Short answer
Send your carpentry quote and the approved drawing to the client through Sign PDF, and ask them to sign and initial the drawing before you order timber. Made-to-measure joinery cannot be resold, so the contract should say the deposit becomes non-refundable once materials are cut.
Updated 25 October 2026
Sign the drawing, not only the price
In bespoke work, the drawing is the contract. The client agrees a price for "alcove units", then expects a shelf height you never discussed. Have them sign the quote and initial the drawing, with dimensions, finish and handle positions. Sign PDF can add an initials box to every page: type "client initials every page" in the editor.
If the client changes the design after approval, send a revised drawing and a change order together, and do not cut anything until both are back.
Deposits on made-to-measure work
A fitted wardrobe made for one alcove is worth very little anywhere else. That is why many joiners take a larger deposit and say that it becomes non-refundable once materials are ordered or cut. Put the trigger in writing, and have the client sign it.
In the UK, the 14-day cancellation right for distance and off-premises contracts does not usually apply to goods made to the consumer's specifications, but services such as fitting may still be covered. Rules differ elsewhere. This is not legal advice; have a solicitor look at your terms once.
What a carpentry contract should cover
Beyond the drawing, a few clauses keep site work on track.
- Materials and finish: species, sheet material, primed or spray finished
- Who supplies hardware, and lead times on special items
- Site conditions: walls out of plumb, uneven floors, and how scribing is charged
- Making good around fitted units, and who decorates afterwards
- For decking: ground preparation, fixings, and whether permits are needed
- Payment stages and completion sign-off
Plans and limits
A joiner doing one or two commissions a month fits Light, at $5 a month for 2 documents. A carpenter quoting several jobs a week, with drawings and change orders, will be better on Full at $10 a month for unlimited documents.
Sign PDF does not draw, estimate, cut lists or invoice. It takes the drawing and quote you already produce, in PDF, Word or as a photo of a hand sketch, and gets them signed and sealed.
Questions people ask
Can I get the client to sign a hand-drawn sketch?
Yes. Photograph it and upload the photo. Sign PDF turns it into a PDF and adds signature and initials boxes.
Is a deposit on bespoke furniture refundable?
That depends on your terms and local law. Many joiners make it non-refundable once materials are cut, and say so in the signed order.
How do I handle design changes after approval?
Send a revised drawing with a change order showing the new price and date. Start the change only once it is signed.
Can two clients sign the same order?
Yes. Add both as signers; each gets their own signature box.
Does Sign PDF take the deposit?
No. We do not collect payments. Send your invoice for the deposit once the signed order comes back.
Send your next bespoke joinery order for signature
Upload it from your phone or laptop. The boxes go in the right places, your client signs on their phone, and you get a sealed copy back.
Upload a document