Any tips on pricing for custom cabinets???

[Joe Chritz]

$125 seems about right if you aren't supplying any materials and no drawers, doors or drawer fronts.

I would figure about 3 hours to do that cab as is and would price it at about $40 an hour. I would likely add about an hour or so because it is matched to the other cabs which should be worth something.

Obviously doors and drawers would add a bunch.

On estimating time I try to charge a fair rate on what I think it should take. I am slowly getting close to where I finish in about the time I think I should.

Joe

[David Prince]

If you aren't charging in the $45 - $75 an hour range for labor, you might as well be picking up beer cans from beside the road to sell. You will make more money on the cans for time and equiptment invested. Remember you only have two things to sell, your time and talents. You can only sell them once, so get the best price you can the first time.

Keep in mind the market you are working in! At this rate you are saying $93,600 to $156,000 per year if you work 40 hours per week. You better be pretty darn good for that! I would pay your rates, but it better be good.

Not trying to criticize the base cabinet in the above pics, but I am not overly impressed and definately would not pay $45 to $75 per hour for that. The reveal on the left hand side of the last picture doesn't look like it is lined up correctly. It lacks support across the very top rail. (imagine a person sitting up on the front edge of that sink on the installed cabinet. I can see it giving way) Looks like 1/2 plywood sides. Malamine bottom. No drawer fronts, back, doors, or finish. 6 - 8 hours to build this would put you at $270 to $600 for this cabinet based on Bruce's prices. I think you were closer when you quoted $30 per hour. If you are doing high-end cabinets, then $45 to $75 per hour is fair, but you better be good enough to earn that!

[Brendan Plavis]

My prices would be: $35per hour for the construction, then as an optional charge, $100(for all, not p/h) for paint/finish. I would also require 4hours to be paid in advance. That way if they bugger out, I would atleast have some money for my time.

My breakdown: My electricity, wear on my tools, ties up my shopspace, and its my a** I am risking...

[David Prince]

My prices would be: $35per hour for the construction, then as an optional charge, $100(for all, not p/h) for paint/finish. I would also require 4hours to be paid in advance. That way if they bugger out, I would atleast have some money for my time.

My breakdown: My electricity, wear on my tools, ties up my shopspace, and its my a** I am risking...

And just how many cabinets like this have you built?

[Joe Jensen]

Keep in mind the market you are working in! At this rate you are saying $93,600 to $156,000 per year if you work 40 hours per week. You better be pretty darn good for that! I would pay your rates, but it better be good.

Keep in mind that the number is gross. If this is a hobby shop guy trying to make some cash for tools, that's one thing. If this is a budding business, you need to make enough to cover all the time spent on things like trips to home depot, trips to measure, trips to install.

Last year I did my first pay job in 20 years. The client was my wife's friend and they wanted an 80" wide cabinet in a media room finished to match the rest of the cabinets in their home. I ended up bidding $2100 and they agreed. I tried very hard to plan to minimize trips their home as it was 30 minutes each way. I hoped to do only 2 trips, one to measure, and one to install, but alas I needed to make a third trip. In the end, I made $50 an hour if I didn't count redoing the finish 3 times to get it to match the existing finish. The homeowner had the original stain so I figured it would be easy to match. Turns out that much of the pigment had settled and hardened in the bottom of the can of stain so it would never match. Counting my actual hours, and nothing for wear and tear on my truck ($1.00 per mile according to Edmunds), and nothing for the use of my tools and shop, I made $30 an hour. Most people only think about gas on the cost of driving. Every mile you drive reduces the value of your vehicle, wears tires, moves you closer to a brake job, etc. My kids drive a VW Jetta and according the Edmunds the true cost to drive that car is $.58 per mile. And that's one of the lowest costs. Don't forget saw blades, router bits, screws, glue, it all adds up.

[Joe Jensen]

One more thought. In my day job we try to use "value based pricing" meaning we try to price based on the value our products deliver. In this case, the house flipper had an existing kitchen with a unique cabinet design. If they couldn't repair or replace this cabinet (with the weird door openings) they would either have to buy a new and different cabinet from a big box store and it wouldn't match. Or, replace the kitchen (expensive). I would have looked at the cost of a new one from Home depot and added 50-100%.

[Bill Wyko]

I was told by a veteran kitchen builder to put in writing, "If the walls are out of line more than 1/4 inch, all estimates on time go immediately to an hourly rate. He said walls not where they should be, make for the biggest nightmares. I will say though, nice work.

[Leo Graywacz]

one more thought. In my day job we try to use "value based pricing" meaning we try to price based on the value our products deliver. In this case, the house flipper had an existing kitchen with a unique cabinet design. If they couldn't repair or replace this cabinet (with the weird door openings) they would either have to buy a new and different cabinet from a big box store and it wouldn't match. Or, replace the kitchen (expensive). I would have looked at the cost of a new one from home depot and added 50-100%.

300%-400%..

[Johnnyy Johnson]

Man!!! These are all such good post on ideas of pricing. I'm doing it as a hobby, but I can use your ideas to price what I do by word of mouth for friends. Who knows..I may do it for profect someday.

[Joe Jensen]

300%-400%..

I should have been more clear. Finished big box store cabinet with doors, and double for an unfinished box is what I was thinking. Plus, he didn't pay for the materials.

[Leo Graywacz]

Materials are the least of the costs that are incurred. I am a cabinetmaker that runs a shop. I have lots of expenses that need to be paid for. Rent, electricity, insurance, state registration, phone, truck, gasoline. All that has to be paid for too.

Working out of your basement or garage making a cabinet or two in a month is not really what I'm talking about.

Even if you are just doing it as a hobby and get some cash for it don't undersell yourself. But if you are doing this for cash and don't have a business license you would be considered a hack in the business world.

[Scott Loven]

I would look at it this way, what would it cost her to buy new and replace? If it can still be purchased to match the existing, suggest that she do it and that you do the install for $100. To custom make something to match what is already there I would charge 2-3 times the borg price. You have to figure what her walk away price is and charge a little less then that or don't do it.

[Bruce Wrenn]

[QUOTE=David Prince;1411627]Keep in mind the market you are working in! At this rate you are saying $93,600 to $156,000 per year if you work 40 hours per week. You better be pretty darn good for that! I would pay your rates, but it better be good Most, myself included, can't bill for 40 hours per week. When I do an estimate that take 8 hours, including job site measurements, locating materials, etc, and then don't get the job- who pays me for my time? My expenses continued on while doing this estimate. My wife and kids still want to eat. I like to have some vacation and sick leave also, which has to come from that $40 hour rate. Don't forget I get to pay BOTH HALVES of my social security. Don't forget that many locations require licensee renewal courses each year. What about the time and expense of going to trade shows or classes to learn latest government requirements, or methods of work. No one writes me a check at the end of these, I usually have to write them a check to go. I don't know if I'm good, but I have always had a waiting list. Oh yeah in 20+ years, I haven't even printed a business card, word of mouth only. I only know of one unhappy customer in that time. She bought an expensive faucet, that I installed. Faucet failed while I was on vacation, but she thought I should come home and fix HER faucet. My work didn't fail, but HER faucet did. Recently I bid a job for a company. Was told I was too high. Building manager at another branch said "Don't worry, they will pay you more to go and fix it after other person does job." Several times, my charges were less to fix someone else's mistakes than they were paid originally. And when I left it was RIGHT. No one had to come behind me and fix it again. Quality is like buying oats. If you want nice fresh ones they will cost you. But if you don't mind if they have been through the horse first, these are a lot cheaper. Some times, sit down and figure exactly what your employer has to charge for your services. It is a lot more than your paycheck. About triple what your check says. Sick leave, vacation, holidays, workman's comp, unemployment ins., other half of SS, book keeping expense, place for you to work. I'm even willing to bet they want to make a profit on your work.

[Michael Dunn]

You are correct, the one side did not line up perfectly. I was not worried about that as the left side of the cabinet is now butted up against another cabinet. I figured I wouldn't worry about it for that reason and also time and $$$.

As far as the construction goes... I just tried to emulate what they already had. There was actually 3/8" ply in the exisiting cab. I used 1/2". I wanted to keep it simple, and that I did.

shotgunn

Keep in mind the market you are working in! At this rate you are saying $93,600 to $156,000 per year if you work 40 hours per week. You better be pretty darn good for that! I would pay your rates, but it better be good.

Not trying to criticize the base cabinet in the above pics, but I am not overly impressed and definately would not pay $45 to $75 per hour for that. The reveal on the left hand side of the last picture doesn't look like it is lined up correctly. It lacks support across the very top rail. (imagine a person sitting up on the front edge of that sink on the installed cabinet. I can see it giving way) Looks like 1/2 plywood sides. Malamine bottom. No drawer fronts, back, doors, or finish. 6 - 8 hours to build this would put you at $270 to $600 for this cabinet based on Bruce's prices. I think you were closer when you quoted $30 per hour. If you are doing high-end cabinets, then $45 to $75 per hour is fair, but you better be good enough to earn that!

[Kurt Cady]

And just how many cabinets like this have you built?

Thank you!