Hourly Rate?

[Mike Vermeil]

After reading the thread down aways asking what people would charge for a particialar cabinet, I got to wondering what other people charge for their time.

Now I realize skill level plays a major role in what your time is worth, and that skill is hard to judge without actually seeing examples of past work, but if people are comfortable divulging what their hourly target for labor is, I'd appreciate the input.

I do one or two comission pieces/year, and am always in a quandry over what my time is actually worth.

[Steven Wilson]

A couple of professional woodworkers I know charge $55/hr for shop time

[Bob Lasley]

Mike,

I usually charge $30 per hour. I base my quotes on that, but I don't always wind up with that much, as it seems like I cut myself short on time more often than not.

Bob

[Mike Vermeil]

Bob,

Amen brother! I don't even want to tell you what I ended up making per hour on my last job.

Mike

[Paul Kunkel]

I charge $35 @hr for me & shop. If LOML is helping me(sanding, etc) the rate goes to $50. If it's a walkin for a small job that's interrupting the general workflow, I play it by ear but generally close to $50:D

[markus shaffer]

I have a standard shop rate of $45 but it will be going up this year. I think there's a lot of factors that go into figuring out what your hourly rate should be. For me, my overhead is pretty high. I have a shop in Manhattan, so my rent is probably higher than that of someone outside of the city for the same amount of space. But one must also note that space in New York City is always at a premium. Another expense I have is parking. I'm probably safe in assuming that you're not paying for a parking place in Kentucky. For me however, it saves on so many headaches and two parking tickets now cost more than what I pay per month anyway. I think you have to figure out what all your overhead costs are, factor in what you think your time is worth and then what you feel you want to make in profit over your expenses. Also, you have to figure what your market can support without pricing yourself too high that you can't get any work. Although the economy is pretty bad now, people are still spending money here. I pretty much build custom hardwood furniture which is costly but the clients I have appreciate the difference between what I make and what they can buy at a store. There is a market for it here though. I think if you're just doing a couple pieces a year and it's not your primary business, then you should look into what other shops around your area charge. I think the project and the client also determine the cost somewhat. Obviously some projects are much harder than others. Along those lines, some clients are harder to deal with. I think over the last few years, the most important skill I've learned is how to judge clients through the first or second meeting. If you can tell someone is going to be a real pain, your time is worth more and you should price accordingly.

-Markus

[Scott Coffelt]

I usually plan on charging $40/hour. I try to cover my shop time and some travel time, but usually do not keep exact travel time, and rarely track creative time. So I wind up making less in the end. I guess I could be like lawyers and every time I do one thing I track it and charge by a minimum amount, i.e. 15 minute or 30 minute increments.

[jack duren]

i work full time in a cabinet shop and run a part time shop at home. because my overhead is low (garage shop) i charge $32.50hr. if i had the overhead it would be much more. i also claim the work i do.

odd ball projects get the hourly rate. figuring the hours/materials predicted i then write up the bid.

as far as kitchen cabinets,entertainment centers, wet bars, etc. it all comes off my bid sheet already established for footage and extras....

some hourly rates youll find will vary from state to state and woodworker to woodworker. you have to decide what the area can stand and what your skjill level is to determine what you can successfully charge. some charge alot yet, take twice as long as another to complete the job. some arent skilled enough to charge what they charge, compared to others that are. finding the average is the key.

i do not believe in the 3 times material pricing. thats amateur, but a start if your new to the business....jack

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

When I'm building full-time for the mesquite outfit I get paid by the piece. I have no overhead to consider...that's their problem. When I 'bid' a project, I figure I need to get $20 hour. This has bit me in the past because 'first time' things usually take longer than I plan for, but for tables and chairs it works out right because I can do those in my sleep, and generally work on other stuff at the same time.

When I do stuff on my own I figure the labor at about $30, and double the material cost (to cover my minimal overhead). If that seems too high, I may come down a bit. I also think it's better to 'bid high' and deliver low if possible.

[J.R. Rutter]

But I have low a overhead shop on my property. IME, this is on the low end.
-JR