Moulding Suggestions

[Brett Nelson]

Well, I have a bit of an issue. Getting a good amount of requests for custom mouldings produced using my Woodmaster 718. Usually in quantities for a complete home. I don't really wish to start doing that full time, but if I accept all the orders then I would be doing it full time. I don't want to charge more to reduce the interest, but also have a hard time turning people away. Just want to have enough interest to make a little money when I want to. Also, it usually allows me to get some great deals on lumber for my own projects.

Right now I'm only charging about 0.50-0.75 per lineal foot. I make them buy me the profile if I don't have it. I give them my price on lumber without markup. Usually, I just use the proceeds to buy more tools.

Am I just too nice?

[Rod Sheridan]

No, you're not too nice, I'd say you're under pricing yourself.

For example, when you make a length of molding, how does it compare cost wise against commercial suppliers?

You should be more expensive due to volume/custom work.

Regards, Rod.

[Brett Nelson]

I'm obviously quite a bit cheaper than commercial suppliers. My poplar moulding usually comes at a cheaper price than finger joint pine from a wholesaler.

I just haven't been looking at it like under or over-pricing. This is just a hobby for me, and I didn't get any of my equipment with the intent of doing any commercial work.

I've just looked at it like, "Hey I really want that new spray gun for $600". So I go ahead and run about 500bdft of moulding for someone and buy myself the spray gun. I'm just getting to the point where I can't justify buying any more tools until I build my 40'x60' shop. That won't come until I'm ready to build my new house next spring. So it will be about 2 years before I have my shop. In the mean time I'm helping other people with their home builds, but seems that running mouldings is just taking up too much time already. I have a hard time saying no though when someone wants help.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

A dentist friend of mine hated making and fitting false teeth. He decided to raise his price higher than anyone else. The demand for his "teeth" increased. Go Figure. Don't give your work away too cheaply. Raise your prices to compete with the commercial guys. Your volume will drop but you will pay for your tools.
Sooner or later someone will either stick you or you will make some unsatisfactory work and be digging into your own pocket.
fmr

[Peter Quinn]

Wow. for those prices you can barely buy a FJ or MDF shoe 3/4"X3/8" shoe molding from the borg. I do a few small molding jobs using a shaper or Shop fox molder, and I'm charging 4-5X that much per lineal. There is electrical, waste disposal, machine maintenance, I have to get the lumber, pay myself a reasonable hourly rate, etc. I figure if its paying less than $1.75 per lineal foot, I'd rather be doing something else.

That said if you enjoy it and it works for you than thats all that should count. But if you have that sneaking suspicion you should be charging more and would rather be doing it less, it might be time to change the fee structure. At the very least I would do material costX4 personally.

[Brett Nelson]

Wow. for those prices you can barely buy a FJ or MDF shoe 3/4"X3/8" shoe molding from the borg. I do a few small molding jobs using a shaper or Shop fox molder, and I'm charging 4-5X that much per lineal. There is electrical, waste disposal, machine maintenance, I have to get the lumber, pay myself a reasonable hourly rate, etc. I figure if its paying less than $1.75 per lineal foot, I'd rather be doing something else.

That said if you enjoy it and it works for you than thats all that should count. But if you have that sneaking suspicion you should be charging more and would rather be doing it less, it might be time to change the fee structure. At the very least I would do material costX4 personally.

Well, what I meant to say was that I charge about $0.75 a foot labor. I have a wholesale account for lumber, that I just bill in the customer's name. The yard ships to my door. Sure, electrical usage is a factor, but not that much of a factor. Waste disposal is also only like $10 a job.

I know that I should be charging more. I'm just not really in the business of doing this for a living. Would rather be working with wood than sitting around watching TV. I'm just wondering if the price I'm charging just sounds ridiculous.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

Think of it this way-- when I price something I do as s "hobby" I certainly could price it very low -- however, if I'm competing with other woodworkers who are trying to make a living, it's unfair for me to undercut their prices just because ir's a hobby for me. Check local prices and charge accordingly.

[Larry Edgerton]

Think of it this way-- when I price something I do as s "hobby" I certainly could price it very low -- however, if I'm competing with other woodworkers who are trying to make a living, it's unfair for me to undercut their prices just because ir's a hobby for me. Check local prices and charge accordingly.

Thank You!

[Harry Hagan]

Your customers will let you know if you’re charging too much—they’ll take their business else ware.

It’s only worth what someone, or some fool; is willing to pay.

[Brett Nelson]

Think of it this way-- when I price something I do as s "hobby" I certainly could price it very low -- however, if I'm competing with other woodworkers who are trying to make a living, it's unfair for me to undercut their prices just because ir's a hobby for me. Check local prices and charge accordingly.


That is something I hadn't considered. It is a bit unfair in a competitive environment to charge a price that is 1/2 of the commercial outfits just because I don't have to put food on the table.

[Ben Hatcher]

Determine your hourly rate. Be sure to amortize the set up, waste disposal, material handling, etc. over all of the feet that you'll run for that job. Once you get that you'll have a far better idea of how much you should charge. If you want to be fair to a comercial shop that has to cover more expenses, shoot for ~$50/hr.

[Joe Chritz]

Materials +15%. Don't forget about waste and shorts.

Labor at going shop rate. No less than $40-$50 per hour.

Remember you have a finite amount of time on any machine. The costs have to cover replacement, wear, electricity, etc.

There is a custom shop up the road that can compete cost wise with commercial offerings, especially in the stock profiles offered. Better lumber, thicker and with a better finish. Of course this is buying stock green and kiln drying it and an easy 6 figure multi head molder.

Don't cut yourself short.

Joe

[Lee Schierer]

Take a look at this site. They sell high quality hardwood moldings (http://www.summit-hardwoods.com/HTML/casing.html). Hopefully this will help you decide what price to charge for your work.

[Brett Nelson]

Thanks Lee. Their prices look really fair for the work. Lower than most guys around here but about right where I would want to be.