We find that the following questions are the ones which we are most frequently asked. We have provided them here, with answers, and hope they will help you. Please do not hesitate to email us should you need any further help or information.

FURNITURE – CUSTOMISING, PAINTING & CARE

I would like to paint the furniture myself – is there a particular method or product I should use?

There are many different ways to paint solid wood furniture and each will give a different look to the piece. YouTube can be a great resource for this and there is also a huge amount of information available on the web generally.

One thing to remember when painting fruitwood (and many other hardwoods) is that the type of primer is important in order to prevent bleed through of the strong pigments naturally found in the wood. Always use one that has stain blocking properties.

We have a some general advice on painting which you can download as a pdf here.

Does it Cost More to Specify a Special Paint Colour?

We charge a flat fee of £25 per item for this and although this covers most makes of paint (including Little Greene, Farrow & Ball, Paint & Paper Library and Dulux) it is advisable to check. We may ask you to send us the paint instead of adding this charge (e.g. Neptune, Edward Bulmer and Fired Earth). We can also quote for distressed finishes if required – please email jon@scumblegoosie.com

Can you alter the size of pieces of furniture in your range to suit the space I need to fill?

Yes we can. Just check the code for the piece of furniture you like. If it has a tape measure symbol next to it, then we can customise it for you. This means you can change all three dimensions of those products, add a drawer to a table or a chest, a shelf to a bookcase or wardrobe, or split a wardrobe so that half is hanging/half shelf space – please email jon@scumblegoosie.com for a quote.

Will I need to do any assembly or construction when my furniture arrives?

Usually not, and what you might need to do is really very simple:

Self assembly legs: As we do not produce flat pack furniture, the only thing we may have to ask you to do is to put on the self assembly legs (if your piece is a desk or table). These are very easy to put on without any tools whatsoever. They come with wing nuts, and as they are numbered individually, it is important that you put the right leg on the right corner.

Please be aware that as most of our furniture, apart from beds and tables (see above), is delivered fully built it is your responsibility to ensure that access is suitable. Contact us if you have any concerns and we can try to advise.

Can I choose which handles I get with my furniture?

On this website you will see a variety of handles on our furniture but most are shown with aged brass effect ring pulls. These are handmade and suit the furniture very well. This type of handle will usually be supplied with all orders unless you have told us otherwise. Alternatives include porcelain or wooden knobs, or we can fit handles supplied by you (painted orders only). You can view our Handle choices here.

What wood is my furniture made from, is it robust, and is it from a sustainable resource?

Our furniture is handmade entirely from solid planks of sustainable hardwood (Mango). The only exception is our Radiator Tables which have an MDF top to reduce the possibility of shrinkage cracks occurring caused by heat.

Mango is very strong, durable, dense, virtually knot free and hard to dent. It has a fine grain which lends it well to staining or waxing. It is entirely sustainable, first providing the mango harvest for several years, before being recycled into our furniture. It is a natural material and will therefore generally have one or two irregularities. These are characteristics of the wood itself, and the manufacturing process, rather than defects.

What finish would suit my furniture best?

As our designs are based on 18th and 19th century originals, a lightly antiqued and/or distressed finish suits our furniture far better than a 21st century mass-produced formica finish look! This is why all our finishing is done by brush rather than spray. Again, some prefer oiling or staining and this is ideal for table tops as it is more durable than a painted finish.

ORDERING, DELIVERY, COLLECTIONS & RETURNS

How will I know if a product is in stock?

We do carry large stocks but we are very busy so please do call or email us if you would like an estimate of delivery time. Please note that all painted orders are painted to order, not held in stock!

If a standard item that I want is out of stock, when can I have it?

We usually have deliveries into our warehouse every six weeks so hopefully any gaps in the stock are ‘plugged’ by the next delivery! However, if time is critical please let us know so that we can advise. Sometimes products featured in magazines or Instagram can sell out faster than we can make them and so occasionally the gap may not be plugged quite so quickly.

What are your typical delivery times?

If an item is in stock, and it is small enough (such as a bedside table) to be sent by parcel service , we should get it to you in 3 – 5 working days. Please allow around 6 – 8 weeks extra if you are wanting us to paint the item first (this can be longer during particularly busy times of year). Customised orders take considerably longer to make and so please allow around 18 weeks though again this can vary so please do check. Fortunately our loyal customers are happy to wait as it means that they are getting precisely what they require and it is often still quicker than searching for alternatives!

Please be aware that large items such as those falling within delivery category D (see below) will require a man and a van type delivery service and so your location will be an important factor in determining how quickly we can get your order delivered. Most of these orders, as long as the items are in stock, are typically delivered in 2 – 3 weeks (plus the painting time if applicable). Once again please do get email us and we will be happy to advise.

When will you take money from my payment card?

Orders placed via the website will have 50% deducted from your payment card and we will deduct the balance when we are ready to dispatch. Payment by bank transfer is very popular these days and this can be done by emailing the order to team@scumblegoosie.com. This is particularly useful for customised orders or stock items on extended lead times as we can request a much smaller deposit. We feel this is fairer on our customers!

How much do you charge for delivery?

For charges please see the lorry symbol with the letter A,B,C,D or E next to it) against each of our products.

A – a parcel service. This will cost you £9.

B – also a parcel service for slightly bigger items, and will cost you £19.

C – likely to be a parcel service or we may deliver it to you ourselves. This is for bigger items again, and we make a charge of £29.

D – means a delivery of our biggest items. Again we will either deliver it to you ourselves or send with a specialist carrier. The basic charge is £39 but here it gets a little more expensive the further you live from our warehouse – however this will calculated for you at checkout. (The charges referred to here apply to Mainland UK. For Highlands and Islands and Export orders please contact us for a quote.)

E – is for our small accessories and will cost you £6.95 (irrespective of how many are ordered).

Only one delivery charge will be made per order NOT per item. If you are ordering items from more than one category the delivery charge will be based on the SINGLE highest charge category that applies to the items you require.

How do you deliver?

We do not usually use big lorries, but we do ask you to tell us if there is restricted access at your address. It is also helpful for us to know if somebody is available to help the driver as our furniture is very solidly built and larger items can be quite heavy! We contract to deliver your furniture to your front door. The driver will be happy to carry the items over your threshold, but will not be liable for any damage to the interior of your property, howsoever caused. For any items in delivery category D please let us know if you would like a quote for a two man delivery service should help not be available. If you are having a pallet delivery – a service we can offer for some larger items such as chairs and chests of drawers as an economical and fast alternative if you live some distance away for us – then please note the pallet company is only obliged to deliver to the kerbside of your property (although they can usually place on a driveway if this is an option).

What time of day do you deliver?

For furniture deliveries we will always contact you to arrange a mutually convenient day for delivery and normally we can say whether it will be morning or afternoon. Smaller items are delivered by a parcel carrier who will deliver anytime within normal working hours. A time slot is usually, but not always, given.

A signature will be required and it is essential that you check the goods to ensure that they are undamaged as claims for transit damage cannot be made if you sign for them as being received in satisfactory condition.

Do you deliver outside of Mainland UK?

We regularly deliver to the Channel Islands, Offshore Islands and, in the case of items that can be sent by parcel, most countries within the EU. For the rest of the world we usually ask that you organise the shipping from your end as this can save the customer a significant sum of money. So wherever you live please simply drop us an email stating the sort of things you are considering ordering and giving your country and area/zip code and we will come back to you with the best options available.

Can I collect my order from you?

Yes you can but please note this must be at a pre-arranged time as we have to get the order picked and ready for collection. We are experiencing a high level of demand so this is not always possible to do at short notice so please wait for your invoice to be emailed advising you that the items are ready. ALL collections are from our Woodchester warehouse NOT Griffin Mill. The opening times and full address of the warehouse will be on your invoice. Please note collections are not possible at weekends.

RETURNS & CANCELLATIONS

We try at all times to please our customers. If you are not satisfied with a product, please notify us within 28 days and return the goods to Scumble Goosie, Merretts Mill, Bath Road, South Woodchester. GL5 5EX. Please notify us before returning to this address.

What if I want to return my furniture or cancel an order?

Items will be refunded providing that:

It is in the same condition as when you first bought it; and,
The items are not bespoke or customised in any way (including painting in your choice of colour).
You have taken reasonable care to ensure that any item is returned to us safely and not damaged in transit.

Unfortunately, post and package costs are non-refundable and we are not held responsible for returns that do not reach us.

Orders for items which are not in stock at the time of ordering but for which we have requested a small reservation fee/deposit (usually 10%) can be cancelled but we will normally retain the fee as these items will not have been made available to sell to other customers. The exception to this would be if we have not been able to supply the goods in the approximate timescale given at the point of ordering.

If you have any other questions which are not answered here, please email enquiries@scumblegoosie.com