Your workshop does not have to be around the corner to make the right piece for you. A bespoke brief can begin with a remote discussion, timber photographs, physical samples and approved drawings. Before manufacture, we also need to agree how the finished piece will travel, who will handle it and whether installation or import arrangements are required.
Why consider a Bratislava workshop?
A specialist commission is about finding the right combination of design, timber, resin, machining, metalwork and practical experience. A useful enquiry starts with the piece you need, not an assumption that a workshop abroad will always be cheaper.
Compare the full manufacturing scope and delivered cost. Skilled work, material selection, packaging and handling all affect the budget; location alone does not establish a saving or a faster programme.
Cross-border manufacturing can be practical when the design, approval process and logistics are planned together. Delivery availability and costs must be confirmed for the particular piece and destination.
Different briefs, one coordinated approach
A statement table, a themed clock and a branded collection call for different processes, but the same discipline: understand the purpose, prepare the information, agree the materials and only then move into production.
Azure River Dining Table
A statement dining table bringing together timber, a blue resin river and a metal base.
Maltese Islands Resin Wall Clock
A Maltese island motif made into a functional timber and blue-resin wall clock.
BRUNI Prosecco Mio
A branded collection developed around the product, its presentation and intended use.
The photographs show genuine Ahoj Epoxy pieces. Descriptions reflect the features documented in our portfolio; dimensions and lead times are agreed separately for each new commission.
What changes with the destination?
| Destination | Customs context | Delivery options to assess | Useful planning focus | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | EU customs union; VAT assessed separately | Suitable direct road delivery | Vienna and eastern Austria are close to Bratislava | Installation, unloading and access |
| Czechia | EU customs union; VAT assessed separately | Direct or consolidated road delivery | Route and handling for the actual property | Packed dimensions and access |
| Germany | EU customs union; VAT assessed separately | Consolidated delivery or a suitable dedicated vehicle | The complete manufacturing and delivery scope | Distance, handling stages and site access |
| Poland | EU customs union; VAT assessed separately | Suitable road or consolidated delivery | Specialist one-off or business commissions | Like-for-like specification and delivered cost |
| Switzerland | Outside the EU customs union | Road delivery with commercial import planning | The particular piece and total delivered budget | Import VAT, documentation and agreed delivery responsibilities |
1. Delivery within the EU customs union
Slovakia, Germany, Austria, Czechia and Poland are members of the EU customs union.
Goods in free circulation can move between EU member states without internal customs duties. That is different from importing a piece from outside the union; it is not a promise that a cross-border sale has no tax or documentation requirements.
VAT treatment, invoicing and transport evidence still need assessment. Applicable reporting requirements depend on the actual business and transaction. Installation or other services may also change what needs to be considered.
2. VAT depends on the transaction
For qualifying goods sent to a business in another EU member state, intra-EU VAT treatment may apply when the relevant conditions are met, including the customer's valid VAT identification and evidence of the movement. A VAT number alone is not a universal guarantee of a VAT-free invoice.
Sales to private customers have different rules. Destination-country VAT and distance-selling arrangements may be relevant depending on the seller's status and the actual supply.
Confirm the invoicing treatment before ordering, with appropriate accounting advice where needed. We do not promise one tax model for every private or business customer.
3. Switzerland needs separate import planning
Switzerland is close to Slovakia, but it is not an EU member.
A commercial shipment to Switzerland needs the applicable export and import arrangements. Import VAT is separate from customs duty; any applicable treatment should be confirmed for the actual goods and transaction.
The import tax calculation can include relevant transport and associated costs, not just the workshop price of the piece. Ask the responsible carrier or customs professional to confirm classification, documentation and the assessment for your shipment.
A quotation for Zurich therefore needs different logistics assumptions from one for Vienna. Agree the importer and who handles and pays for each stage before dispatch.
4. Compare the full cost of a Swiss commission
For a significant bespoke piece, delivery and import arrangements form part of the overall budget.
A specialist workshop abroad may be worth considering, but any saving must be demonstrated by an equivalent specification and total delivered cost, not assumed from the country of manufacture.
Assess the arrangement for the actual piece. A dedicated vehicle for a small item may be inappropriate even when that item can otherwise be shipped.
5. Austria is our neighbouring market
Vienna and eastern Austria are geographically close to Bratislava.
That proximity can make samples, delivery or an agreed site visit easier to coordinate. Availability, installation scope and actual travel costs still need confirmation.
Austrian enquiries are a natural fit for a Bratislava workshop, provided the piece and practical arrangements suit the project.
6. German projects: compare the complete brief
For a German commission, start with the design requirements and compare workshops against the same specification.
A standard retail dining table and a bespoke meeting table with a purpose-made base and specified power modules are different offers. Do not compare their prices as if they cover the same work.
Specialist one-off pieces may justify looking beyond your local area. Include packaging, transport, access and any installation requirements in the comparison.
7. Czechia
Brno and Prague have different routes and distances from Bratislava. Assess delivery for the actual address and handling needs.
Choose the workshop for the relevant expertise and agreed scope rather than a blanket price claim about local suppliers.
Our enquiry scope brings together timber, resin, CNC work, suitable engraving and bespoke construction where those processes suit your design.
8. Poland
For Polish enquiries, consider the workshop's specialist capabilities and the total project arrangement, not assumptions about the wider furniture market.
Location alone does not establish a price advantage over a Polish workshop.
The relevant comparison is specialist experience, portfolio, the agreed design and practical coordination with your studio or site.
9. Approving a table at a distance
Start with the room, intended use and proposed dimensions.
Share photographs or video of the interior alongside visual references.
Discuss the actual timber selection. Agreed photographs or video can show the boards, rather than relying on a species name alone.
Agree the resin appearance and finishing system. Use a physical reference where a close colour or finish match matters.
Confirm the final dimensions and construction in a suitable drawing or dimensioned sketch.
Release manufacture only when the required decisions, approval status and order terms are confirmed.
10. Can I choose timber by video?
Video can support an agreed selection process, but it is not a calibrated colour reference.
We can discuss views of the whole board, edges, cracks and distinctive grain under suitable lighting.
Camera settings and screens can change the apparent colour. A physical finish sample is more useful where a close stain match is important.
11. Drawings for an international commission
Written, approved information becomes particularly important when decisions are made remotely.
Record dimensions, base position, openings, specified cable or power components and the assembly arrangement.
For a complex piece, review the available CAD or 3D information, agree any technical development and identify the revision released for manufacture.
12. Measure the route, not just the room
The final position is only one part of the access check.
Check doors, lifts, stairs, corridor turns, unloading access and any restrictions relevant to the packed piece.
A room may accommodate a very long table while the lift or staircase cannot accommodate its top. Treat this as an access-planning example, not a completed Ahoj project.
Those constraints can affect module sizes and construction before manufacturing begins.
14. A modular piece can still have a coherent design
A joint may be coordinated with the composition, a service detail or the base. Its position and expected appearance need approval.
The aim is a well-resolved assembled piece, not a promise that every joint will be invisible.
Compare a suitable planned joint with the handling risks and access requirements of a large one-piece construction.
15. Choosing the delivery method
Suitable smaller objects may travel by parcel service.
Some tabletops or furniture pieces may suit an assessed pallet or freight arrangement.
Larger or more delicate pieces may need specialist furniture transport or a suitable dedicated vehicle.
Kerbside delivery, carrying indoors, room placement and installation are different services. Agree which is included before comparing transport quotes.
16. Kerbside delivery is not room placement
A freight service may stop at an agreed unloading point rather than carry the piece indoors. Check the actual service terms.
A heavy top needs a suitable handling plan. Do not assume the recipient can carry it safely without appropriate people and equipment.
Confirm whether the service includes unloading, carrying inside, placement in a particular room or assembly, and identify responsibility for each stage.
17. Direct delivery or a consolidated service?
A consolidated route may involve several handling stages or terminals.
For a delicate finish, those stages deserve attention when assessing packaging and the carrier service.
A dedicated vehicle may reduce transfers, but cost, handling and the delivery window still need agreement. It does not guarantee damage-free transport or an exact arrival time.
18. Packaging a long tabletop
Select protection for the corners, natural edges and finished surfaces as well as the main structure.
The suitable transport orientation depends on the piece, packaging, support and carrier requirements. There is no universal vertical-or-horizontal rule.
Where components are packed separately, keep metalwork from damaging timber or resin finishes.
Identify fixings, components and the agreed assembly information clearly within the shipment.
19. A standard pallet is not always enough
Pallet freight can suit some regular packed shapes, within the carrier's limits.
An oversized natural-edge top may need a purpose-made crate, frame or another suitable packaging arrangement.
For a particularly delicate piece, discuss whether a reusable support or transport frame is appropriate. Do not assume the same packaging suits every journey.
20. Who assembles the piece?
Some straightforward tables may suit assembly by a competent recipient or local installer with the agreed instructions and handling arrangements.
A large meeting table may need professional handling, suitable lifting equipment and careful module alignment. The required team cannot be decided from a generic headcount.
A fitted reception element may require professional installation and coordination with other trades.
Agree that scope before the quotation is finalised, not on dispatch day.
21. Can we use a local installer?
That can be a practical option for an international commission, provided the responsibilities and information are agreed.
Discuss assembly drawings, component labels and any appropriate trial assembly before dispatch.
The local team can then plan the work using the agreed information. It is not a guarantee that every piece needs no specialist support or site adjustment.
22. When workshop-led installation is worth discussing
For a complex, fitted piece or a design with a particular assembly sequence, assess whether workshop involvement is appropriate.
If you want a fully installed handover, make that requirement explicit in the brief.
Compare the scope, competence, availability and cost of the possible installation arrangements.
Overseas installation, where feasible and agreed, is quoted separately with relevant travel and accommodation. It is not automatically available in every destination.
23. Trial assembly in the workshop
A complex piece may benefit from a full or partial trial assembly appropriate to the design.
Use it to assess relevant joints, supports, hardware, geometry and planned service interfaces. Any specialist testing needs a qualified, agreed scope.
That provides useful information for disassembly, labelling and the eventual installation rather than leaving the construction unexplored until delivery.
24. Record the condition before packing
For an international order, agree how the finished condition and shipment contents will be recorded.
Useful photographs can show finishes, corners, underside details, packaging stages and component identification.
Those records can support investigation of damage, but they do not replace the agreed delivery terms, evidence requirements or applicable customer rights.
25. Insurance and delivery responsibilities
Ask what protection the transport arrangement actually provides, including exclusions, valuation and any relevant claims process. Do not assume insurance covers the full piece in every circumstance.
Responsibility for collection, transport, unloading, carrying indoors and assembly needs clear agreement, especially when separate contractors are involved.
Set out the order and delivery terms before collection. Those terms must not be treated as removing applicable statutory obligations or consumer rights.
26. Why delivery needs a project-specific quote
Destination, route and site conditions affect the transport arrangement.
A compact dining top and an oversized modular meeting table have different packed dimensions and handling needs.
A dedicated vehicle, additional handlers, room placement or installation can also change the price.
Provide approximate information for an early estimate, then confirm the arrangement against the final packed piece before dispatch.
27. Smaller pieces and wall clocks
Compact clocks, branded objects and decorative pieces may suit an appropriate parcel service.
The actual packaging, destination, fragility and service restrictions still need assessment; a smaller item is not automatically cheap or simple to ship.
A focused smaller commission can be a useful starting point for an international enquiry.
28. Large tables
For a large table, consider the full manufacturing budget alongside specialist transport and access.
A distinctive bespoke piece may justify that arrangement where its design and value suit the project.
For a straightforward standard piece, a local retail option may be more practical. Compare the total scope rather than forcing every enquiry into overseas manufacture.
29. Reception and bar counters
Modular construction may be appropriate for a substantial counter, depending on the design and access.
Front panels, tops, cabinetry and frames may be transported separately where suitable, with the interfaces and installation sequence agreed.
The planning should connect manufacture, packing and the actual site handover.
30. Swiss shipment checklist before dispatch
Identify the importer and the party arranging commercial customs clearance.
Confirm the goods description, commercial invoice, transport information and documents required for the actual shipment.
State how applicable import VAT, carrier fees and other charges are accounted for and who pays them.
If agreed Incoterms are used, identify the rule, version and named place correctly. Otherwise, still set out delivery tasks and responsibilities clearly; do not invent a term without understanding its scope.
Resolve the import arrangements with the relevant professionals before the vehicle reaches the border.
31. Swiss import VAT
Swiss import VAT has to be assessed for the actual goods and transaction. Confirm the applicable rate rather than transferring a general example to every order.
The taxable basis can include relevant costs to the destination in Switzerland, not just the workshop price. Ask the responsible customs professional to confirm the calculation.
A business buyer should obtain qualified Swiss accounting advice on any recovery or reporting. We do not guarantee deductibility for every company.
32. Classification, origin and customs duty
Commercial import treatment depends on the goods classification and the applicable customs requirements. Confirm the information needed for the actual shipment.
Do not confuse duty-free treatment with an exemption from import VAT, documentation or carrier charges. Obtain a shipment-specific assessment rather than assuming all charges are zero.
Provide the responsible carrier or customs professional with an accurate goods description and the required documentation before dispatch.
33. What to agree before manufacture
The manufacturing scope and its exclusions.
Approved dimensions and any required drawings.
The material specification.
The appearance and finishing requirements.
The assessed production programme.
The manufacturing price and payment terms.
The proposed delivery and handling arrangement.
For business orders, the applicable invoicing arrangements and any white-label terms, with qualified advice where needed.
34. What to confirm before dispatch
Agreed records of the finished piece.
Packaging and assembly information appropriate to the scope.
The package or module count and identification.
The carrier details and available tracking or delivery information.
Suitable handling and assembly information for the responsible team.
Care instructions for the agreed finishes.
For Switzerland, the commercial import documentation and responsibilities.
35. A useful arrangement for interior studios
A studio can retain client liaison while a specialist workshop carries out its agreed manufacturing scope.
We can discuss a white-label subcontracting arrangement.
Agree the piece, drawings, progress records and delivery information the studio needs. The end-client communication process and each party's responsibility must remain clear.
36. You may not need to visit Bratislava
A workshop visit can be useful, but it is not automatically required for every enquiry.
Discuss remote timber views, physical samples where needed and a documented drawing-approval process.
Many decisions can be coordinated at a distance when the information and responsibilities are suitable. Remote approval is not a substitute for essential site measurements or a critical physical sample.
38. Manufacturing time and delivery time are different
The production programme needs to allow for sourcing, machining, the selected resin process and curing, metalwork, finishes and checks.
Transport has its own programme, including carrier availability and any import or site-access arrangements.
Plan both against the required installation date and identify which milestones are confirmed or provisional.
39. Can a commission be brought forward?
Sometimes the programme can be reviewed where materials, design and capacity allow. An earlier date still needs explicit confirmation.
Required resin curing, bespoke components and finishing stages cannot be bypassed simply to promise express delivery.
A realistic agreed programme is more useful than a deadline the process cannot support.
40. A fair comparison of costs
A useful price advantage should not come from an unsuitable resin, insufficiently prepared timber or omitted construction details.
Compare the actual manufacturing scope, material sourcing, workshop work and coordination, alongside the delivered cost.
If a quote omits necessary support, finishing or checks, it is not an equivalent offer merely because its total is lower.
42. What to send for an international estimate
The destination country and town or city.
The type of piece and its intended use.
Approximate dimensions and any critical clearances.
Photographs or available information about the room.
Visual references.
The required quantity.
Your preferred dates, for feasibility assessment.
Whether assembly or installation is required.
For a business order, the buyer's status and relevant invoicing details, plus the proposed collaboration scope.
For a studio, available drawings and any white-label or confidentiality requirements.
European delivery: your questions answered
Can I enquire about a table from Germany?
Yes. Send the brief and destination so we can assess manufacture, the delivered cost and practical handling before confirming the order.
Can you arrange delivery to Austria?
Austrian enquiries are welcome. Delivery, site access and any requested installation are assessed for the actual piece and address.
Can you arrange delivery to Czechia or Poland?
Yes — send the destination and brief so we can assess the piece, suitable delivery and agreed scope.
Can Swiss customers enquire?
Yes. We need to agree the actual commercial import arrangements, documentation, applicable charges and delivery responsibilities before dispatch.
Are there internal customs duties between Slovakia and Germany?
For goods in free circulation, internal customs duties do not apply within the EU customs union. VAT, documentation and the actual transaction still need assessment.
Can I choose the actual timber remotely?
Photographs or video can support selection. Use an agreed physical sample where a close finish or colour match matters; screen appearance is not a guarantee.
Can you work from my CAD model?
Yes — send the destination and brief so we can assess the piece, suitable delivery and agreed scope.
Can an interior studio commission white-label work?
Yes — send the destination and brief so we can assess the piece, suitable delivery and agreed scope.
Who assembles the table?
The responsible person or team is agreed for the piece. Assess instructions, competence, handling equipment and whether professional installation is required.
Can we discuss a very large meeting table?
Yes, as a feasibility enquiry. Construction, supports, access, handling and any modular arrangement need individual assessment before we confirm manufacture.
Can I get a delivery estimate before ordering?
Provide approximate packed dimensions, weight, destination and the required handling service. The estimate is then confirmed against the final piece and arrangement.
Can I visit the workshop?
A visit can be discussed by appointment, particularly where physical materials or a complex brief need review.
Let's plan the piece and its journey
Send the brief, destination, approximate size and access information. We will discuss manufacture alongside the packaging, delivery and installation arrangements your project needs.