Am I just slow?

[JDUpholstery]

Ok, so one of my repeat customers, the folks who refurbish old travel trailers, came back to my shop today with another scissor couch and some dinette cushions...the scissor couch remained the same price as the last one, but I had to give them an estimate on the dinette cushions.

I looked them over, 4 cushions, 46" wide, bottom 24" deep and back 18" tall....I gave an estimate of 160 in labor plus material so roughly 200...they told me they had a gal in louisianna that did them for 80 plus materials....

Being new still, and just learning as I go I questioned my price, and let them talk me down to 100 bucks in labor plus materials ...



Thats 1 set finished, it took me 3 hours to do, and still have the other set, so looking at learning curve the next should take another 2 hours...plus I had to drive 120 miles and 3 hours of time to go get the material because they wanted it to match the scissor couch I had done for them earlier.

So my question is, how long would one of you pros take to do something like this and could you charge less than a 100 labor and make a profit still?

[sofadoc]

As you do more and more of them, you'll cut that time down drastically. I can do 4 of those cushions in around 2 hours.

But irregardless of time, $25 per cushion isn't enough considering that you aren't making any money off the fabric. I assume that you aren't, since you were estimating $40 for material.
And driving 120 miles to get it? I leave the driving up to the customer in situations like that.
If they're too lazy to go get it.....so am I. Apparently they're not too lazy to drive into Louisianna to save 80 bucks.

I've got a few of those "folks who refurbish old travel trailers". The only way they can make a decent profit, is by getting folks like me and you to work for peanuts.

[JDUpholstery]

Thanks Sofa...I am going to honor my deal with them this time, because they are repeat customers...but going to explain that I cannot work this cheap again and if they can get it done cheaper there I gotta pass on next one...I have a shop to pay for

[kodydog]

Your prices are good. Don't let customers beat you. Try not to second guess your self and never buy the line, "Joe Schmoe down the road will do it for half the price." You will hear that many times over the years. Cheep prices usually equals sloppy work. That 3 hour drive was a profit killer. Next time have them put the fabric in a box and ship it.

I remember what it was like starting and building my business. Had a "friend" ask me to do 6 dining chair cushions. when I gave her the price she said, I'll just do them myself. I should have let her but I went down on my price and kicked myself in the butt the whole time I did the job. Taught me a valuable lesson.

[Mojo]

The problem you have JD is your just starting out and your going to be slow. That is natural and we were all at one time where you currently are at. In time your going to get faster and you will be able to rip these things out in record time. I used to drop my hourly rate because I was so slow and didn't feel my customers should have to pay for my inexperience. Once I got faster and better I started charging a standard rate like everyone else.

Ed is correct. Never fall for that BS about someone who quoted a job cheaper. If they could have it done cheaper elsewhere then why are they not having them do the work ? I have been where you were once. New, slow, doubted myself, my work, my prices, etc. I used to undercut jobs till I got experience but now I will not sell myself or my work short. My prices are what they are.

I had a potential customer call me a few months ago and asked for a quote on a topper. I told them $ 250 and he said he just got a quote for $ 80. I told him he better run like hell to that other person and have them do the job before they realized their mistake. :)

This business takes time to get up to speed. Have some patience, believe in yourself and keep at it. :)

Chris

[JDUpholstery]

Thanks, I use my hourly rate solely as a guide for bidding a job...I can normally look at a job and figure how long it "should" take me and that's what I charge...I don't actually charge my hourly rate for the actual hours I work...I was mainly asking if I was just slow because I looked at those cushions and figured 3 hours so 135 in labor...even though I knew it would take me a day, I dropped it down to 2 hours 90 bucks in labor, so when it took 8 hours to do it was no longer feeling at all worth it...anyhow job is done, and got the scissor couch done too



so we will just have to eat this one and not let it happen again...

[cthomps]

I am in the same boat, or RV as it were.  I just did almost the exact project for a customer and didn't really know how long it would take me.  Fortunately, he didn't ask.   :D  I charged $150. for each dinette set x 4 and 147. for the scissor couch.  They provided the materials.  The first set took longer, but by the time I got to the 4th one, I was making some money.  I usually chalk up the first one as tuition!  Hope this helps.  I live in a town of 15K in Western Wisconsin.  I cant get the same money as some of the folks in the cities.  Carol