Pricing Q?

**Lignum** · 10th February 2006, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by 9Fingers

I have to stand with Diff on this one. I don't feel any sympothy for you because you went out and paid your "dues" or did some "hard yards." I'm not a pro. woodworker but I've spent many hours in my shop tuning my tools, sharpening blades, and praticing all maner of techniques on scrap wood for practice. I come home everyday from my day job with teeth marks in my a$$ from all the idiots I work for. We all pay our "dues" in someway or another. I think the main difference between a pro and the serious hobbiest is the size and collection of tools to do the job. If you can negoitiate a higher price for your work, more power to you.

Im not sure where the sympathy part of this is coming from because im not looking for it one bit, not wanting it, dont need it. I didnt do an apprentiship, i started life as a darksider just like the majority here and still consider myself 40/60 with machines on that one. I made a decision years ago to leave my other other career and persue wood for a living. Not having a go at you 9fingers but one or two here interpret in a simplistic way from a sentence or two out of heaps of paragraphs i write , and love to have a go, its always the same ones, and no doubt will pick this response apart. The last sentence of what was quoted that wasnt shown finished with "Quality shouldnt come cheap, but just remember those who charge high prices have earned the right. That said, Darksiders should never under sell their talent"

The crux of it is, a customer will expect to pay less from a very talented amateur than from a very ordinary pro. I started selling for a living 15 years ago as a home based darksider, and have gone through all those stages, initially being so frustrated that no one would pay half decent money for very good hand work, and it used to really, really me off big time, i would get so frustrated. I just didnt understand why it was like that. Its exactly the same as Steve would be going through now. Thats why i feel as i know what he is going through. This is what i mean about the hard yards, its about time and building reputation points, nothing else. With Darksiders, you just cannot expect customers to fork out the same money they will give to the established makers. Steves situation is a perfect case in point. He is having trouble convincing someone to pay peanuts for what will be a fantastic piece of furniture. If someone came to my workshop wanting the same piece they would be told a minimum, if they didnt like it tuff, the door is in front of them. But it would be a 85% probability that i would convince them to have the unit made from quality Native Timber, it will cost more, but be an investment, then they would end up with something that will stay in the family for generations, instead of a pine unit that in time will end up in the trading post being sold for a few lousy dollars, or end up in the shed to store tools.

As i wrote earlier. this thread should be looking at what is good and fair pricing for high quality home based darkside work, not what established makers can charge. If a darksider here can get over 45 an hour good, but that would be highly unlikely, if he/she can get 30 good on them, but again i doubt it. Its a fine line, but the bottom line is you cannot over price your qualifications, but at the same time you must not under sell your talents

**Wood Borer** · 10th February 2006, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by Different

I suspect we would see ey to eye on a few other matters given the chance!

Seems strange this thread as it is about the only one I have contributed to recently that didnt end in either a fight or a flaming!

Not given the chance Ross, but when we catch up - I agree we probably have got a few things in common.

**doug the slug** · 10th February 2006, 12:10 PM

Hi Steve,

I have a concrete garden edging business and i often have customers ask me if i can do the job for less than i quoted. My standard reply is "Yes i can do it for that, what parts would you like me to leave out?

It is similar when they show me a competitors cheaper quote for the same job. I ask them "Ok, so what is he leaving out, is he putting enough cement in the mix? I think not for that price. You want a quality job that will last, dont you?

Modify that to your situation, offer biscuit joints etc instead of dovetails or something, but let them know that if you do that they are sacrificing quality to save a few dollars.

My 2c worth, hope it is of some use. but do not under any circumstances lower your original quote without reducing the work or materials or it will be taken that you overquoted in the first place.

**Clinton1** · 10th February 2006, 01:09 PM

I come home everyday from my day job with teeth marks in my a$$

:eek:

What do you do for a quid, mate? Sounds like a drama.

Gotta say that Lignum made sense the first time.

No one pays Certified Holden Dealer mechanic rates to backyard mechanics, even if the backyard mechanic is a Holden mechanic on weekdays.

**Lignum** · 10th February 2006, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by Clinton1

No one pays Certified Holden Dealer mechanic rates to backyard mechanics, even if the backyard mechanic is a Holden mechanic on weekdays.

Clinton, you have summed up perfectly in one sentence what i have been trying to get out of my head and into here in about 5 goes

**TEEJAY** · 10th February 2006, 01:37 PM

Our company charge out rate to salary is 2:1 generally and the difference is to run the business and make a modest profit.

Outa here again.

Cheers

**Eastie** · 10th February 2006, 01:53 PM

I've done a couple of jobs for friends/family in the past for the cost of materials, but not anymore. I do woodwork for fun and these days I simply don't do it often enough, that will change in time. When I have the time to stuff around, I control the work rate - and at present whether I make something for around the house or to give away or just spend 3 hours clearing a spot on my workbench or honing a chisel while sinking a couple of cans, that's my choice. From my experience when you accept the money you lose some of that.

**redwood** · 10th February 2006, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by Eastie

honing a chisel while sinking a couple of cans, that's my choice. From my experience when you accept the money you lose some of that.

Not if you look in the fridge in my workshop. i even offer my customers beer

**Rusty** · 10th February 2006, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Eastie

honing a chisel while sinking a couple of cans, that's my choice. From my experience when you accept the money you lose some of that.

From my experience when you keep some of that you lose some of the money...but I'll find the right balance or die trying!

Rusty.
(Never any beer left for the customers at my workshop. Shame on me

).

**Shedhand** · 10th February 2006, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by Lignum

Clinton, you have summed up perfectly in one sentence what i have been trying to get out of my head and into here in about 5 goes

Its called Prolix mate. Big Kim B suffers from it. 100 words when one will do..

**Auld Bassoon** · 11th February 2006, 07:41 PM

Was that the big fellah, who's little mate was known as "Asterix" (The Gaul)

Ahh, no, that was "Obelix"; "Prolix" must be his brother

It's been interesting to see how much attention a simple question has generated: sixty some replies and over 1,100 views...

Anyway, I put "The Question" to the would-be customer - simple joinery and clear pine = $649, or decent joinery and, for example, blackwood (of which I happen to have some in the rack

) and $1,100.

She'll have the answer next week....

**Clinton1** · 11th February 2006, 09:16 PM

sixty some replies and over 1,00 views

**Sturdee** · 11th February 2006, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by Auld Bassoon

It's been interesting to see how much attention a simple question has generated: sixty some replies and over 1,000 views...

....

Steve,

Always wondered about the number of views and how that is calculated. I presume it is a simple count of the number of times it has been read.

So no doubt you would have read it about 30 times to keep up with the posts. The early posters would be the same and the later posters say about 10 times. Thus the average number of views per poster is probably about 20. Multiply 60 times 20 and there are your number of views.

So according to my calculations only the posters read this thread.

Peter.

**RETIRED** · 11th February 2006, 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by Sturdee

Steve,

Always wondered about the number of views and how that is calculated. I presume it is a simple count of the number of times it has been read.

So no doubt you would have read it about 30 times to keep up with the posts. The early posters would be the same and the later posters say about 10 times. Thus the average number of views per poster is probably about 20. Multiply 60 times 20 and there are your number of views.

So according to my calculations only the posters read this thread.

Peter.

And I read it every time a new post appears.

Wise decision BTW Steve.

**boban** · 11th February 2006, 10:52 PM

I would have thought that all people have different concepts of value according to their exposure.

I'll admit that when I buy something, it is rare that I do not ask for a discount. I thought it was called bargaining. You can only work for the amount you chose to work for. If a person says 50 and you say 60, then you only get 50 if that is acceptable to you.

My fees are negotiated regularly but only where the matter warrants it. I take no offence to that approach.

Now if you get to engage in what is your hobby and you can score a tool out of it in what is essentially your spare time, then I see no problem with that.

Many on these forums earn a hell of lot more doing their "real" jobs than they can from woodwork, so pure economics cannot be the driving factor in these decisions.

I dont agree with the dispersions cast on the guy seeking the discount. The end result is entirely dependant on our forum friend.

Thread: Pricing Q?

Thread Tools

Search Thread

my approach to discounters

Similar Threads

Festool accessory pricing

Oregon pricing??

Is Hills Industries Pricing itself too high

Festool pricing

pricing finished pieces

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions