The Southside Woodshop

We have worked with Jud and the Southside Woodshop on several jobs. We are always overwhelmed with the beauty of the craftsmanship. They are so easy to work with and go above and beyond to help us make our client's dreams come true. They are my go to for my large wood tops!

While planning a kitchen renovation for our river home, I became obsessed with looking at pictures of kitchens on Houzz. Since I wanted a walnut countertop, it did not take me long to find Southside Woodshop. Despite the pictures and great reviews, I could not fathom ordering such an expensive piece without seeing the shop and meeting the owner with my own eyes. So, on our way home from Florida last spring, we stopped in Norfolk and did just that. We were instantly comfortable with Jud, his expertise, the beautiful pieces that were in his shop, his knowledge and advice. Our walnut piece arrived on time and well packed. There were, however, a few minor flaws in the piece - apparently overlooked by the team prior to shipping. In response to my concern, Jud arranged for a (very expensive) furniture expert in our area to come to my home to make cosmetic repairs to the island top. I was in awe! I now have the most beautiful piece of furniture in my home right in the middle of my kitchen! I highly recommend Jud and Southside Woodshop. A real craftsman and professional.

Jud and his team are a true find in a business where good surprises occur only rarely. Jud's homebuilding background informs an exceptional understanding of what works best for wood countertops. He's creative, thoughful and TOTALLY reliable. Support after the sale is nothing short of exceptional. If you need a wood countertop, Southside is the only choice.

SOUTHSIDE WOODSHOP MADE US A MASTERPIECE We recently ordered a large butcher block countertop from Southside Woodshop and are extremely satisfied. The countertop is literally the centerpiece of our new kitchen. Living in New England, I was surprised how difficult it was to find a vendor that would provide the design we wanted (end grain in 2.25” thickness). Ideally, using someone local would have offered a few advantages. More important than saving shipping charges, being able to physically visit a shop and inspect what you're about to pay for, gives a level of confidence that cannot be had with a distant supplier. When our quest to find a local shop failed, we turned to the unknowns of the internet. Several out of state suppliers responded to our request for a quote. Being a little nervous about buying a custom made, expensive, non-returnable item, we decided to order samples from three different shops. From beginning to end, the experience with Southside was excellent, both in service and product. Emails, and phone calls were always answered very promptly. The sample was made to order, with various edge treatments to compare, and arrived quickly. Viewing samples made the choice to use Southside easy. Their product’s quality and beauty beat out the others. I was still anxious that the final product might disappoint in some way, and I worried we’d be stuck with a regrettable result. Our countertop was delivered in the brief time frame promised. Southside was even nice enough to provide progress reports by email during the building and shipping steps. The workmanship was evident even in the packaging. My wife joked that it likely took almost as much time to pack the top as it did making it. Another sign of Southside’s high level of work, were the signatures of the four craftsmen we found on a section that would be hidden after installation. Those signatures spoke of a sense of pride the builders take in their work. They have every reason to be proud. Our countertop is beautiful and exceeded our expectations. Even our contractors, who see these type of things on a regular basis, had a “wow” response when they saw it. Since getting our countertop, I’ve seen several end grain butcher block tops and boards in high end kitchen stores, none come close. If I have one complaint, it’s that I now live with a heightened sense of caution in the kitchen as I don’t want anything to accidently mar our masterpiece. Depending on the intended use and traffic in the area, a butcher block counter may not be the perfect choice for everyone. But once that choice is made, I don’t think there’s any better choice than to get it from The Southside Woodshop. Fred Orlando November 2012 Addendum - May 2015 We found out the hard way that our local contractor totally ignored the installation instructions provided by Southside. Our countertop suddenly cracked due to not be given room to contract. It was screwed down directly instead of with washers through large holes that allow movement. The crack travelled more through the wood than the seams between the blocks, showing the strength of the construction. I turned to Southside for some advice regarding repair, and once again their service has been exceptional. After some attempts at gluing and clamping, they continued to help. I was allowed to see an online discussion in a professional blog site where my issue was addressed. Other wood workers advised Southside not to get involved with a problem for which they were clearly not responsible. To the contrary, Southside suggested an ingenious solution of making a patch with overhanging edges that would replace the cracked section. This provided not only an aesthetically pleasing solution but a functional one as well. The patch is unfinished so it serves as real cutting board. In addition to all this extraordinary service, they offered this solution at no charge!

Southside made a custom lunch counter out of walnut made to drawings that I provided. The did a custom color match to Woodmode cabinets we had installed in the kitchen. The work is beautiful and they went out of their way to get a cabinet sample from woodmode to match the color. This was all done over the internet with no fewer than 20 email exchanges. Jud Dinsmore from Southside was very professional, friendly and helpful during the entire process. The counter was built at their shop in Norfolk Va. and was shipped to our home in Phoenix Az. It was well packaged and arrived undamaged. I would highly recommend Southside to anyone seeking a custom wood countertop. A pleasure to do business with.

Southside Woodshop recently did an end-grain walnut butcher block counter top for me. They were fast, accurate, and the final piece is just beautiful and exactly what I wanted. Jud was very easy to work with and helped me think through a variety of ideas before we settled on the final product. I will definitely use them again on future projects requiring wood pieces!

We had them make us a island counter top. Walnut 4' x 8' it was completed in the timeframe they gave, and when it arrived we could not have been more pleased. We love our counter.

I love my butcher block countertops! They are beautiful and durable. We liked the contemporary country kitchen motif but could not find a shop in the Bay Area that would make butcher block countertops (they would only make them for islands). I was skeptical at first about ordering something custom that has to fit perfectly from across the country but Jud assured me that they do this all of the time. It was a pleasure working with Jud at the Southside Woodshop. He promptly returned my phone calls and emails and answered all of my questions. Once my cabinets were installed he worked with me and my installer to make sure that the measurements were accurate. When the countertops arrived, they fit perfectly, They are very easy to maintain. The finish is hard and durable and cleans up with soap and water--nothing leaves a stain. I use the wood from the sink cut-out as a cutting board. The first thing that anyone says upon entering my kitchen is "I love your countertops." They are different and beautiful.

I am a designer who lives in Pacifica, CA and searched for weeks for a wood shop to make a trio of custom wood counters for my own Kitchen remodel. I came up dry anywhere on the West Coast. With the help of Google, I landed on the most perfect place - just by luck and instinct. I am delighted to write the best review possible for my new friends at The Southside Woodshop. It was a very big step for me, as it would be for anyone, connecting with a company only via email for a job that can become very costly. Right off the bat they were kind, responsive and most importantly, trustworthy. They stayed that way until the very end. I sent Jud very detailed drawings and he was always there to keep in touch and ask about any details I left out. Since this was for my own home, I had very particular needs and wants such as a section that has a built in trivet and custom knife slots. I just received my wood counters and they are even more beautiful than I had imagined! The Southside Woodshop has gone above and beyond my expectations of service, quality and pricing. I am so grateful to see and to know that there are still true craftsman like the crew at The Southside Woodshop in the world to go to. Their work is a true work of art - a masterpiece in fact! I am forever thankful and will continue to do work with this company as often as I can. Thank you Team!!!