Shop Labor

[sofadoc]

...... but balk at prices for reupholstery. It seems to me that many people have a perception of upholstery work as undeserving of much expense.

One thing that I DO like about this new age of e-mail estimates, is that I don't have to hear:

"That much?..... I can buy a new couch cheaper than that!!"

[byhammerandhand]

Good discussion.


Wow, all this talk about statistical hours and sigmas.     Means and standard deviations :-)


"Well, yes, you could buy a new couch for that.   This year, and again every 4-5 years."

[Rich]

Doyle, yes dental chairs mainly. The walk-ins bring me the fun stuff though. But I have to be careful with fun stuff b/c I have to keep my time in mind since it's all any of us have in a business like this.

"Well, yes, you could buy a new couch for that.   This year, and again every 4-5 years."

Good one! I wonder how much longer people will continue to buy furniture never intended to actually be sat on. I call them "stage props".
Rich

[kodydog]

Good point Rich and it makes me wonder if people buy the cheep stuff knowing they will be able to redecorate every 4 or 5 years.

[sofadoc]

Good point Rich and it makes me wonder if people buy the cheep stuff knowing they will be able to redecorate every 4 or 5 years.

I think that if you gave today's average consumer the following options:

A) Pay $2500 for a sofa that will last over 20 years (and be worth recovering)

B) Pay $900 for a sofa that will last 4-5 years (and may or may not be worth recovering)

C) Pay under $500 for a sofa that may only last a year or 2 (Recover? Are you kidding?)

Most would prefer option B. But they would end up with option C. Especially when the store offers no payments for 3 years. And they throw in a big screen TV.

[Mike]

I had a guy call who I made a bimini for a COUPLE YEARS AGO he wanted a mooring cover on a center console 20 yards   I told him his cost  wow I thought it be 4 or 500 lol

[Mojo]

I just had a potential customer call me the other day and ask for a quote. I have it to him and he said " Really.....I thought it would be much more then that ". I told him I would be more then happy to charge him more. He laughed and said, nope, that is OK. :)

15 years ago my wife bought this couch she fell in love with. High end leather and it takes 5 men and 2 boys to lift and move. It weighs a ton. I about died when I seen the price tag - $ 2,500. But relented and got it for her. It is still in excellent shape after continual daily use by her and 3 German Shepherds.
But then she vacuums it often, wipes it down and treats the leather a few times a year. The foam is still in great shape as are the inner springs and the arms show no use or break down.

No idea who made it but there is a tag sewn into it that says Milano. Is that a furniture company ?

Chris

[kodydog]

Sounds like Italian leather. Here is something neat I found.

http://www.a5oc.com/forums/a5-general-q/1850-difference-leather-options.html

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Good point Rich and it makes me wonder if people buy the cheep stuff knowing they will be able to redecorate every 4 or 5 years.

I think that if you gave today's average consumer the following options:

A) Pay $2500 for a sofa that will last over 20 years (and be worth recovering)

B) Pay $900 for a sofa that will last 4-5 years (and may or may not be worth recovering)

C) Pay under $500 for a sofa that may only last a year or 2 (Recover? Are you kidding?)

Most would prefer option B. But they would end up with option C. Especially when the store offers no payments for 3 years. And they throw in a big screen TV.

LOL

I actually did a recover on a couch and loveseat this summer for a very nice lady.  I suspect she got the both for 500 or 600 tops but the frames were sound.  The coverings on both sets of cushions just pretty much disintegrated and the cushion material was shoddy to say the least.  I think she would have been better off to by a new set but she wanted 2-3 more years use out of them.  I was pleased with her logic as it was a great project for me in early summer.  I had no pattern as I built the cushions up and I also didn't like how the cushion covers were initially constructed.  I think what I produced for her will be able to withstand 9 little butts sliding off and on them all day.  I'm hopeful that they will last more than the 2-3 years she wants.  I think some of her older children will be leaving for college by then as she did ask me about prom dress prices, etc.

Virg

[Rich]

Interesting comparison; I have two sets of dining room chairs in my shop right now. One is a brand I don't recognize, frames LOOK nice, not bad construction, but there's no comparison to the other set which is Henkel-Harris. First, the HH is much heavier and turning the chair upside down you can see that the seat frame is about 1-1/2" thick and about 4" wide. The seat platform is made of 4 pieces of solid oak edge glued together with an elastic fabric center. The other brand's seat platform is made of a thinner, compressed sawdust, same elastic fabric center, but over the past 20 years since it was made, it has warped. Lastly, the finish on the HH is really beautiful. I'm sure there was a substantial price difference on these sets as it's very easy to see the better quality in the HH. Reupholstery is about the same labor wise since they have the same platform with alayer of foam.
Rich