It's all coming back to me now

[sofadoc]

I delivered some chairs today. When I arrived at the customer's house, her decorator was there. Turns out the decorator and me used to do business together many years ago.
As we talked, neither of us could remember why we parted ways. She asked if I would be interested in doing her work again. I said "Sure".
As she began talking about some new jobs, it slowly dawned on me why we went our seperate ways.
The furniture jobs always went off without a hitch. No problems. No complaints.
The kicker was that she always wanted a dozen or so pillows with the job. All sizes. Different fabrics, different trims. She always expected at least 6 of them to come free with the job, and the rest for "next to nothing".
She would scour the bargain bins at the local fabric stores, and buy the least, least least, least possible amount of fabric (usually NOT enough).
Gradually, the furniture work grew less, and less significant, and the "low budget" throw pillow work became overwhelming. I began to suspect that she was getting someone else to do the furniture, and sending me their "culls".
I think it was kodydog who said he likes to do pillows as an extra source of revenue.
I do too.
Do you guys get a good price for throw pillows? I like doing them, as long as they're profitable.
I passed on hooking back up with that decorator.

[bobbin]

I charge by the hour.  I have a pretty good formula for getting them done, but I'm not an assembly line worker and refuse to work as though I am.  Time and materials... too little fabric that requires piecing takes more time... I'll do the work, but I'm going to get paid for it.

[gene]

I had a great talk today with a lady, yes, I said a lady, Mr. Mojo, who is working now as an interior designer for a store but is an accomplished upholsterer and window treatment maker.

We were talking about the 'custom work' nature of our business and she emphasized that everything has a price. If you want a tufted button that has a price. If you want to add a bow, that has a price. If you want a pillow, that has a price. There is nothing that she would do that she would not charge something for. I really appreciated her sharing this.

Pillows: I started doing pillows because designers would have me reupholster a piece of furniture, then they would come to my shop and pick up the left over fabric to take to their window treatment shop to have them make one or two pillows. I saw that I could say 'thank you' by making the pillows for them myself. I charge a decent price for my pillows. I do not give them away at all. I have gotten very fast without any less quality, so I am comfortable with my pillow prices. I also have gotten very good at bolster pillows, but only because I do a lot of them also.

Self welt knife edge pillows have one price. Contrast welt cord is the same. Decorative or fringe welt I add to that. Odd shaped or round I add to that again.

Bolster pillows are another price.

Boxed cushions are yet another price. I don't see any difference between making a boxed cushion cover and a self welt knife pillow cover in terms of getting paid for my work.

I do all hidden zippers unless asked to hand sew them shut. I do not want to do velcro, ever, but I will if you promise not to tell anyone that I made them.

gene

[kodydog]

I began to suspect that she was getting someone else to do the furniture, and sending me their "culls".

We do work for a designer who does the same deal. Gives us the jobs her other upholster wont do. We just charge her a little more and she never complains.

Many moons ago I delivered a sofa to an elder wealthy customer, huge house in a resort, on the bay, across from the yacht club. After i set it up and handed her the bill she asked were the toss pillows and arm covers were. I said we hadn't discussed that. She said those are supposed to be included in the price. Knowing she had more work I went ahead and did them. That was the only time I've come across this situation.

[baileyuph]

Self welt knife edge pillows have one price

Self welt knife edge?  Ever do those on triangular cushions?

Are you doing your self welt with a folder or manually folding the face plate to form a cord?

Doyle

[sofadoc]

Self welt knife edge pillows have one price

Self welt knife edge?  Ever do those on triangular cushions?
Are you doing your self welt with a folder or manually folding the face plate to form a cord?

I think Gene is just talking about using the same fabric instead of a different trim. I don't think he's referring to actual self-welt. Right Gene?

[scottymc]

I began to suspect that she was getting someone else to do the furniture, and sending me their "culls".

We do work for a designer who dose the same deal. Gives us the jobs her other upholster wont do. We just charge her a little more and she never complains.

Many moons ago I delivered a sofa to an elder wealthy customer, huge house in a resort, on the bay, across from the yacht club. After i set it up and handed her the bill she asked were the toss pillows and arm covers were. I said we hadn't discussed that. She said those are supposed to be included in the price. Knowing she had more work I went ahead and did them. That was the only time I've come across this situation.

So out of curiosity, did you get anymore work from her?

[gene]

Doyle and Sofadoc,

Yes, Self welt cord = making the welt cord using the same fabric as the pillow cover. The self welt cord is sewn onto the pillow fabric.

I will sometimes manually fold the face plate (I call it a panel), when I am making a boxed cushion and I want the front to match up perfectly, such as with pin stripes. I have never done this with a knife edge pillow cover.

I do not have a folder, but I know that factories that do volume use them.

Sofadoc: Go to Walmart, buy a grill, a fishing rod, a hat, a pair of shorts, then tell the teller that because you are paying for these other things you are going to take 6 pairs of socks for free. Do you think that teller will remember you a few years from now? LOL

The best definition of chutzpah that I have ever heard: A man kills his parents, and then at his trial he asks the judge for leniency because he is an orphan.

gene

[Darren Henry]

♫ It's been said many times , many ways---♫  Stick to your guns! Why would I work for a loss so that you will bring more work to loose money on? I can't believe that people are even that stupid as to try to use that argument to panhandle.

I passed on hooking back up with that decorator.

The above said; don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Where she has forgotten that this had been an issue in the past ;you're starting with a fresh set of downs. Take on her work ,but be very clear and upfront that everything has a price and that you aren't going to give her any freebies to buy her loyalty.

[sofadoc]

Where she has forgotten that this had been an issue in the past ;you're starting with a fresh set of downs.

She may have forgotten, but I don't think the leopard has changed her spots. She was already talking about umpteen different throw pillows. I'm guessing that she's wore out her welcome with the other nearby shops.

[kodydog]

So out of curiosity, did you get anymore work from her?

Yes and you can bet, by God, I charged her for the freebees. Got some work from her daughter too.

[bobbin]

I am struck by the number of us who have been in the uncomfortable position of having a designer with whom we'd like to establish a business relationship attempt to wheedle "free" work for us as a "guarantee" that more of the paying work with be forthcoming!

It leads me to this question:  do you think that's done intentionally, or do you think they simply don't really understand that for a tradesman "time is money" and that the time required to crank out a toss pillow is not inconsequential when viewed in the greater context of our work day?  Ditto the price of the notions (welting/thread/zipper chain and pull).

[kodydog]

I am struck by the number of us who have been in the uncomfortable position of having a designer with whom we'd like to establish a business relationship attempt to wheedle "free" work for us as a "guarantee" that more of the paying work with be forthcoming!

It leads me to this question:  do you think that's done intentionally, or do you think they simply don't really understand that for a tradesman "time is money" and that the time required to crank out a toss pillow is not inconsequential when viewed in the greater context of our work day?  Ditto the price of the notions (welting/thread/zipper chain and pull).

I like working for designers. They handle a lot of the headaches I would otherwise have to. Their clients are usually upscale and personable.

The one thing that rubs me the wrong way more than anything is sometimes you get inside a piece and find more work than you anticipated. No mater how much you inspect it before you pick it up sometimes you find frame work, springs, padding etc., that needs extra attention.

Some designers want it done right no matter the cost. But others will tell me their estimate has already been submitted and it can not be changed. That puts me in a hard spot. Should I not do the repair and cover over it , or (what I usually do) should I fix it and eat it. Maybe make it up in future jobs.

What do you say?

[baileyuph]

Most likely any of the above Bobbin.

The short comment is; whatever the cost of the decorator/designer and upholsterer, plus any other that may be involved, ultimately falls on the consumer.  Consumers want things but they are still sensitive to price, decorators percieve this and to consumate a sale, will put a bit of spice on the agreement, pillows, etc. at the expense of the subs involved in the transaction.

The upholsterer or any of the subs are entitled to be paid for their work but ultimately all cost becomes consumer cost.  There are limits to anything, decorators know this therefore, the squeeze is passed down.


Selling like this, by a decorator, and someone else doing the work, is less efficient than a consumer visiting a retail outlet for a new item and picking something out.  

My comments are assuming the decorator goes to the home with samples and spends considerable time making a transaction, if successful.  Time is money and we all know the rest.  

If this isn't the routine sales procedure, then I am partly off base.  In my business, in the long past, we spent considerable time showing samples in a home and didn't get all takers.  That practice was something we could not sustain.  Customers of new furniture have to go to a store to buy, so why can't reupholstery customers do the same?  Time is money.

There are exceptions to everything, a designer/decorator is essential in some markets, those that have deeper pockets as their following.  There are a lot fewer of these type of decorators than those with a lot less affluent market.  The decorator with the affluent following should be the target for those upholsterers doing this type of support.  That one will be easy to reach agreement on, I am sure.

My thoughts, it will be interesting to read other comments.

Doyle

[Darren Henry]

do you think that's done intentionally, or do you think they simply don't really understand that for a tradesman "time is money" and that the time required to crank out a toss pillow is not inconsequential

My personal experience has been ignorance. They just don't have a hot clue what is involved in our trade. In their world a toss cushion only takes 5 minutes and wouldn't tassels look pretty on that?

The last place I worked ; the "designer" was the upholsterer's wife, and we installed window dressings. He had been 20 years trying to explain things to her, I spent 5 asking obvious questions to get her to think and their daughter spent 2 or 3 summers yelling at her but little things like "it's on a concrete wall 17 feet above the swimming pool" didn't matter. A mauve swag over that rake head window would be just ducky and we'd show up with a 5 foot ladder,15 minutes to do the job and no life jackets.