I Need Your Help

[Mojo]

I have many references for pricing when looking at competitor costs for Carefree SOK II slide toppers. These are the traditional slide toppers. But I do not have any price references for Omega slide topper/awnings since Carefree no longer supports this type topper with fabric replacements.

So I was wondering if I could get a few of you people who do canvas/marine work to give me your price so I can see where I am at in regards to what I charge.

What would you charge for an Omega topper that is 180 inches long and the depth is 63 inches
( which includes a valance that is binded ). You would need to use Sattler fabric, sew this topper with Tenara or Solarfix thread, run two stitch runs around its perimeter, and sew a 1/8 inch polyrod in a pocket at 59 inches from the top of the fabric.

I know this is asking alot but it would really help me as I am struggling with pricing this topper. I think I am charging to much and my wife thinks I am not charging enough.

Remember that since this fabric width is 63 inches it will require double the amount of fabric using 48 inch wide rolls.

Thanks guys and gals. I really appreciate it.

Chris 

[JuneC]

Chris, I'd be happy to help, but I had to Google "slide topper".  I have no idea how they're constructed.  You have to put a welt pocket only on one edge?  Also, do you run the seams length-wise, or across?  Is the bound valance straight or scalloped?  How's it attached to the topper? How do you handle the edges?  Do you fold and sew twice, or cut a separate facing and sew that on?  Do you turn under the raw edge on the sides? or cut with a hot knife and use just a single fold?  Since these roll up, I'm guessing you'd just cut with the hot knife and fold once.  Double folds start to get thick when you roll them. 

June

[Mike]

I had fhe same wuestions as june id hVe thought gou would
Need s welt at the top to sttach it and one at the rollor  then a vallance fhat fit ti the roller sith a welt vow do gou get the 63" when most fabrics are 60" is satlrr 63". Im thinking 500
Or. 600. One thingi can tell gou is i made thst phofertex sunshade that hung fron a welt cron a awninf 21' length and 7' tall or hung dosn 7'. Run with one seam hotizontLy to make the 7' for $1200

[Mojo]

You have to use another piece of fabric and seam it to get to the 63 inches which is why I said it requires double the fabric.

I sew a 1.5 inch welt pocket at the top that is double stitched. The sides are single folded and double stitched. At 59 inches the small polyrod is stitched into the welt pocket. I use 1 inch acrylic binding along the edge of the valance and I do not scalp the edge.

Hope this helps a little. I wasn't very clear in my first post. Sorry about that. :)

Chris

[Mike]

So 10 yards. I still say $600 of course im always thinking an installed  price just what i deal with  maybe 500 plus shipping otherwise

[Mike]

So no others ideas. 
What do you have in mind chris?

[Mojo]

Wow....I am under pricing these toppers. I am quoting and been charging $ 350 for the large ones. I have about an 1.5 - 2 hours in them and I hate doing them because I do not make the money off them that I do for the standard Carefree SOK II toppers. A standard topper takes me 30 mins to 1 hour depending on size.

Carefree no longer supports the Omega type toppers for RV'ers so they have no choice but to come to people like you or me. I just feel like I am taking advantage of them if I charge more. Carefree no longer makes parts for the mechanisms either so when one breaks or gets damaged in a storm they are SOL. I have seen a few fabric replacements done by canvas shops and the fit was horrible. They seem so straight forward but for some reason they can be a real PITA to get a perfect fit once installed. Actually I did a replacement for a customer who had the previous topper done at a canvas shop. The fit was horrible ( sloppy and floppy ). The measurements have to be exact on the polycording and I do a " pinch " method on the ends to tighten the ends of the fabric. This keeps them from flopping over and downward.

I appreciate your help Mike. Thank you. I will wait for June to come along and give me her quote to see where she is at.

Chris

[JuneC]

I'd be right there with Mike - $500 to $600.  Even on a "simple" rectangle with a few seams, precision measuring, cutting and sewing is required.  It's like doing enclosure panels where both top and bottom fastening is welt track.  There's no room for fudging a fit by pulling down the bottom edge and using snaps. 

June

[Mike]

On that screen curtian i was mentioning above. You helped me in the guy had a 40' formula i made a cocpit cover for sbout the same price didnt bother me st sll giving him the lrice but when he asked me cor the cost to make a screen   I felt uneasy. Maybe cause it was out my my norm. I didnt look at his house big buck bost snd half a million  rv and say hes fot the money. (didnt hurt).
But for the 22' by seven scree two passes lenghtwise seam and a 22'x3' cut iff tha i used for a boat window screen later. I had a hesitstion saying 1200. It was too easy. I did have to make a flap for the track with turnbutton every 16" to hang the screen so. One yard of faric to make the flap 21' of kedar welt and 15 yarxs of mesh.   Only you know  what you can chage   I based my figures on what id get in marine here.

[Mojo]

The typical SOK II toppers are nothing more then what you said June, a flat piece of fabric with all 4 sides folded and sewn. It would seem so easy to throw them together but the measurements have to be precise in order to provide a perfect fit and give good run off of rain water. ( This is why I refuse to use Sunbrella. It stretches and will pool huge amounts of water in the center ). I square my fabric, pinch the ends and centers and then double stitch the entire perimeter. I do not use Keder welt but rather sew polyrod pockets into the top and bottom on the SOK II's.

On the Omegas I sew the small polyrod right into the fabric.

I have done so many toppers that when a customer gives me a measurement I know exactly what size they are talking about. ( They are always off on their measurements. :) Carefree is famous for shorting the slides with fabric right from the factory ( to save money ) and I have seen some very poor topper/slide coverage. If you make toppers according to the old fabrics measurements you run the risk of having a topper that is short on the ends which will cause the ends to fold over and the water then runs off and onto the top of the slide. It then tracks back and will enter the coach. I stuff as much fabric as possible on each topper without running the risk of the fabric getting caught in the end caps. It can be a real trick sometimes to get the measurements off the roller tube assembly perfect. Especially when the customer is giving you the measurements. Thankfully out of the 150-200 toppers I have made I have never gotten one back. I am batting a 1,000 so far. :)

My customers love the double large polyrod pockets because after 4 or 5 years they can remove the topper, pull out the polyrod, turn the fabric around and insert the polyrod and go another 4 or 5 years. This is a huge selling point. If I used the marine welting I would lose a lot of business. I market my toppers to the RV market using the double polyrod pockets feature and it helps sell my toppers using this feature. Carefree sews the smaller polyrod into all of their toppers making them unable to be turned around. It pisses the RV'ers off because it forces them into buying new toppers. Works out great for me though. :)

I sew a masons line into each pocket so the customer can tape the polyrod onto the string and pull it through. I started doing this and the techs at the dealers I work with went nuts. They love the idea as it makes it much easier and quicker to pull the polyrod on long runs. :)

My biggest challenge with making slide toppers believe it or not was finding a cheap supplier for polyrod. I finally found one right in your backyard June ( Boca ). They cut my costs by a HUGE margin but I have to buy the small rod in 2,000 ft rolls and the large rod in 1,000 ft rolls. I was buying it from other suppliers at 4 times the price at cut length.

Because many of my customers are DIY'ers I also supply then with installation instructions. You would be surprised at the number of customers I have had that called me and were stuck and didn't know which way to go next during the installation or removal process. By offering them instructions with each order this has cut way down on phone calls. I have diagrams and pictures with the instructions so it is very easy for them to understand. Of course this required me to study and learn the proper removal / install procedures for each type topper ( carefree SOK I - II, Eclispse, Summit, A & E's, Omegas, etc. ). There has been a lot of education I had to undergo for these stupid toppers.

Just learning all the different colors and how they transfered to Sattler was a chore. A customer says Tan over the phone but it is actually a brown tweed......lol..... Thankfully I know all the different colors from the different years and models and all of them transfer nicely over to Sattler.

Come to think of it this business has been a royal PITA. I should just sell out and just spend my days fishing out on the gulf...........lol. Why am I doing this anyways....:) Thanks again to you both for helping me out with pricing. I just quoted a two omega slide job and increased my prices. :)

Chris

[Mike]

Cool hope you get it  chris.
You need to happy with what your doing.
On that have you used thebwelcraft yet ?

[needles eye]

Hey mate thanking you for sharing all your blood sweat and tears and knowledge. Hey man is it cool by you if i move into your local neighbourhood soon?

I'll just undercut you a little bit, no worries. If we are still talking next week and if one has the time would love to get out on the water sometime soon, TA.

[Mojo]

Mike:

I went to install all the new interior in the boat and found that the floor is rotted. I have had no time to rip it out and replace it. No idea when I will get the time to do that miserable job.

I bumped my prices up and I did get that job. In the shop working on it this morning. I needed that order as this week was slow. MiamiMike and I were talking about business this morning and we both feel there are several factors hurting business. Alot of businesses are seeing a slow down so if your busy consider yourself lucky.

One factor I never considered till MiamiMike suggested it today is fuel prices. My customers  all get hammered when fuel prices go up. When your dropping $ 400 to fill a big coach up it hurts. But then again alot of my customers are retired and have decent incomes. Still they can get cautious with their money and pull back on their spending.

Chris

[Mojo]

Hey mate thanking you for sharing all your blood sweat and tears and knowledge. Hey man is it cool by you if i move into your local neighbourhood soon?

I believe Mate that our area has a limit on how many Aussies can live here. Since my beloved bride is an Aussie, she took up the quota so your SOL. They are not allowing anymore people from OZ to move in.......:).......... :P........... 8)

Chris

[Mike]

Actualy im prety much caught yp i finnished biger nob thst was saiting and not i e vot a couuplle full covers to do and a top replacment.  Its normaly slow in sept. 
Then the phone will ring.