The catalogue looks right. The price point makes sense. The lead time sounds workable. Then the delivery arrives and the setting is three centimetres wider than the footpath permit allows, the frame colour is close but not quite right, and the supplier takes four days to respond. For any Melbourne hospitality venue investing seriously in its outdoor section, the supplier behind the product is as much of the decision as the product itself, and most venues only discover that once it is too late to change it.
Why Local Manufacturing Changes the Outcome?
What ultimately separates the locally made piece of furniture from the catalogue-made one is the flexibility of the specifications used for the manufacture of the product. When sourcing from outdoor furniture suppliers Melbourne, a local manufacturing company will manufacture the furniture piece according to the dimensions required by the client, preferred powder coating colour, timber type, and seat dimensions as well. The catalogue manufacturing company will manufacture according to the available stock at their factory, which in most cases may not be what a certain venue needs in terms of dimensions, design, and colour of furniture.
In case the venue has some unique requirements in terms of design and dimensions, local manufacture proves to be a better choice. The price factor is relative and in most cases, the locally made product that fits and works ends up being the more sensible choice than the catalogue-made one that will need compromise through the entire project.
Support services like warranty and other after-sales service will also be easier to provide by a manufacturer close at hand.
What Genuine Customisation Looks Like?
Some suppliers use the term “custom” to mean choosing three timber tones and five frame colours from a standard menu. But a supplier that can truly custom manufacture furniture will sit down with you to talk through what you need, and build it according to your actual measurements and preferences, not just the nearest standard option.
If you ask to see some examples of their previous custom projects, and specifically what the variation was in terms of dimensions, timber species and frame finishes for different sites, then you’ll get a much better idea of the kind of flexibility they have. A company whose past work shows all sorts of different scales, materials and finishes across various commercial environments is probably onto something. But one that looks just the same everywhere is probably hiding something and is definitely worth questioning before you commit.
If a supplier is writing out your specification in full at the quoting stage, exact measurements, materials, finishes and confirmed delivery times, then that says to you that they’re a commercial outfit, not some sort of retail shop.
How to Assess Durability Before Buying?
The most useful way to get a sense of how long something will last is to go and look at it after a year of being outside in the same conditions that it will end up in.
When you’re told that timber is “weatherproof”, be aware that this can mean just about anything depending on the type of tree, what has been done to it, and what kind of finish they have used to protect it. Ask to know exactly what you are getting. It’s the same with steel frames; is it really powder coated as they claim, or just painted? Powder coating is done electrostatically and then heat cured, so it’s a lot more resistant to all sorts of things that you’re likely to throw at it than a painted finish would be. For businesses operating in regulated outdoor dining environments, the Business Victoria website covers permit obligations and compliance requirements relevant to footpath trading across the state.
Warranty and After-Sales Reality
When a supplier is trying to flog you something, do they suddenly become very vague about the warranty terms? If so, this is probably because they are not going to stick to their promises after the sale is made. Try to get the warranty terms in writing; what is covered, for how long, and under what conditions. If all they say is “workmanship”, that’s not very reassuring.
Another thing to think about is how easily they can replace individual components. For example, if you have a whole section of furniture and one bit of it wears out, can they just replace the one bit and not have to order the whole thing again? This becomes a lot more relevant than you might think, and a supplier who can do this is a lot more valuable than one who can’t.
Matching Supplier Scale to the Project
If you are working with a supplier who is used to dealing with large commercial hospitality projects they will have a very different production capacity and delivery system than one who is used to just doing small residential orders. So if you are planning on installing a lot of furniture or doing it in several places at once, you need to make sure that the supplier can actually deliver on that scale. Get references from other commercial venues that are similar in size and environment to yours; that’s a lot more useful than some glowing residential testimonial.
