Return Policy

The Nature of What We Make

BiyeLada furniture is built from reclaimed barn timber that has already lived one full working life. The characteristics that make each plank irreplaceable — the checks, the silver-weathered face, the saw kerf, the iron stain, the variation in grain width and colour — are not imperfections. They are the material's record of where it has been. Every client is shown detailed photographs and, wherever possible, the actual timber before work begins or before a standing-inventory piece is dispatched.

Because of this, we cannot accept returns on the basis of natural material variation. A board that is darker at one end than the other, a surface with a visible check that was sealed before dispatch, or a colour difference between two adjacent planks on a tabletop are all consistent with what reclaimed timber is. Our makers photograph and record the working stock throughout construction, and that documentation is available to you on request at any stage.

Accepted Grounds for Return

We accept returns in the following circumstances. First, where a structural defect is present — meaning a joint has failed, a component has fractured in a way that is not consistent with normal loading, or a drawer or mechanism does not operate as it should — and the defect was present at the time of delivery rather than arising from subsequent use. Second, where the piece delivered differs materially from what was confirmed in your order documentation: wrong dimensions, wrong timber species, or a finish that was not agreed. Third, where the piece arrived damaged as a result of transit rather than a pre-existing characteristic of the timber.

In all three cases, the claim must be raised within fourteen days of delivery. Claims raised after this window will be considered at our discretion, with particular attention to whether the issue could reasonably have been identified on delivery.

How to Raise a Return Claim

To begin a return, contact us by telephone at the number listed in the footer of this page, or write to us at our Khandyam address. Describe the issue in as much detail as possible and include photographs of the relevant area of the piece. If the matter concerns transit damage, also include photographs of the packaging as you received it, and do not discard the packaging materials until the claim is resolved.

We will acknowledge your claim within three working days and propose a course of action within seven. In many cases we will ask to inspect the piece ourselves before confirming the next step. Our preference is always to repair or replace before offering a refund, because a piece of reclaimed timber is often better served by a maker's hands than by a refund transaction.

Return Logistics and Costs

Where a return is accepted on grounds of structural defect, incorrect specification, or transit damage, we will arrange and pay for collection from your delivery address using the same freight provider used for the original delivery. You will not be asked to pay any return shipping costs in these circumstances.

Where a return is accepted for any other agreed reason, the cost of return logistics will be discussed and confirmed in writing before the piece is collected. We do not accept returns dropped off at the studio without prior arrangement, as our workshop space is not configured for unscheduled arrivals of large furniture.

Refunds

Where a refund is agreed, it will be issued within fourteen days of the returned piece arriving at the studio in the condition confirmed at the time the return was approved. Refunds are issued by the same method used for the original payment. We do not issue refunds in cash. Provenance certification fees are non-refundable once the certificate has been issued, as that work has been completed regardless of the furniture's return.

Commission Cancellations

A commission may be cancelled by the client before timber has been formally allocated to the piece, in which case the deposit will be refunded in full minus any costs already incurred, such as timber sourcing visits or design consultation time that was billed separately.

Once timber has been allocated and primary work has begun, cancellation will result in the forfeit of the deposit. This reflects the fact that wood cut, jointed, or finished to a specific commission cannot readily be repurposed. If work is more than sixty percent complete at the time of cancellation, an additional partial payment proportional to the work completed may be required under the terms of the commission agreement.

BiyeLada may cancel a commission in exceptional circumstances — for instance, if the specific source timber is lost or compromised before work begins. In that case the deposit is returned in full, and we will offer an equivalent commission from an alternative batch where possible.

Care After Delivery

Reclaimed timber furniture requires modest but consistent care. Surfaces finished in hardwax oil benefit from an annual application of the same product, available from us directly. Pieces placed near heat sources or air conditioning units may show additional seasonal movement as the wood responds to humidity change; this is normal and not a defect. Our makers are happy to advise on placement, care routines, and long-term maintenance by telephone or during a studio visit.