This past week has really brought forward two very interesting topics…......Div posted a forum topic, “Monkeys working for peanuts”, and a1Jim posted his topic, How much is your woodworking worth!. Both topics generated a lot of interest and responses. Everyone from the hobbiest, to the woodworker doing it as a secondary income and the full time woodworker.
So….It gave me an idea, I would like to do a pricing survey! Bear with me for a minute and let me explain. Cabinetmaker magizine ( a national trade publication), does this every year and invites professional shops from across the country to participate to bid on a similar project to be able to compare pricing across the country. I have participated for the past four years and I find it very benificial. At first I was a little intimadated, being a one man shop and I knew I would be bidding with large production shops, but that doesn’t matter and I found out that didn’t have a lot to do with the final prices. It’s fun!
Here’s how it would work; I would like to make available 5 different projects that we all could submit a bid on. Each project would have a picture of the finished project with all the dimensions and specs for that particular projects. Detailed drawings will be supplied where needed. I thought I would have a box of some sort, a cutting board of some sort, possiblly an entertainment center, and a couple other cabinets. I will try to keep projects basic enough that everyone will be able to bid on. If you are interested, then you will be able to PM me and I will send you a package with all 5 projects, pictures, specs and so forth. I will also include a short story telling you how this sale came about, which might influence on how you might price it. You can bid on any one that you feel comfortable with. ( or all 5 ).
After the cut off date, I will complile all the results and list them on a future forum. I will be asking for build time/ hourly rate, finish time/ hourly rate and material cost. = total price for building that project. (or your formula for determining your price).
I won’t use anyone’s name, but thought I could just asign a number to your bid and you will be the only one that will know your number ( except me)............Trust me, your secret is safe with me.
I would also like to list maybe the state and if you are a hobbiest, part time woodworker or a full time woodworker.
All these projects have already been built and sold and on the final results I will share with everyone what each was sold for.
Anyone up for the challenge?
I’m glad to see the response so far. I’m selecting the projects now and working on a quote sheet for each one. I’ll send them out by this weekend. I would like to send out a packet to everyone that has responded so far if that’s OK. You don’t have to fill it out if you don’t want too, but thought it would help you follow along when we do the bids. You will have a better understanding what and how they bid on each project. Just drop me a line if you don’t want a packet. I don’t want to offend anyone or push anything on someone, but I don’t want to leave you out either. No gimmicks, no strings attached and no hidden agenda. I will not be using anyones name in the survey. I will assign a number to each one and not use names. I would like to state from which state the bid came from and if you are a hobbyist, part time or full time woodworker.
Spud72, either way, but would probably be easier for everyone to follow if it was all one currency.
Interesting. I’d like to take a crack at this also…although I think I will probably use a lot of the advice from this site to do an actual quotes as I am the quintessential hobbiest and have no idea what my work should be charged out at… I mean who’d pay for the stuff my wife has to put up with LOL!
-- "Checking for square? what madness is this! The cabinet is square because I will it to be so!" Jeremy Greiner LJ Topic#20953 2011 Feb 2
I am in – I would also be very interested to see the states (or country) the bidders are in also to be able to see the results in a regional format as well… Thanks Huff for the great idea…
I’d be interested. Not sure if you’d be looking for international bids though?! I wouldn’t include shipping! It would be very interesting for me to see how prices compare between US and UK. Would the packs be emailed, (?) because the shipping price for drawings etc would obviously be prohibitive otherwise.
-- measure twice, cut once...... most of the time! www.custombuiltjoinery.co.uk
I’d participate. I’ve read the Cabinetmaker surveys for several years and am astonished by how low the low bids are and by how high the high bids are. Guess I’m a ‘tweener.
-- I'm the Woodsman . . . the four-wheelin', tree-farmin', custom-furniture-makin' descendant of Olaf "The Woodcutter" Ingjaldsson.
Woodworking Skill Share Your woodworking skills are displayed for several lifetimes in each project. Have you had to compromise your project...
8793
Woodturning On the lathe, by the lathe: do you have questions? frustrations? tips? This forum is for all the woodturners out there.
222
Woodcarving Relief, 3D, chip-carving, whittling; carving knives, chisels, pocket-knives, power tools. If you are a carver or want...
28
Scrollsawing Intarsia, fretwork, intricate design cutting and more! This forum is for scrollsawers: share your tips, ask questions...
61
Joinery Have a question? a tip/strategy to share? a challenge, perhaps? Share your "joinery" discussion here.
80
Finishing The finish, whether paint, wax, stain, or something else, can make or break a project. What are your tips and questio...
1533
Designing Woodworking Projects Looking for information on designing your projects? Having difficulties reading project plans? Looking for help with ...
3550
Power Tools, Hardware and Accessories Are you unsure of which tools, or hardware, you need, or which brands to buy? Investing in tools and hardware can be ...
15785
Hand Tools Wood, your hand tools, you and a little know-how. Share your questions, tips and strategies for the use and maintenan...
2036
Jigs & Fixtures Using a jig is like having a couple extra hands helping out. Show us your jigs, share your tips, strategies and, of c...
495
Wood & Lumber Different wood requires different woodworking strategies - from cutting to finishing. Share your tips and challenges ...
2841
Safety in the Woodworking Shop Before you pick up those woodworking tools, take the time to ensure your safety in the shop! Eyes, ears, fingers, and...
809
Focus on the Workspace Are you looking for or do you have tips to share regarding the workshop? Storage, equipment placement, efficiency, an...
902
Sweating for Bucks Through Woodworking If you are selling your work, then you have entered a woodworking dimension with added complexity and stress. If you...
766
Woodworking Trade & Swap All of us are holding onto treasure in our shops, that we either don't need, don't want, or could part with if presen...
2740
LumberJocks.com Site Feedback Connect with the Website Gurus and tell us what you are thinking, suggestions, problems, functionality issues, and so...
1547
Coffee Lounge Need a break from all the standing and wood dust? Chat with your Forum Friends about their projects, their life, thei...
6159
DISCLAIMER: Any posts on LJ are posted by individuals acting in their own right and do not necessarily reflect the views of LJ. LJ will not be held liable for the actions of any user.
