The Plating House - not such a great experience

[robmack]

I had a couple of motorcycle engine covers I wanted decoratively chrome plated -- an oil pan and a cam chain cover for my BMW K75. I phoned around the various GTA plating shops but only got a positive response from The Plating House up in Vaughan. I visited the shop in mid-December 2021 and spoke with Mike. I got a quote and left the parts to be chromed. I heard nothing from them for a while so I sent an email on Jan 23 2022 inquiring as to the status of my order. Mike replied and said my order was being scheduled behind a couple others, so that made me think completion wasn't too far off. Again, waited some time and not hearing anything further, I sent another email asking about status on Feb 24 2022. This time I never received any response. So on March 1 2022, I took a trip to visit the shop and talk to the people there face to face. I did meet one of the employees (not Mike) and found out that nothing had been done with my parts. They had not been touched for 2-1/2 months. The guy said he could start stripping paint this week but there was still uncertainty whether or not the parts would get finished in 2 weeks. I have a feeling that he was giving me a story because I was there in person. I told him my side of the story, how frustrating it is not to get status updates so that I can make decisions; just being left hanging. I wasn't happy to be strung along thinking my work was being done when it wasn't. At one point, he said to me that my job wasn't that important to him because they had so many jobs in the queue; mine was just one more. So, I decided to get my parts back. I personally can't recommend this shop for decorative chroming work, unfortunately.

Now I'm trying to find another place. There are so very few plating shops in Southern Ontario that will do this work, Cambridge Plating being one. Even Mayfair has stopped chroming parts. I'm reaching out across Canada for a place and Alberta Plating responded to me and looks very promising. Half the quoted price of The Plating House with a committed turnaround time of 3-4 weeks.

 

[Freddy F]

Sounds like they are too busy for small jobs like yours. Too bad they didn't just be up front about it. That kinda stuff makes me crazy. Years ago I has some parts for my 69 Cougar re-chromed at a place in London, but have no idea if they are still in operation.

 

[robmack]

It's like they know they are the only viable game in town. Very little choice these days given the huge environmental and health impact plating represents, and the demand for it just dwindling.

I tried chrome painting and that was a total disaster. If you go that route, the shop you choose to do it needs to be staffed with highly skilled painters, outfitted with the right equipment and follow rigorous processes. Nothing like that in the GTA.