Shelf job estimation of material cost..

[Rob Bourgeois]

The church has asked me to give an estimation of how much materials would cost to build some shelves. The shelves are simple plywood painted shelves. The edges are exposed on the shelf itself but not along the vertical standards. There is also a crown molding at the top and a quarter round molding long the bottom. The shelves are 60 inches tall and 40 inch wide and 12 deep and have 3 moveable shelves plus the bottom and top. It has the moveable slot type shelf pins. I think my estimate is high at 155 for 1 and 273 for 2.

Here is the breakdown...Did I screw up somewheres or does this seem right? Sorry about the formatting..tabs dont work.
Estimate for shelf system( 40 inch)
Item number needed price total
3/4 plywood 2 46.65 93.30
¼ plywood 1 17.79 17.79
Quarter round molding 1 stick(8ft) 2.64 2.64
Crown molding 1 stick(8ft) 7.36 7.36
Shelf pins 2( bag of 6) ~5.00 10.00
Shelf standards 4 ~6.00 ~24.00
Misc. screws and glue ~ 5.00
TOTAL 155.09
This does not include paint, and taxes


Estimate for shelf system( 80 inch)
Item number needed price total
3/4 plywood 3 46.65 139.95
¼ plywood 2 17.79 35.58
Quarter round molding 2 stick(8ft) 2.64 5.28
Crown molding 2 stick(8ft) 7.36 14.72
Shelf pins 4( bag of 6) ~5.00 ~20.00
Shelf standards 8 ~6.00 ~48.00
Misc screws and glue ~10.00
TOTAL 273.53

This does not include paint, and taxes.

[Michael Ballent]

Are you donating your time to build these for the church? I would also toss in the cost of wear and tear of your tooling, like router bits, saw blades, cost of sand paper etc. These are hidden costs that some people fail to include when providing estimates.

[Roger Myers]

Rob,
Not what you asked...but as noted in another thread on bookcases.... 40" wide plywood shelves will sag...even if there is no apreciable weight on the shelves, there will be some sag.... with books, they may sag a great deal... you indicated the edges will be exposed, so I'm thinking there is not lip or facing on the shelves to provide any strength...

[Cecil Arnold]

What Roger said, plus I would add 15% for the unexpected, which seems to always happen so why is it unexpected.

[Rob Bourgeois]

I am going with the measurements that are in the existing shelves...Yeah I know about the sag and I cant figure out why the ones there now havent sagged.

I will add a bit to the estimate for added things.


I was considering donating my time. However, my business manager ( my wife) told me that if I ever want people to stop taking advantage of my wood workings skills I should charge what the going rate is around here..with maybe a small discount because its the church. I am thinking of opening a business (5 or more years down the road) and this job will get seen by alot of people. But honestly. I really dont want the job. Its a boring build involving paint and takes me from the lathe and carving bench. So as of now...I am conflicted.:o

[Rob Bourgeois]

No ones has answered yet..does the estimate seem high for materials for a 40 inch book shelf.

[Robert Mickley]

. But honestly. I really dont want the job. Its a boring build involving paint and takes me from the lathe and carving bench. So as of now...I am conflicted.:o

Well Fun doesn't always pay the bills. I would love to be turning all day. But the flat work is where the money is. Not that I make a living at it :rolleyes: But I quit donating my services a long time ago. well almost one Sister gets anything she wants. As long as the tools pay for themselves and let me buy more tools I'm happy.
As far as your estimates being high, I don't think so. I use a sheet of 3/4 ply and a few board feet of oak lumber in toyboxes and get $180 for them. Anything they buy in the stor today isn't going to last as long or be as nice as something your going to build.

[Steve Clardy]

Sounds about right on your material estimates Rob.
Ad 10% for those hidden things.

[Rick Thom]

Rob, there was a recent article in a mag I get (Woodworking Magazine- spring 2005) specifically on design and building shelves and loads/deflections. They compared solid oak, poplar, maple plywood (9 ply), baltic birch plywood (13 ply) all 3/4" thick, and maple plywood with solid 3/4" x 1 1/2" solid qtr-sawn ash front edge.
1 lineal Ft of average 8 1/2x 11" books = 35lb.
Following are comparative results for sag at different test weights and 3' shelf length.
Weight= 50 lb.
oak, poplar, Baltic birch ply and maple ply with solid edge all 0" observed sag.
maple plywood only, 1/16" sag.

Weight= 150 lbs
Solid Oak & poplar, maple plywood with solid edge, 0" observed sag.
maple plywood, 3/16" sag
Baltic birch plywood, 1/8" sag.

I guess you also have to consider what material/ weight could be on the shelves rather than what they are currently thinking for design purposes.

What they concluded is generally the strongest is solid wood and considerably more strength is added by upsizing from 3/4 to 1" or more thickness. The Maple Ply with solid hardwood front edge is a practical alternative when not dealing with heavy loads. 3' is about as long an unsuported length as they recommend to avoid problems.
Hope this helps.

[John Lucas]

several mentions to add a percent for safety sake...what I always referrred to as the "Jesus Factor." That seems very fitting here.