Commission Work

COMMISSION CUSTOM WORK

How to commission work

Each project featured in our website portfolio was designed for a specific location or client and serves only to suggest our capabilities. Take your time in browsing our website to get a sense of our work and a feel for our design style. Our designs are as unique as the projects they fulfill and represent careful consideration of the space and the client. We rarely duplicate work.
The commissioning process begins with an exchange of information about the project, location and client. Is it a historic home or loft apartment? How do you envision using the finished space? What do you wish to achieve with the addition of our work to your home or business.
Designing for a specific space often requires an initial meeting at the project site. This provides the best background on the location and scale. If we are not geographically close, travel may not be possible for this initial meeting. In these instances we can work with architectural plans, site photos or examples of other ironwork you like. Details such as a favorite antique, a spectacular view or design repeated elsewhere in the project are also helpful.

Along with the physical and esthetic dimensions of a project, we need to discuss schedule and budget. You tell us when you would like to have the work completed and what you would like to spend. We will give you an idea of our workload and when we might expect to begin work. After this initial exchange, we should be able to determine if we want to move into the more formal design phase.

To begin the formal design, a retainer is required. This is usually 10% of the estimated cost of the project. Receipt of the retainer reserves a place for your project in our work schedule. The retainer covers drawing, design time, manufacture of any prototypes or samples, travel expenses for site visits and other design related charges.

The design proposal is a working, living document. We work together on the details and the proposal is not final until all parties are satisfied. Throughout the design process, the budget is always a factor. After approval of the design, a final estimate is submitted.

Upon project approval a material deposit is required; forging and fabrication will then begin. For many of our clients this is the most exciting phase. A shop visit can be arranged if you wish. Once again, distance can pose a challenge and photos taken during fabrication and manufacture can illustrate the progress.

Installation of architectural work is critical and we like to be involved very closely if not actually doing the work. Aside from making sure everything is right, seeing the work in place for the first time is one of our biggest rewards. We hate to miss it!

Please contact us if you would like to the commissioning process. We welcome inquiries on projects of all sizes and we thank you for your interest in Flicker Forge.

Tell us about your project

L Japheth Howard
Alice James
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