Cost?

[Byron Trantham]

How much would you charge to repair the joints in a chair? They had to be taken completely apart and re-glued. The job came out fine; the customer was less than thrilled with the price. Just wondering.

[Richard Wolf]

Thanks to bad. It's always disappointing when you do your best work and ask to be fairly compensated and your efforts go unappreciated.
I don't think you are a thief and you know how much time it took to make the repair. You will always find people that think you should work for beer money!

Richard

[Earl Kelly]

I've repaired a few. If you go strictly by time involved it should cost about $200 for 4 hrs @$50hr. But most people would have a stroke, if you charged that. I've done them for as little as $35-50 and high as $250. Alot depends on the type and construction of the chair. Some fix really easy and some you have to make jigs just to clamp them back together.

[Tom Sontag]

I haven't a clue but wouldn't this be the kind of thing you discuss with the client before you take on the job?

[Bernie Weishapl]

Bryon I charge $25 to $35 per chair depending on the chair and really that is not enough for the work you have to go through. I did six for $150. They don't realize I had 6 spindles on each back, 4 holding the legs and the legs to the seat. Takes time. I told them up front what the charges would be. They think you are going to do it for a couple of dollars. They just hem-ha'd for 30 minutes about how much it was and how they would be willing to pay $5 per chair because it was just glueing them. I did a table for another and they just couldn't get over that I would charge them $150 which again isn't enough for repairing it and sanding, then refinish the table top. I think I will stop doing this kind of work just because of the fact they think you should do it as Richard said for beer money.

[Howard Barlow]

I would probably just use an established shop rate, whatever it may be, and give an estimate. I learned a long time ago, establish a two-tier pricing system. Free and the going rate. If you want to do it for nothing, fine, but if not, charge as much as the high priced places. If you're going to get beat up for it, might as well be well paid.

[Roger Los]

Howard's got the right system. I'm not in woodworking as a business, but I can tell you that in my business the worst jobs are the ones you take on at lower-than-market rates "as a favor." No one ends up happy in the end and the jobs themselves usually turn out to be tedious.

I think an up-front "this will take me three hours and that's $150" goes a long way to making them decide whether it's worth it or not. If you're asked to quote without seeing the job, make sure you outline the specifics--"A typical chair with four spindles will take me an hour to fix" or whatever.

If you get people like that in frequently, you might consider putting together a "kit" they can buy at your cost and do the work themselves, or a simple instruction sheet and what they need to pick up at the local hardware store. Some might gain an appreciation of the effort involved if they tackle it themselves first, the rest you don't want as customers anyway.

I'm probably not telling you anything you didn't already know.

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I guess it depends on your interest level...but I'm not a fixer or refinisher...so my price would be, "No". :o

[Neil Bosdet]

I like Howard's advice. I don't do ww'ing for a living but a 2-tiered pricing schedule would work for me for my few jobs and definitely agree up front. I think I'll post something in my shop.....

[Rick Thom]

Suppose this is the reason that many pros avoid certain types of work.
On a somewhat related topic, ran into a fellow who is a pro blacksmith and I would gauge to be highly skilled and accomplished. Many would come to him for advice, tap his knowledge etc and he actually put a price on his time for this - $1.00 per minute. Seemed very fair to me.

[Byron Trantham]

Ok guys, I was in low end of the estimates here $50/chair for 4 chairs. I feel better. What happened was I worked with the husband for the first time. Told him 2 hours a chair; he said no problem. Of course he didn't know what two hours meant in terms of money but his wife did! Anyway she thought I was kidding at first and then it dawned on her I was serious. I explained about having to take them completely apart and re-glue them but as is typical for most clients, she only heard was I used "some glue". She'll be back but I guarantee you I won't be working with Dad anymore:D

Thanks for you feedback. The worst part of woodworking is customers!!:D

[tod evans]

i`m asked to do repair work frequently and the first question i ask is "is this piece a family heirloom or a genuine antique" if it`s not i politely suggest they either get another or go elseware `cause it`s not worth their money or my time. tod

[Ray Bersch]

The worst part of woodworking is customers!!:D

I used to say that (as a half joke, just as you do here) for my home building customers, then, in 1990, they all went away. I could not pay a customer to look at my houses - now I don't say that anymore - at least not aloud!!:rolleyes:
Ray

[Byron Trantham]

I used to say that (as a half joke, just as you do here) for my home building customers, then, in 1990, they all went away. I could not pay a customer to look at my houses - now I don't say that anymore - at least not aloud!!:rolleyes:
Ray

Ray, I know what you mean. I'm not a people person. My brother-in-law is and he has work all the time. I've looked all through my tools and books and I'll be darned if I can find people 101!:D

I'm retired and I use the income as "wind fall" money. In the nine or so years I have been doing this, I have determined that it is cyclical. Feast or famine. Right now it's famine and need (want) the work.:rolleyes:

[John Gregory]

I guess it depends on your interest level...but I'm not a fixer or refinisher...so my price would be, "No". :o

I am with Kirk on this one. We get asked all of the time to fix things or refinish things. But for us it is just new work.

[Dave Tinley]

I tell the customer up front, its $65 per chair, and any component that needs to be replaced, IE rung, spindle, etc will be extra. Its tough to turn away buisiness but its not nearly as bad as undercharging and then have the customer complain about the work.

Dave

[Jim Hager]

That is the very reason I do not do repair work on anything. People just don't understand the costs involved in the time that it takes to do something like that right.

" Sorry I don't do repair work" that's my story and I'm stickin to it.:(

[Tom Conger]

Suppose this is the reason that many pros avoid certain types of work.
On a somewhat related topic, ran into a fellow who is a pro blacksmith and I would gauge to be highly skilled and accomplished. Many would come to him for advice, tap his knowledge etc and he actually put a price on his time for this - $1.00 per minute. Seemed very fair to me.

A doctor and lawyer were about to tee off at their country club.

The lawyer says, "Doctor, I am always getting asked for legal advice from people I barely know. Whether at the golf course, a restaraunt, the gym. How do you handle it?"

The doctor responds, "I send them a bill."

A week later the lawyer received a $50 bill for "consulting".