Rafael Furniture Repair

He recaned a old chair marvelously for me with rattan.

I thought I was reading a review that I might write, but truth is you have to be patient with this vendor. He is one person, has been doing this for 50 years and has a small shop in his home. He works all day and tries to line up new service calls with established work locations (makes sense).

I waited patiently for weeks. Finally I called him asking Do you repair office
chairs? Yes. Do you repair them at someone’s home? Yes. Do you have
issues with disabled (me) people? NO!

This is all information I told him long ago.

I finally asked well then why can’t I get you to visit me? Is it my address (maybe it wasn’t fancy enough?). He asked who is this and I told him. He said no, it has nothing to do with any of that. I am one person and I get many requests for service and try to do all of them, but I can’t always do what I would like. He then explained how difficult it was to get around NYC e.g., even if he paid for cabs (they get stuck in traffic).

I happen to be near a subway stop and he said (now, about 230PM), OK. I will be there tonight around 530, or 6PM. Is that OK?

Not wanting to say no and afraid he would not come at all, or for weeks again,
I said sure.

Well I will say this. This gentleman is more like a professor than technician.

We spoke about his background (he came from Europe 35 years ago) and skill and he was very knowledgeable (he knew information about pieces in my home that I said nothing about) and courteous. He actually likes dealing with the public (before he left I introduced him to a neighbor who also needs such work done).

I had 4 chairs for him to look at. I found out he also did antique refinishing (I have an empire bronze armoire that could use some work), cabinet work and general furniture repair.

He originally came to determine what tools he needed to come back at a later time (fine with me. It was a start). He looked at the chairs and worked on each one, one by one and fixed ALL of them. What joy to have them back.

He looked at my cabinets (he asked if I had a screwdriver).and fixed 4 sets of doors in minutes. He was there until 8PM and fixed most of what I had complained about.

The fee. Very fair (I thought he would charge more AND he did not need a return visit. Unless I wanted him to do more such repair and I WILL ask him to return as he can for those remaining issues).

What I (I) have learned? Better to be patient and have someone who is an artificer come and fix everything than have someone who can come the next day (and what does that say?) who overcharges and leaves repairs (?) that have to be redone again (he also cleaned up after he was finished. What more could you ask for? A quick turnaround? Not necessary for me. It was worth the wait and to see how he did what he did. Not many found in this field like him anymore).

No website. No advertisements. Just skill and love of what he does.

What a joy to find someone like this and who lives in the city and that I could
afford. In speaking with him he mentioned (not easily and with no mention of things re privacy) that he has worked in the homes of celebrities, politicos and statesman. And he worked in my home too.