FAQ

How can you help with my company's image?
What advantages are there to repair instead of replacement?
What kinds of repairs are possible?
How will the repair look after you're done?
How long do the repairs take?
How much do you charge?
How long have you been in business?
Who are your customers?

How can you help with my company's image?
Your front door is more than an entrance. It's an expression of your attitude and attention to detail. Typically scratches, cracks, and other blemishes accumulate on doors and woodwork with the mistaken notion that replacement is the only option for improvement of distracting, unsightly damage. We offer the option of touch-up repair or refurbishment. Our motto is "We Hope You Don't See Our Work". We do hope that you will see the benefits in image enhancement.

Our skilled craftsmen can help maintain a fresh look in new buildings. We understand the value of patina and in preserving the well maintained look and history of the original construction in older buildings. Our methods make it possible to keep the original matching color of doors and woodwork, giving you the option to avoid the distracting differences that accompany replacement during remodels.

What advantages are there to repair instead of replacement?
Our artistic renewal of doors and woodwork saves hundreds/thousands of dollars in replacement costs, let alone trees. The time, cost and inconvenience involved in tearing out, disposing of the old and then installation of the new is reduced 70% to 90%. Our technicians repair on site with little interruption.

It is difficult if not impossible to match old woodwork with new. Even the same species of wood can have a different look depending on where it was grown. Quite often only one door in a set of "pair matched" doors is damaged, but because stains, sheens, or grain patterns cannot be matched, both doors are replaced. Our specialized restorative processes make it possible to repair the damage, avoiding cost, mismatched replacement, and waste of perfectly good doors or woodwork.

Based on our experience, repairing doors (wood or plastic laminate), stone or woodwork can be a timely solution at a mere 15% of the cost of replacement.

What kinds of repairs are possible?
Despain Craftsmanship specializes in repairing aesthetic damage. Structural repairs focus on returning support or integrity (e.g. a broken chair leg or support beam), while aesthetic repairs deal with surface damage like scratches, gouges, chips, etc. Most surface damage to wood, plastic laminate and some stonework is repairable. We can affect an 80-95% improvement at only 5-15% of the cost of replacement.
See: What advantages are there to repair instead of replacement?

Examples:

Standing and Running Architectural Millwork (e.g. doors, casing, trim)
Paneling (e.g. elevator cabs, wall coverings, reception areas)
Wood Furniture (desks, tables, chairs)
Normal Wear (e.g. chipped edges, scratches, faded color)
Heavy Damage (e.g. forklift gouges, impact damage, cart scraping, break-in damage, animal bite marks)
Installation and Machining Mishaps (e.g. dropped doors, miss-drilled holes)
Fire/Water Damage
Tile and Stonework (holes, chips, broken corners, etc)

How will the repair look after you're done?
Although our customers often describe us as "miracle workers" or "magicians", we will be the first to admit that making damage completely disappear is not possible. On a scale of 1-10, our technicians are trained to consistently achieve an 8 or 9 (i.e. shouldn't be visible to casual observer at 3 feet). Our technicians know when an 8 or 9 is not achievable and will work to properly manage expectations.

How long do the repairs take?
Small gouges may take as little as 15 minutes, whereas extra large holes may take as much as 3 hours. Because most of our work is done on-site, the time associated with moving, transportation, and reinstallation are eliminated. Our goal to get in and get out, avoiding the disruptions and downtime usually associated with other methods of refurbishment.

How much do you charge?
Our charges to repair wood, plastic laminate or stone are based on the wide variety of damage which can occur. We will analyze and evaluate (on a piece rate basis) small blemishes to extra large gouges, holes or crushed/missing edges, taking into account the type of wood needing repair and other factors to give you an honest proposal.

To qualify for piece work, damage has to be somewhat specific. For example, doors that have been prepped for closers incorrectly have a specific number of holes that need to be fixed.

A refurbishment proposal is usually given when work is required in an occupied building. The specific damage that distinguishes doors and woodwork is taken into consideration.

How long have you been in business?
Despain Craftsmanship was founded in 1987.

Who are your customers?
Our clients range from large businesses to individual homeowners who know the value of a well-maintained image. We serve hotels, property managers, contractors, hospitals, office buildings, churches, insurance companies, moving companies, furniture companies, restaurants, high end retail stores, door manufacturers/suppliers, millworkers, libraries, government buildings, homeowners, etc.

Here is a list of just a few of our projects and customers:

222 South Main Project, Salt Lake City, UT
American Nevada Company, Nevada
Architectural Building Supply, Utah
Beacon Metals, Utah
Coldwell Banker Commercial, Utah
Commerce CRG, Utah
Door and Hardware Management, Nevada
Hilton Salt Lake City Center, Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute, Utah
Interior Construction Specialists, Utah
Intermountain Medical Center, Utah
LDS Meetinghouses and Temples, Arizona, Illinois, Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Africa
Marriott City Center, Utah
Marriott Downtown, Utah
Marshfield Door Systems, Western United States
McKay Dee Hospital, Utah
MGM City Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Nuterra Properties, Utah
Okland Construction, Utah
Polo Towers, Las Vegas, Nevada
Robert I. Merrill, Utah
Salt Lake Main Library, Utah
Thomas and Mack, Nevada
U of U Hospitals and Clinics, Utah
Venetian, Las Vegas, Nevada
Wasatch Commercial Management, Utah
Wynn Casino and Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
Zions Property Management, Utah