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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not pay a crafter for a bespoke made item

586 replies

wherethewildrosesgrow · 02/03/2020 18:46

I’ve wanted a really nice bread bin for ages, fed up of my old rusty one leaving marks all over the kitchen worktop, saw a nice one on the internet, lovely design, but it wasn’t big enough, I needed a double/two loaf model.
Decided to splash out and get one made (wooden), spent ages sending pics/designs to local crafter, lots didn’t answer, or didn’t come back with a price after initially showing interest in taking on the project, or some couldn’t make it for nearly a year.
After a while I found a lovely new to crafting lady at an event, her work was amazing, and she quoted me £70 for a reclaimed solid oak bread bin, based on some pics I sent her, and included a rough sketch with measurements (internal& external), but I did say the size could altered slightly if she felt it would look more proportional, as long as it fitted two loaves (one on top of each other, with internal shelf), I even sent her a pic with the tape measure in front of the loaves I use for clarity...she sent me a sketch back, and I asked her to go ahead with the make.
Shes in the final stages, and today she’s sent me an update with pics.
Problem...it isn’t anything like the sketches either of us sent, she’s added the word BREAD in red to the front of it, which I never asked for, and wasn’t included in any of the pics or sketches.
It hasn’t got an internal shelf, the loaves look as if they are to fit side by side, so it’s going to take up far more valuable work surface space, and my kitchen isn’t big.
Im unsure if it’s even going to fit two loaves in...but it’s very hard to judge from a pic.
AND she has told me she’s made it out of pallet wood instead of the reclaimed oak, as she felt it looked more rustic...I did say initially I wanted rustic...but she gave me a samples of wood to chose from, and pallet wood is not the agreed oak.
EEEK.
Would I be really really unreasonable to say ‘I don’t want it, it’s not what we agreed’
I feel awful, as she new to crafting, and she’s lovely....but it, in my eyes anyway, it looks awful, I don’t feel I could use it elsewhere even.
This is my Christmas birthday and Mother’s Day present all in one, I feel like somebody like me should never even of attempted to have something handmade, I should of stuck to one for a fiver from B&M.
She’s on holiday til the weekend, so I don’t want to message her immediately, and spoil things for her

OP posts:
Thread gallery
12
FruityWidow · 02/03/2020 19:28

Does she know how that pallet wood is treated? Some are heat treated and some are chemically treated and I wouldn't be happy to use a food container made of chemically treated pallet wood.

SweetpeaOrMarigold · 02/03/2020 19:29

Deffo go with the 'wrong photo' idea. "Oops sorry mine is the one like xyz"

BrendasUmbrella · 02/03/2020 19:29

The woman is new to crafting for commission, so she'll learn a valuable lesson that she must pay attention to what the clients actually want.

Refer her back to your original sketches and point out all the issues. Don't pay for something you don't want. Actually it sounds so incorrect I'd wonder if she couldn't do it and bought one from ebay to pass off as her own work...

Herpesfreesince03 · 02/03/2020 19:30

Have you messaged her op? Your message is going to lose weight if you wait days to get back to her

Lougle · 02/03/2020 19:32

You simply can't pay for something that is so far from your specification. You must not.

QueenofallIsee · 02/03/2020 19:32

You need to say straight away that it is not the design you agreed on. Don’t wait days, it needs to be dealt with. A simple message that the item is not the design, material or size that you ordered is more than sufficient!

Nonnymum · 02/03/2020 19:34

I would send a message saying something like, sorry I think you may have sent me the wrong photo as the one you sent me Doesn't match the picture showing what I needed. The one I ordered didn't have any writing on it and it had a shelf inside. Also it was reclaimed oak.

FrockFrockFrockityFrock · 02/03/2020 19:34

Ya agree with post above. As a new crafter and entrepreneur, she needs to learn to listen to customers and not deviate from their custom order plans, otherwise they will not buy the item. You're doing her a favour if you point out it is not what you wanted in your custom order.

I'd look on facebook marketplace or online to ensure she didn't buy to resell to you.

cochineal7 · 02/03/2020 19:34

I don't even think pallet wood is food-safe... It could have been used for transporting chemicals, anything really.

crispysausagerolls · 02/03/2020 19:36

YOU ARE BEING EXTREMELY UNREASONABLE NOT TO HAVE INCLUDED YOUR SKETCH VS HER MOCK UP!!!!!

Caps lock because I’m over invested and demand to see the artwork 😁

Sagradafamiliar · 02/03/2020 19:37

You'd be batshit to take it off her hands. If you weren't looking for your personal holy grail of bread bins with a set of specific requirements, then you'd never have approached her to begin with. She can't just do wtf she likes and expect payment lol.

NameChange2PostThis · 02/03/2020 19:40

Her bread bin sounds totally shit. Be honest with her - in the long run you will be doing her a favour as she doesn’t sound cut out for this bespoke business if she can’t follow an agreed brief. And £70 is a lot for a bread bin.

ThunderPython · 02/03/2020 19:42

She's not upheld her side of this, you owe her no favours.

You don't need to be rude, but at the same time don't be a pushover.

Simply state that it doesn't meet your specifications so you won't be collecting/paying.

You're not in a contract and if you were she'd be at fault anyway

60sPony · 02/03/2020 19:43

This isn’t about sparing her feelings. It is a very important lesson to learn as someone who makes bespoke products that you must meet the clients brief - nothing else will do.

You need to get back to her and reiterate what you want and check that she is still able to make this and if she isn’t go elsewhere. I actually think her inexperience shows in her pricing (as well as her utter fuck up off the brief & material) and would suggest you contact spoon carvers as many will also make bowls, breadbins etc though I would expect it will cost more than £70 taking in to account labour and oak material cost.

katy1213 · 02/03/2020 19:44

Absolutely don't pay for it. If she's doing commissioned work, she needs to learn to keep to agreement. Don't feel sorry for her; it's her problem and if she can't sell it, she can give it to her own mum for Christmas! It sounds awful!

Willow2017 · 02/03/2020 19:45

Her 'business' isnt going to last long if she cant be bothered to make things her customers actually want!

Just tell her that its not what you asked for and you are not taking it. Cancel the order citing this. Its a business agreement and she didnt stick to it so tough for her. You cant decide just to make some random thing and expect a customer to pay up and say nothing!

dennisdonut · 02/03/2020 19:45

Pictures or it didn’t happen

Nomorepies · 02/03/2020 19:45

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on the poster's request.

Disfordarkchocolate · 02/03/2020 19:46

What you asked for sounds lovely. What she's made sounds hideous.

I'd start with an email that queried if she'd mistaken you for another customer as the information she sent didn't relate to your order.

60sPony · 02/03/2020 19:46

Just had a look through my contacts and I’m sure Deborah Schneebeli Morrell would be able to make you What you’re looking for. Hope that helps

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 02/03/2020 19:48

I have nothing to add but just following to see the outcomeGrin

No way would I pay £70 for bloody pallet wood Shock

Oblomov20 · 02/03/2020 19:49

Message her and tell her what you've said here.

MyGhastIsFlabbered · 02/03/2020 19:50

I'm only posting in the hope that OP posts pictures!

HeartyGreenSalad · 02/03/2020 19:51

Don't be tempted to buy it for a reduced price either because she spent time and money on it
It's not what you wanted

NoParticularPattern · 02/03/2020 19:52

Just message her. And don’t apologise about it either. The mistake is not yours.