FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Every set and desk we build is made to order. The short version is – you tell us what you want and we build it. For an in-depth look at the full process, read the steps below.
Step 1: Explore our website and find images that speak to you.
Step 2: Contact us by emailing us at support@tvsetdesigns.com or calling us at (704) 339-0785.
Step 3: We will discuss options, share photos, and provide sample projects with quotes. Once the details of your project are worked out, we will send a custom quote.
For us to generate a quote, we will need the following information:
- Name of the entity paying the invoice
- Billing address
- Shipping address
- If the organization is tax-exempt or a reseller, please provide a copy of the tax-exempt certificate for the state where the products will be shipped
Step 4: Most projects require full payment before shipping. For sets, we accept 50% to get us started and the second 50% before shipping. Desks are 100% upfront.
We accept checks, wire transfers, and credit cards. POs are accepted in lieu of payment only from state or federal school districts, collegiate/university institutions, and U.S. federal, state, or local government organizations.
Step 5: Once payment is received, you will be invited to our project management system called Basecamp. At any given time we are juggling dozens of projects, so it is critical that you join us on Basecamp. The platform allows us to share images and make comments without an endless stream of messy emails. It also lets our whole team see what is going on so we are all ready to jump in to help and everyone can track the progress of each project.
Step 6: Our team will work with you to finalize all of the finishes and details of your project. Once that has been completed and everything has your final blessing, we send your project into production.
Step 7: Someone will reach out with a tentative ship date, and our talented fabricators begin working on your project. Shipping details will be worked out, and before your project is packed we will post photos of your completed items! For more details about shipping and installation, please see the shipping FAQ.
Step 8: Your project arrives! Start rolling, broadcasting, recording, or streaming with your new items from TVSetDesigns.com! Brag to your friends and colleagues about your new set and/or desk. And please send us pictures - we love to see our babies out in the real world.
It depends! Once we have received your payment, all design decisions have been approved, and finishes have been selected, the project then goes to the shop and the production clock starts. How long a project takes to build depends on its complexity, availability of materials, and the current workload of the shop. We sometimes finish projects faster, but as of August 2024 we are running around a 12 week lead time.
We will do our best to work with you. However, please keep in mind that everything is built to order, we have dozens of other projects on the production calendar at any given time, and we may not have all the materials in stock to build your project. Remember that the production clock does not start until we have payment and all approvals on the final design, and shipping can take a few days to over a week depending on the destination.
Once the project has been approved, we will email you a deposit invoice with a secure online payment button. We accept wire transfers and credit cards, or you can mail a check (please send with tracking). Most projects require full payment before shipping. For sets, we accept 50% to get us started and the second 50% before shipping. Desks are 100% upfront.
POs are accepted in lieu of payment only from state or federal school districts, collegiate/university institutions, and U.S. government organizations.
Yes! We have a 30-year track record of completing custom projects for satisfied customers, with hundreds of custom projects under our belts. Our design services give you one on one time with a designer to work out all of the details and see your custom project with your selections in your space, to move things around, and to fine-tune the details. Your unique project will be designed not just for looks, but for functionality. Our designers work with you to generate 3D renderings of your project, then we create CAD drawings and program our CNC routers before we build it. This incurs an additional cost, however, it is money well spent to create your one-of-a-kind project.
Yes. The cost of this design service will be based on the size and complexity of the project. Having renderings is extremely helpful when selecting colors, laminate finishes, graphics, and other features. With our 3D rendering software, you will get to see exactly what the final project will look like, and make changes before it goes into production.
We can definitely help plan your studio, although our specialty is designing sets and desks. We focus on that and let others take care of other production components such as studio lighting, sound equipment, rigging, etc. If you need help with anything we don’t offer, we are happy to refer you to our colleagues that do.
It depends on the project. If we are printing a graphic we will need a vector file. If it is a photograph, we can also use a JPEG, JPG, or PDF (at least 150 dpi). Please note that image use rights are the responsibility of the end user. Clients must hold the appropriate rights to any image printed by TVSetDesigns.com
We typically ship our products in large plywood crates, and the freight cost is based on the size and weight of those crates. When you get a standard quote from us, it will include a line item for LTL (Less Than Truckload) freight for each crate. Our default shipping method is LTL because it is usually the most economical way to get things to you.
We can also ship with a Dedicated Truck or Sprinter Van if you must have the delivery on a specific day, if your order is of a certain size, or if the destination can’t accommodate a 53’ tractor-trailer. Shipping with a Dedicated Truck or Sprinter Van may incur additional charges and will be custom quoted for your project.
You are welcome to arrange your own freight. However, we require your project to be crated for freight transport, so there may still be a charge on the shipping line. Please note that if you choose to use your own freight company to pick up the items, we can have everything crated and ready to pick up, but we do not pay outside carriers - you must pay the company directly if you are arranging your own freight from our facility.
Yes. We have had people fly to Charlotte and rent a truck, and nearby clients pick up all the time. If you pick up your project here, we must charge for crates or other materials to secure your purchase, as well as local and state taxes. We will have everything ready and will help you load the items when you arrive.
It depends. Shipping LTL provides a target delivery date, which our logistics person will help you narrow down so you know when to expect the delivery. This will either involve a call in advance from the carrier letting you know what day it will arrive, or setting a “Guaranteed Delivery” date in advance, but neither of those options is truly guaranteed.
Shipping LTL provides a target delivery date, which our logistics person will help you narrow down so you know when to expect the delivery. This will either involve a call in advance from the carrier letting you know what day it will arrive, or setting a “Guaranteed Delivery” date in advance, but neither of those options is truly guaranteed.
If we ship with a Dedicated Truck or a Sprinter Van, we can set the exact date your items will arrive. This method is usually more expensive and must be custom quoted per project.
We sell our products internationally, but only ship within the continental US. We get our products to the border (or your broker in the US), and your broker takes care of getting the items through customs and to you. TVSetDesigns.com is not responsible for brokerage fees, customs, taxes, inspection fees, duties, irregular loading/unloading, and so forth. If you choose to use your own freight company to pick up the items, we can have everything crated and ready to pick up, but we do not pay outside carriers - you must pay the company directly if you are arranging your own freight from our facility
Unless arrangements have been made for our crew to install your items, the client is responsible for unloading and installing our products. Our logistics person will work with you to determine if you need a liftgate on the truck, and you will need a few strong bodies to get the items off the truck and into your space.
Our products are designed to be easy to assemble and set up, with the vast majority of our clients doing the install themselves. We send you instructions for each of the elements of your project and are happy to answer your questions if anything comes up. But if you feel more comfortable having us install your set, or if your organization requires that the vendor set up the equipment, we are happy to add installation to your quote.
We rent two styles of desks, two styles of tall chairs, a selection of frames and columns, and internal lighting for the frames and columns. You can see more details about the specific items here.
All rentals are on a first come first serve basis. We can’t guarantee that a particular product will be available unless we have reserved it with your 100% deposit payment. Once we have received your deposit, we will hold the product(s) for the dates you have reserved.
All rentals have a 2-week minimum. This is due to the time it takes to arrange shipping, crate items, or re-crate after returns. You are welcome to return your rental before the end of the 2-week period, but there is no discount or refund for shorter rentals. Longer rentals can be extended by the week.
Our products are designed to maximize ease of use, versatility, and the ability to change appearance easily. The base elements of our system are steel Flat Frames and Curve Frames that come in standard 40” wide by 8’, 9’, 10’, and custom heights. We also have 14” wide Skinny Flat Frames, 14” wide Square Columns, and 18” wide Half Round Columns. All of the components bolt together on the back and can be designed to be self-supporting with or without feet. The system does not need to be attached to the ceiling, wall, or floor.
The options for the finishes on our frames are nearly limitless - we call them “skins”. In addition to laminates of every color and texture you can imagine, we offer “dimensional” products including brick, stacked stone, wood, and “Wave Wall”. We also offer a non-reflective translucent material called PETG, and we can custom print graphics to give your set a truly personal touch.
It’s easy! Laminate, graphic, and translucent “skins'' are all applied to our frames with a hook and loop system (like Velcro), meaning they can easily be switched out to rebrand, refresh, or completely redo the look. It is not uncommon for a client to order multiple sets of skins or graphics with their set. Plus, you can always order more later if you want to make a change in the future. You can also use our color wash Bounce Box system and Column lighting to quickly switch colors.
Yes! Set frames are only an inch thick, and slide onto T-shaped feet. A 40-foot wall can be disassembled and make a stack only 1 foot deep. However, some optional elements such as dimensional skins add depth, and we recommend caution when moving frames because some finishes are delicate or can scratch easily.
Yes! The beauty of our system is that the set parts are modular. They are designed so the client can mix and match, rearrange, and add to the set in the future. This is a great strategy for clients with smaller budgets, or who hope to move to a larger space in the future. We have clients that started with a couple of frames and have added on year after year.
Although we do not work with studio lighting to illuminate the actors on set, we do integrate lighting into our scenery in multiple ways. We use RGBW LED light in 3 components of our sets to allow you to change the look and feel with the push of a button. The most splashy and dramatic are Bounce Boxes, which backlight translucent material or graphics, adding any color of the rainbow to your background. Our columns are beautiful on their own, but are truly magnificent with an uplight giving you the ability to make them any color you want. And to make a set really sing, you can add valances with RGBW face lighting to carry the colored light all the way around your set. All of our lighting is DMX controlled either with your lighting board or with one we provide. And because it is LED lighting it generates very little heat and uses minimal power.