we do not have to increase our prices to cover that loss.