1. Scope of Bespoke Hand-Carved Commissions
All pieces sold by Ladakh Wood Works are individually handcrafted by native master artisans in the Union Territory of Ladakh. When you place a custom order for a Choktse table, guardian dragon panel, ritual object, or architectural lintel (Shingskos), you agree that:
- Timber Variations: Natural high-altitude wood (such as local Willow, Walnut, or Apricot timber) displays unique organic details. Grain direction, knots, texture shifts, and minor density differences are classic features of genuine timber, not flaws.
- Artisanal Nuances: Every chisel stroke is performed by hand. The physical dimension of a completed piece may vary marginally from the initial estimate (typically within a ±5mm range).
- Traditional Mineral Pigments: Authentic pieces are painted using hand-mixed mineral pigments. Under direct sunlight or high-intensity indoor spotlights, minor tonal gradients may shift slightly over time, acquiring a premium, historical patina.
2. Payment Thresholds & Milestone Policies
Because all woodworks are carved explicitly to order, we manage advance deposits to secure the required raw logs and allocate workshop space in Leh:
- Advance Booking Deposit: We strictly require a non-refundable 50% advance deposit to begin the wood selection and roughing phases.
- Final Clearance Payment: The remaining 50% balance, alongside verified shipping fees, must be cleared in full once the piece is finished. We provide clear, high-resolution photographs and videos of the completed woodwork to you on WhatsApp prior to invoicing.
- Architectural Contracts: For large-scale projects, billing is divided into custom phased milestones tied directly to progress stages, as outlined in the initial contract.
3. Traditional Guild Intellectual Property
The specific structural layouts, geometry patterns, snow-lion carvings, and dynamic dragon motifs are part of the protected GI-tagged Shingskos heritage craft. Ladakh Wood Works retains the intellectual rights to all custom-engineered designs and hand-carved temple patterns. Replicating our pieces for industrial commercial production is strictly prohibited under international copyright conventions.
4. Jurisdictional Authority
Any legal claims, contractual disputes, or payment arguments arising out of commissions placed with our workshop will be handled under the exclusive legal jurisdiction of the courts of Leh, Union Territory of Ladakh, India.