Looking for an ART ironsmith (artesano en hierro decorativo) in the DR

J D Sauser

Silver
Nov 20, 2004
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www.hispanosuizainvest.com
I have a couple of real estate projects taking off in the US.
I am entertaining the possibility to use a Dominican wrought iron artist to complete a first upper scale demo project in the US.
Works will mainly consist of CUSTOM wrought iron railings for interior stairs and such and will NOT be made from imported (India) elements but by HAND upon design. On a first project we would be open to give the professional some artistic freedom.

MUST be PROFESSIONAL and have a TRACK record of NOT being a "time waster", must have years of experience... no "ple pla-Bros.". A successful first project is likely to generate further projects.

Recommendations as well as warn-off's (the later by PM only so to not inflame the thread) welcomed.

Paired with that, I would welcome recommendations and warn-off's regarding shared container (crated) shippers to ship these heavy and often bulky elements to the port of FLL or MIA.


Thanks! ... J-D.
 

drdoug

New member
Aug 12, 2013
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There is a very professional "iron art" company outside Santiago on the highway to Moca. I have forgotten the name but have visited and seen their work and had estimates done for my projects. Ah-"Joluzo" just remembered. Good luck!
 

J D Sauser

Silver
Nov 20, 2004
2,940
390
83
www.hispanosuizainvest.com
Thanks Doug.
Is that on the highway to Santo Domingo before the toll plaza? Or on the way off it towards Moca?


We tried to find some on-line. The place down in La Romana has a somewhat active web page. Otherwise all we found was outdated and/or incomplete listing of the Dominican Yellow Pages online. Two FaceBook pages came up which showed the kind of work which would have perked our interest... but NO address (what a great way to promote your business). One answered to our message a week later. The other one is still sleeping over it.
We went to Santo Domingo for 3 days. After a day of searching the modern way but to no avail, we finally called the Apollo Cab company and asked if they had a driver who knew of a few iron art places. The first operator did not at all even understand my question, the second one totally surprised us (I was in DIRE NEED FOR A POSITIVE surprise) by telling me that he would find one and call us back. And he did and sent us one who's cousin worked at a place that supplies iron shops with the raw material. We criss-crossed the city for an entire day, found a lot of "forgitaboutit" places and about 5 we actually got out of the cab to talk to the owners. 2 Really could possibly qualify.

This is one of the MANY problems which renders this country so unable to stand on it's own feet economically. People do NOT know HOW to PROMOTE their business. And even if YOU dig'em up FORCEFULLY, they often have run out of promotional material like business cards or pamphlets or any other mean to somewhat secure interest in what they are hoping to sell.

Imagine, I would be trying to give business to this country NOT being physically here. FORGITABOUTIT. Nobody has time to help the helpless to receive your money.

Anyways... I know of one in Santiago who's done some work around here... I remembered had an 8 year old picture of a gate I photographed which I remembered had their Company Name and phone number on it. I don't know how I remembered, may being desperate helps, and we tried to to read the phone number off the board on the picture which wasn't all clear.... to my greatest surprise, they even not only still were in business but had the same number.

If businesses here only put 10% of the effort we put into LOOKING for them, we would not be able to see the palm trees because of the proliferation of billboards! :D

The whole process, and we haven't reach the time of haggling out a non-Gringo BS price just yet, is so frustrating, it reminds me why I have all but stopped my business interests in the country.

I am giving it a try. They'll get the drawings and specs and an opportunity to submit a bid... lets see if ONE can resist the "cult" of insisting on serving me their stupid tigueraje. If we get that lucky, we might be able to provide them with repeat business over $100'000.oo/year. If not, we'll be looking at Mexico or Colombia.


... J-D.