Rush Jobs
Rush Jobs & Scheduling
I understand that sometimes a job feels urgent. Before requesting a rush, please take a few minutes to read through how my shop operates. Whether I can take on a Rush or Super Rush Job — and where it fits in my workflow — is entirely my call. There are no guarantees, and I do not give completion dates on any job, rush or otherwise.
What Is a Rush Job?
Rush Job
A job I choose to work in ahead of others in the queue. If I decide to take one on, I determine where it fits — typically in the open window between scheduled projects. A rush job generally applies to small jobs where it would inconvenience other clients to a smaller degree. There is no guarantee I will accept a Rush Job, and I set the timeline, not the client. Since I'm a one man shop and I work slow, the job may take longer than you desire and that is to be expected and considered normal.
Super Rush Job
A job I choose to take on that requires stopping a project already in progress, setting it aside, completing your piece, and then returning to the interrupted work. This is mainly for smaller jobs, is rare, carries a significant fee, and is entirely at my discretion.
How My Schedule Works
I'm typically booked out at least some months out. Each job takes anywhere from a week or two, to a couple months or more, depending on the scope — and many of the pieces I work on require a complete rebuild, which takes considerable time. I do not give completion dates on any job, rush or otherwise. Every job is different, and I've learned from 58 years of experience that estimated timelines are exactly that — estimates.
Between scheduled jobs, there is a natural window when I'm cleaning up and clearing table space. If I decide to take on a Rush Job, that window is typically where it fits. I make that determination based on what's already in progress and what's coming up next.
Why Interrupting a Job Is a Problem
When I'm in the middle of a project, every piece has a place and a purpose. If I stop to take on a Super Rush Job, I have to move everything aside — fabric panels, foam, springs, tacking strips — and reorganize the workspace for the new piece. When I return to the original job, I often have to spend real time just reconstructing where I left off. The pieces need to be restacked, the sequence of work reconstructed, and my train of thought recovered. That reorganization can easily cost me several hours of productive work.
This is why I rarely interrupt a job already in progress. The hidden cost is simply too high — for me and ultimately for all my clients.
What Makes a Rush Job Actually Work
If I agree to take on a Rush Job, the single most important factor in making it work is having everything ready well in advance. That means:
- All fabric selections confirmed and ordered early — not when the urgency sets in, but as soon as you know you want to move quickly.
- All supplies (fabric, foam, welting cord, buttons, etc.) physically in my shop before I reach the point in my schedule where your job could fit.
- Your deposit paid so I can place orders without delay. I do not order materials without a deposit.
If supplies haven't arrived by the time I reach an open window in my schedule, I move on to the next project. Your job then waits until the next available opening — which could be another few days to a week or more. Waiting until the last minute on the deposit and order almost always creates exactly the problem we were trying to avoid.
The bottom line on timing:Jobs occasionally run shorter than expected, and jobs often run longer. The only way to give a Rush Job a fighting chance is to have fabric and supplies here well ahead of time — not just ordered, but physically on hand. "It's on its way" is not the same as "it's ready to go."
Rush Fees
A standard Rush Job — one that fits naturally between scheduled projects — may not require an additional fee, depending on timing and complexity. However, if meeting your deadline requires me to interrupt a job already in progress, a Super Rush Fee applies. That fee accounts for the time lost reorganizing my workspace, recovering my workflow, and the additional pressure placed on the overall schedule.
Super Rush Fee NoticeIf your job must be completed quickly so that it requires me to stop and set aside a project already underway, a Super Rush Fee will be assessed before work begins. This is not a penalty — it is a fair reflection of the real cost involved.
How to Request a Rush Job
Contact me as early as possible and describe the job. I'll let you know whether I can take it on and, if so, where it might fit in my current workflow. That decision is mine to make based on what I have going on — and here is one thing to keep in mind. I will do what I can, but there are no guarantees that a project will be done by a specific time. There times when the unexpected happens and things don't go as planned. That is to be expected and is considered a normal part of my business.
If we agree to move forward, pay your deposit right away so materials can be ordered immediately. Every day of delay on the deposit is a day lost in the process.
