Rising prices, carpenter wants to switch from birch to pine

[anotherscroller]

Hi!
We just ordered a bookshelf to be fitted around our living room door. Paid the deposit and everything. Whole thing is costing about £7000.
Carpenter emailed yesterday saying he’s really sorry but the birch plywood they normally order to make shelves has doubled in price because of the war in Ukraine as it was produced in Russia. So they are asking if it’s ok to use pine plywood instead.
He says it’s just as durable, it’s just that you can see the wood grain through the paint and it’s not a completely smooth surface, unlike with birch.
I’m a little disappointed because I’m not a fan of pine, but it’s painted so maybe it doesn’t matter.
My husband thinks they should pay for the birch seeing as it was what was agreed.
I don’t want to kick up a fuss because the type of wood wasn’t actually specified in the purchase document (not actually signed though).
AIBU? (Or rather, am I being a pushover?)

With paint and being covered in books etc how much expensive birch will be visible?

Is there an option to use birch for any cupboard doors or very visible parts but pine otherwise?

MDF?

I agree, if you demand that the joiner covers the cost he will return your deposit.

Did your quote include a breakdown of costs? Does pine now cost what birch used to cost?

I had birch faced ply for a job, but wouldn’t have bothered if it was going to be painted or not highly visible.

That’s nuts! We got bookcases in our old farmhouse around two walls, floor to ceiling a few years ago. It’s painted mdf with architrave added for detailing. Mdf is much better as it’s stronger than wood and doesn’t change over time. It was about £1k and took two days work. We painted ourselves.

I think if you’re paying 7k that should cover the cost of the birch!

Unfortunately it's happening to us and our joinery business. Hate asking customers for more money but we can't work at a loss. We use ash a lot as it's very hardwearing, pine is quite soft and marks easily. It doed depend what they can get hold of, Accoya and oak are none existent in some areas.

Btw I had a massive bespoke bookcase made to measure admittedly about 20 years ago. Went up to the ceiling, is at least 6ft long, lots of different size shelves, so some for books, some CD size, some dvd size. Cost £400 but was in pine.

Also depending on the detail involved, how big the area is etc £7000 isn't that expensive

If you are painting them and want a smooth finish I'd consider MDF if that is cheaper. I don't see the point of using something more costly if you are painting it and will never see the wood part.

If it's all being painted over anyway why not just get MDF?

I also don’t understand why you are going for expensive wood if it’s just going to be painted, just use mdf. I’d not do pine, evenpainted you know it’s pine.

your husband is in lala land if he thinks the carpenter should treat him to expensive wood.

I'd accept the pine. As others have said, it'll be painted and a lot of it covered with books anyway.

My OH made a 'next to/over the door' bookcase a few years ago, using MDF. It's painted the same colour as the walls, looks good. You want the bookcase to 'blend in' rather than notice what it's made of.

Does your husband actually think the carpenter should cover the cost of the material increase? Really….

I am building an extension at the moment.

if you have a time machine that would be great- I would love to pay 2002 prices!!!

please let me know

If you are going to accept pine, I’d ask for a reduced price.

This thread wins this weeks biggest mumsnet flex… £7k for a bookcase!! 😂

£7k was the cheapest?!!😮

How is that broken down? Is the wood the biggest part of that, or the labour? And just how big is the book case going to be?

But as PPs have said, if you can afford £7k, I'm sure you could afford a bit more.

Lots of people on mn think tradesmen should work at a loss yes. They have no idea what is happening to materials prices. These are the same people who would never do do anything for nothing themselves.

the tradesman is just as entitled to walk away from this project as the purchaser is to cancel half way through.

what is this “purchase document” you speak of @anotherscroller?

I would either suck up the extra cost or delay the project for awhile. I wouldn't go for the cheaper pine. How much extra is he asking for? If the quote is £7k I bet a huge part of that is labour.

Having worked in the construction industry for years- can I ask when you accepted the quote? Normally there is a time limit on how long prices are guaranteed for - it might say "materials prices correct for (date) and valid for x weeks/months".

Was the exact type of ply specified in the quotation?

At the moment with key materials prices going up daily, then a fixed price quotation guaranteed for months is impossible.

If your joiner is worth his salt, then if you try to make him supply the more expensive ply at the old price, he will just walk and start the next job on his waiting list.

I’ve got both pine shelves and high quality MDF wardrobes in my bedroom, I’ve added an image for both - not sure of it’s helpful to see the finish.

You’re completely right in that you’re going to see the grain of the wood for pine even when it’s painted. It doesn’t bother me for these shelves as the position of them means it’s not that noticeable. However, if they were wood backed or included cupboards it probably wouldn’t be the wood I’d choose. It really does depend on what aesthetic you’re going for though.

When we had our wardrobes done in August last year the price of the MDF went up by 10%, this was after we’d paid the deposit. I doubt you’ll get the joiner to use the material you want for the price you were originally quoted - we certainly didn’t and had to pay the extra!

@Mellowyellow222 obviously I’d expect a price increase from 20 years ago but even allowing for inflation that’s a crazy increase. With inflation maybe double it, double it again for material cost increases and still nowhere near 7k I don’t see other things costing 20x what they did 20 years ago. 🤷🏻‍♀️

personally I’d get some mdf and make it myself rather than pay 7k 😁

@Hera222 I'm completely missing the point of the thread but I love your wallpaper.

He obviously won’t do it for the original price, he’s not going to work if it’s costing him money. I’m getting my drive relaid at the moment and was originally quoted £3k for the stones I wanted used. He couldn’t order them until 4 weeks ago by which point they’d gone up to £7k 😭. I saw both the quotes and I knew he wasn’t having me on. It’s a difficult time for tradesmen to be able to reliably cost things unless they are immediately installing them.

Me too. Your wallpaper is gorgeous. Can I ask where it’s from?

We have built-in bookshelves covering two walls floor to ceiling. We built them ourselves 25 years ago and they are painted pine. They look great. You can see the grain through the paint, I suppose, but that has never occurred to me to be even a problem. And if you have books, things, on the shelves, why would it matter? You are not going to see them.

It's a huge feature in your home. Don't go for the pine as you will always regret it.