Following is a description of furniture and other items that we don't generally repair; not because we take a snobby view of such pieces, but for a variety of sound, practical reasons. We are not equipped to carry out some processes, but frequently it's simply a case of being uneconomical to carry out many of the repairs we're asked to consider. Sometimes the original purchase price of the items involved or their intrinsic value, cannot justify the cost of repair and for others, it's really because the methods of construction are simply not substantial enough.

Whilst not exhaustive, this list gives a brief guide to those requests we frequently receive, but with which we are usually unable to help…

• Whilst we repair collectible 20th Century furniture (most commonly that manufactured between 1900 and the 1960-70s) we do not repair what many would term modern furniture, particularly that made within the past 30 years. From around 1970 onwards, techniques were devised which placed a higher value on mechanisation and speed of assembly, above robust or more traditional construction techniques and these frequently do not lend themselves to practicable repair or restoration.

• MODERN LEATHER SOFAS - We cannot repair tears or scratches to modern leather sofas and armchairs.

• SOFA BEDS - We don't repair sofa bed mechanisms

• DISCOUNT FURNITURE RETAILERS - All furniture purchased from the likes of IKEA and similar shops, selling similar quality goods cannot be repaired by us. Sofas and chairs from DFS, etc are likewise not repairable. This is because, in the main, they tend not to be constructed either robustly enough, or using materials that lend themselves to being repaired. Most modern fabric sofas from the larger sofa suppliers are not worth repairing. Repairs to the types of 'landlord' furniture that is commonplace is always worth significantly less than its repair cost.

• MODERN DINING SETS - Sets of modern dining chairs are almost never worth paying to have joints reglued or legs repaired, due in the main to the fact that replacement with similar ones are so cheap these days.

• KITCHENS - We do not repair kitchen work surfaces or kitchen cupboard doors.

• TV-CABINETS & MODERN SPEAKERS - We do not repair TV cabinets, nor anything much that is made from chipboard, MDF or other man-made boards and then veneered - with the exception of mid-century modern furniture which is highly collectible.

• MODIFCATION & ADAPTION We will not cut off the legs of your sofa in order to get it into your house and then re-attach them. Nor will we dismantle your wardrobe and reassemble it in another place

• PAINTING - We don't re-paint modern furniture

• DOORS - We don't repolish front doors or polish or paint internal room doors.

• STAIRCASES - We don't paint or repolish staircases, balustrades or handrails.

• FLOORING - we don't strip, sand, repolish or paint floors.

• MODERN GARDEN FURNITURE - we tend to avoid most garden furniture because it's produced so cheaply now in India and China that replacement is usually the more economical option.

• We do not carry out work on site of any description, as it is largely impractical to do so; work quality suffers and we have everything we need in our workshops, which are not easily transportable to client's premises.

Sorry and please don't take it personally.