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My name is Aaron and I'm the owner and sole employee of Cardinal Woodcraft. Ever since I was little, I have always enjoyed building and creating things, especially when it involves carpentry and woodworking. I especially love creating and designing projects that are not only pleasing to the eye but extremely practical and useful as well. I enjoy the challenge of designing built-ins that can make small spaces liveable by using the space efficiently and creatively. I love what I do and very much enjoy working with customers to make their home a better place to live.
Throughout my career, I have flipped a number of houses which sometimes involves managing up to 15 different contractors in one project. I have experienced first hand and understand the frustration of contractors not being punctual, not showing up at all, not sticking to their word and also doing sloppy work. The frustration from dealing with these situations drives me to be prompt and punctual, to do the highest quality of work, to be clean and to always communicate as much as possible. I also only work with detailed contracts and non-cash payments, to protect all parties involved. I grew up in Bethel Park, PA and with the exception of a few adventures have spent most of my life in western PA. My wife (Kim) and I have two children. When not working, we enjoy spending time with our family and friends doing pretty much anything that will keep us active and outdoors. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the process for having something custom built?
It depends on the project but often times I can give you a rough estimate of cost without even meeting in person through emails and pictures. If that is not possible, we can meet in person, I will take down any measurements I may need, take pictures and then send you an estimate. If everyone is on the same page price-wise and you would like to move forward, I will make a scale drawing of everything. After I have a signed proposal and a deposit (typically one third of the final cost) you will be added to my job queue. I do not cash deposit checks until work on your project has actually begun.
Which areas of Pittsburgh do you work?
I mostly try to stay in the South Hills of Pittsburgh but if you live in other areas of Pittsburgh, don't be afraid to get in touch because do venture out of the South Hills occasionally. This is mostly dependent on how much work I have coming in. I like to stay as close to my shop as possible because it provides the best customer experience possible by allowing me to quickly stop by to show you samples, mock ups, answer questions, go over changes, etc. I also really believe in supporting local businesses and always encourage people to find someone as close to home as possible, even if that's not me!
How long does this process take?
My typical lead time is approximately 3-5 months but this can vary quite a bit depending on how much work is coming in and also the size of your project. I am unable to give exact dates until it gets close to the time when the work will be completed. My normal practice is to just tell customers how many jobs I have left to complete before I get started and update you occasionally on my progress. I have attempted many different approaches to scheduling and this seems to be the most honest and realistic.
Where are items built?
Almost all the work I do is done in my shop and designed in such a way that it can be disassembled and then reassembled on site in your home. Most installations are done in one day. I do this to minimize the impact on your home (dust, noise, etc) and also because the tools and machines in my shop can produce a much better result than anything that could be done on-site, especially when it comes to paint and finish.
What types of finishes do you offer?
I use mostly General Finishes products on all of my projects. I have tried almost everything on the market and have found them to be the most durable and also look the best. They also have top notch customer service which is very important to me. For painted projects, I can color match any Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore color and can do any of the General Finishes Water Based Stain or Dye colors. Almost everything I do is spray finished which produces an incredibly smooth, durable finish that is very difficult to match with a brush or roller.
What types of materials do you use?
I try to source as many of my hardwoods as possible from trees taken down in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. I have a stock of the more commonly used ones such as oak or maple and have connections with some local sawyers from more rare species such as cherry or walnut. For sheet goods to build cabinetry and shelving I much prefer to use cabinet grade birch or combo-core plywood. It is extremely strong, holds nails, screws and glue very well and takes paint or finish well. Other sheet goods such as MDF take paint well and are appropriate for some situations such as paint-grade cabinet doors or supported countertops but can split and sag if not used correctly or if the correct type of MDF is not chosen. I never use particle board. It's veneer chips off easily, it melts in water and does not hold screws, nails or glue well at all. If available, I use FSC Certified sheet goods to ensure that they are made from sustainably harvested trees.
What forms of payment do you take?
Currently, I only take payments via check. Cards and other payment services charge significant fees and I have not found them cost effective for my business at this time. I have tried various electronic payment methods as well but have had a lot more issues with people simply forgetting to pay and it became more of a hassle than a help. I also do not accept cash payments to protect all parties involved and ensure that there is documentation of every transaction.
It depends on the project but often times I can give you a rough estimate of cost without even meeting in person through emails and pictures. If that is not possible, we can meet in person, I will take down any measurements I may need, take pictures and then send you an estimate. If everyone is on the same page price-wise and you would like to move forward, I will make a scale drawing of everything. After I have a signed proposal and a deposit (typically one third of the final cost) you will be added to my job queue. I do not cash deposit checks until work on your project has actually begun.
Which areas of Pittsburgh do you work?
I mostly try to stay in the South Hills of Pittsburgh but if you live in other areas of Pittsburgh, don't be afraid to get in touch because do venture out of the South Hills occasionally. This is mostly dependent on how much work I have coming in. I like to stay as close to my shop as possible because it provides the best customer experience possible by allowing me to quickly stop by to show you samples, mock ups, answer questions, go over changes, etc. I also really believe in supporting local businesses and always encourage people to find someone as close to home as possible, even if that's not me!
How long does this process take?
My typical lead time is approximately 3-5 months but this can vary quite a bit depending on how much work is coming in and also the size of your project. I am unable to give exact dates until it gets close to the time when the work will be completed. My normal practice is to just tell customers how many jobs I have left to complete before I get started and update you occasionally on my progress. I have attempted many different approaches to scheduling and this seems to be the most honest and realistic.
Where are items built?
Almost all the work I do is done in my shop and designed in such a way that it can be disassembled and then reassembled on site in your home. Most installations are done in one day. I do this to minimize the impact on your home (dust, noise, etc) and also because the tools and machines in my shop can produce a much better result than anything that could be done on-site, especially when it comes to paint and finish.
What types of finishes do you offer?
I use mostly General Finishes products on all of my projects. I have tried almost everything on the market and have found them to be the most durable and also look the best. They also have top notch customer service which is very important to me. For painted projects, I can color match any Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore color and can do any of the General Finishes Water Based Stain or Dye colors. Almost everything I do is spray finished which produces an incredibly smooth, durable finish that is very difficult to match with a brush or roller.
What types of materials do you use?
I try to source as many of my hardwoods as possible from trees taken down in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. I have a stock of the more commonly used ones such as oak or maple and have connections with some local sawyers from more rare species such as cherry or walnut. For sheet goods to build cabinetry and shelving I much prefer to use cabinet grade birch or combo-core plywood. It is extremely strong, holds nails, screws and glue very well and takes paint or finish well. Other sheet goods such as MDF take paint well and are appropriate for some situations such as paint-grade cabinet doors or supported countertops but can split and sag if not used correctly or if the correct type of MDF is not chosen. I never use particle board. It's veneer chips off easily, it melts in water and does not hold screws, nails or glue well at all. If available, I use FSC Certified sheet goods to ensure that they are made from sustainably harvested trees.
What forms of payment do you take?
Currently, I only take payments via check. Cards and other payment services charge significant fees and I have not found them cost effective for my business at this time. I have tried various electronic payment methods as well but have had a lot more issues with people simply forgetting to pay and it became more of a hassle than a help. I also do not accept cash payments to protect all parties involved and ensure that there is documentation of every transaction.
