From mess to perfection

Jorrit Vermaning (20)

from Workum is the new Dutch Champion Home and Project Upholstery. He is now in his final year at the Deltion College in Zwolle. He is expected to graduate in February 2024 and then he can call himself all-round home upholsterer. Jorrit already works as a professional home and project upholsterer at Oer de Flier, a flooring store in his hometown.

Where my recent winning of the NK Woning- en Projectstoffering can't lead ... Right, to the invitation of this magazine to do this one-time guest column. Very nice. Thanks to the editors of Binnenwerk. And, great that I get to share my vision.

I think you can only do your job well if you really enjoy it. Only then can you deliver the best end product. For example, what makes me happy is when I see the joy of satisfied customers when I have laid a floor there. So that they see that I - together with my colleagues - have done a professional job: I always dot the i's and cross the t's. It is in my genes that I want to be very precise.

However, I wonder if everyone in the profession is that precise. I see quite a few upholsterers, often self-employed, who finish their work (too) quickly. In other words, too much haste. I do understand it a bit, by the way, because they also think of the necessary euros: they have to lay more floors to earn their money. But does that serve the customer well? No, not always.

When I come somewhere to do my work, I am quite shocked. I still see too many sloppinesses. Sometimes it really is a mess. In walls I too often see a wavy stroke. Or a store hook in the corner that is not always perpendicular. I often deal with poured subfloors and then I regularly see a wrong ratio of water and cement. Not right! I sometimes feel like I have to fix too much that others have done wrong. 

In short, why not take a little more time to achieve perfection? 

I want to become self-employed. I think I will take a different approach then. For example, I will schedule more time with the client, so I can finish more nicely. The finishing touches are of better quality with me. And I'm sure the customer will be much more satisfied then. It's all about communication at that point. You just have to have the courage to make clear agreements with the client. Nobody wants surprises.

Therefore: only do this work if you really enjoy it. No mess. But perfection. Because, it's about striving for a happy customer. Nothing more, nothing less.