Lead Times, Delivery and Installation for Made-to-Order Furniture in Kochi

The part of buying handmade furniture that nobody enjoys is the waiting, and the part that goes wrong most often is the day it arrives. Both are manageable if you know what to expect and ask the right things before you order.

Why made-to-order takes weeks

It is not queuing. The time goes into the work.

Timber selection and seasoning. Boards are chosen for the piece, and the timber must be at a stable moisture content before anything is cut. This step is invisible in the finished object and is the first thing sacrificed when someone promises an unusually fast delivery. Furniture built from insufficiently seasoned wood shrinks and twists in your house, opening its joints as it goes.

Cutting and joinery. Mortise and tenon, dovetails, fitted panels. A craftsman cutting and fitting joints by hand takes hours where a machine drilling dowel holes takes minutes, and that difference is most of what you are paying for.

Cane work. Hand-woven cane is worked strand by strand through drilled holes. A full chair back and seat is days of work by itself.

Finishing. A hand-rubbed finish is built up in layers with drying time between each. It cannot be compressed without showing.

Curing and checking. A finished piece rests before it ships, and is checked once it has settled.

Temple Town's published lead time is four to six weeks for most pieces and four to eight for larger items such as beds, depending on the workshop's schedule when the order is placed. Any maker quoting days rather than weeks for solid hardwood is selling stock, not made-to-order work — which is fine, as long as you know which you are buying.

What to settle before you pay

Get these in writing. A good workshop will offer them without being asked.

• Timber species, and whether it is kiln-dried.
• Exact finished dimensions — and for beds, the mattress size the frame is built to, which is not the same number.
• Finish, cane and upholstery specification.
• Lead time, with a stated start point. Does the clock start at order, at payment, or at design sign-off?
• Delivery and installation: what is included, who carries it up, and whether assembly is part of the price.
• What happens if it does not fit. The single most important clause, and the one most often missing.
• Cancellation and returns. Made-to-order work is generally non-cancellable once production begins, because the piece exists only for you. Ours is — read the terms on any maker's order before you sign.
• Warranty terms, and specifically what is excluded.

Measure before, not after

This is where most deliveries go wrong, and it is entirely preventable.

Measure and write down:

• The lift car — width, depth and height — and the lift door opening, which is usually the real constraint.
• The stairwell — particularly the turn at each landing, where long pieces get stuck.
• The main entrance door and every internal door the piece must pass, measured with the door open, at the narrowest point.
• Ceiling height at the installed position, not the nominal room height. Critical for four poster beds and tall wardrobes.
• The installed footprint, including clearance to open drawers and doors, and space to walk past.

For anything tall or long, also check the diagonal. A piece that will not fit through a door upright will often pass at an angle, and a maker who knows the trade will tell you whether that is possible with your specific piece.

If a lift or stair genuinely will not take it, say so at order stage. Many pieces can be built to knock down and assemble in the room — but that has to be designed in, not discovered on delivery day.

Delivery day

A short, practical list.

• Clear the route beforehand, including landings and the doorway itself.
• Book the service lift if your building requires it, and clear it with the association. Many Kochi buildings restrict delivery hours.
• Protect the floor at turns, which is where things get dragged.
• Have the room ready. Fitting a bed around existing furniture takes twice as long.
• Inspect before the team leaves. Check the finish in daylight, open and close every drawer and door, sit on the seating, check that a bed frame sits level and does not rock. Raise anything now; it is far easier to resolve with the team present.
• Let it settle. Furniture arriving from a workshop into an air-conditioned flat is moving between two environments. Give it a week before judging small movements, and keep it out of a direct AC blast.

Assembly

Most of what we make arrives ready to use. Pieces that need assembly come with instructions, and a bed frame or large cabinet is usually straightforward for a local carpenter if you would rather not do it yourself.

The thing worth knowing: cut joinery is designed to be taken apart and put back together. Knock-down fittings are not, and loosen a little each time. If you move house often, ask how a piece is intended to be dismantled before you buy it.

Frequently asked questions

How long does handmade furniture take to make?

Typically four to six weeks for most pieces, and four to eight for larger items such as beds, depending on the workshop's schedule. The time goes into timber seasoning, hand-cut joinery, cane work and layered finishing.

Can made-to-order furniture be cancelled?

Generally not once production has begun, since the piece is built to your specification and exists only for you. Check each maker's terms before ordering.

What should I measure before a furniture delivery?

The lift car and its door opening, the stairwell turn at each landing, the entrance and internal doors at their narrowest point with the door open, ceiling height at the installed position, and the installed footprint including clearance to open drawers.

What should I check when furniture is delivered?

Inspect the finish in daylight, open and close every drawer and door, check that frames sit level without rocking, and confirm dimensions against your order — all before the delivery team leaves.

Does handmade furniture need assembly?

Most pieces arrive ready to use. Larger items may need assembly, and instructions are provided; a local carpenter can usually handle it. Pieces built with cut joinery are designed to be dismantled and reassembled without loss of strength.

Built to be inherited

A month of waiting is a short interval against fifty years of use, and the checks above take twenty minutes. Both are worth doing properly.

Temple Town makes furniture to order in its own workshop in Thrissur and delivers across India. Our Kochi showroom is inside the Museum of Kerala History at Edappally.

Related reading: Commissioning bespoke furniture · Furnishing a Kochi apartment

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