FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Ian Agrell started carving in 1961 and in 1981 was elected a Master Carver by the members of The British Association of Master Carvers. Whilst in England, the company was involved in carved projects throughout the world including ecclesiastical buildings, palaces and residences in the UK. In 1989 Ian Agrell moved to America to teach and work. Since then, Agrell has completed numerous major and well-known projects across the USA and UK. Ian’s daughter Kate is the Business Manager and whilst based in the UK office, manages the projects globally and is a well-known name and face having worked in the trade both in the US and UK since the early 90’s. Kate also has vast experience in the ever-changing world of wood and global logistics - ensuring projects are delivered on time.

Each piece from our woodcarving workshop is individually hand made. This approach offers our clients many advantages, allowing designs to be created to their unique preferences and the distinct characteristics of the location. For example, our hand work allows us to adjust the pattern of a moulding so that the corners have the traditional neat finish, not just a cut in the middle of a pattern because the material comes in fixed lengths. Typically, you won't be restricted in your choice of carving wood. Contractors and fine joinery companies often send us their material for carving.

We believe it is better not to have carved decoration than to have badly carved decoration. Many of our carvings may be virtuoso in their execution but it is the design and movement that make them exciting. However, more important than complexity is the structure and flow of the work and that its location is appropriate. Carving that is badly designed and executed does nothing to enhance architecture and, in fact, will detract from it.

The work at Agrell has a crispness and flow showing that it was carved by a skillful human hand and not machined with routers. When budget is an issue there should be less carving in exchange for quality carving. Quality is our strength — it comes from the hands of our carvers.

If contacted early in the design process, our advice can save a huge amount of time and money while offering the best in traditional design and accuracy. Clients consult with us on their projects to create designs that are both aesthetically pleasing and economically feasible. Good architectural decoration is not a matter of complexity. It is about well-organized and tasteful design.

We also have our sister site www.ornapedia.org which is a library curated by British Master Carver Ian Agrell which shows designs and past projects.

Even experienced building professionals are often at a loss when it comes to estimating the cost of hand carved work. That is understandable since the use of decorative carving is limited to a select number of projects. Additionally, there are few woodcarving companies available to compare costs with. All this can add up to a low estimate resulting in budget overruns or an unnecessary high estimate that discourages clients from accepting the bid. The way to avoid these problems is to contact Agrell early in the project. Working together we can control the cost by offering options in design, material, volume and delivery. Those options allow you to quote a price to your client that is acceptable and realistic.

Initially, the client will send over either designs, photographs or ideas. We can then offer you a range of design and price options.

It is also common for contractors and joinery companies to send us their material, cut to size, to be carved and returned to the site or woodworking shop.

Business Manager Kate Agrell liaises between Ian, production and the client to ensure the project is delivered on time, provides photographs and updates throughout the project and manages logistics.

Production time depends on the size of the project and the complexity of the design. However, keep in mind that Agrell, employs 20 full time carvers producing more than six hundred hours of carving a week. This ensures the quality, design and delivery is consistent and achieved. We do not farm out our carving and this makes us one of the largest capacity architectural carving companies in the world.

As our work is bespoke we do not have a catalogue showing lists of products and prices, and trading terms. But If you are in the trade We are able to send you a FREE sample box of progressive hand carvings which showcase our most popular mouldings. Please fill out our contact form here.

We also have our pre-designed rooms which may assist you with some ideas for your project.

We also have our sister site www.ornapedia.org which is a library curated by British Master Carver Ian Agrell which shows designs and past projects.

We work with a number of companies around the world to make and carve items for them. For example, bespoke furniture, hand carved brackets, finials and carved masters to be cast into products.