ATRN on Custom upholstery

[stitcher_guy]

Has anyone seen the new Auto Trim and Restyling News? It, too, covers the custom auto interior market. That coverage is a little more informative, at least in my opinion.

What made me smile was the shop profile of the custom shop in Missouri. The quote they passed along from Sid Chavers about what to charge. Minimum $10K for a custom interior. And why don't people get that? "Have you ever asked for $10,000?"  ;D ;D Also, I agree with the attitude that an interior is a full third of the work on a custom car, and it should be expected that it takes as long to do an interior as the body work or the mechanic work.

The 55 Chevy that I have in the shop right now was brought in a few weeks ago. The owner had taken two and half years to get it to me (he dropped the seat frames off, and then started on the body work). But when he brought it by, he was trying to get a timeframe on the interior, and figured it would be "a couple weeks." I just laughed and told him I'd try to have it by the end of September when there's a good-sized show in Springfield. That will benefit me to show off a new interior, so I'm pushing to get it finished.

I agree with Greg Basich's editorial about trying to do custom work. It's a major investment in the shop's resources and abilities. A custom can take up to months to complete. My shop is set up like he described. I still do the seat repairs, headliners, and basic upholstery to pay the bills. And the custom work is done to show off the shop and get my name known. Someday I may be on the level of only doing the custom work and being able to turn my nose up at the daily stuff. But I feel that's a disservice to the community as well as shooting myself in the foot. As long as I charge for the work I do, what do I care if I'm replacing the seat in a work van or doing the seat in a custom low rider? As long as the shop is hustling and people are happy with my work, they'll wait to have it done.

[baileyuph]

Hello Russell,

Yes the ATRN copy came yesterday and part of it has been read.  Their profile of the industry is consistent with their previous reporting.  Much of the health of auto trim is piggy backed on the prosperity of their dealer customers and right now it is slow.  So it could be a slow winter for the traditional auto trim shop, what few are still around.

Nat Danas in previous articles has encouraged shops to diversify because he saw this coming.  Looks like the ole fellow is right again.

We are very busy today due solely to diversification.  Never know what the mix will be from week to week.

Making money in just about any business today requires:

Efficiency- Do what you can do fast

Quality- Do what your efforts do best at

Volume- Do things that are repetitive and do a lot of it.  This category is interelated to Efficiency.  What I mean each is generated by the other.

Lastly,

Diversification - Do what people are willing to pay for.  Steer your services away from retail items, instead more to service.  Do anything people are willing to pay for that isn't head to head against those engaged in larger volume and are more efficient.  Example:  interior kits.  We can't make one of kind and compete with someone making hundreds. 

Custom work, MHO works better when your market is on very expensive items.  Problem is, everyone or most everyone don't have that market.  The general consumer doesn't have or isn't going to order a $10K custom interior.

What the above means is if I was to specialize in custom work only items worth over $100K would be targeted.  It is hard to get a good price for yur work when the finished item isn't worth what it will cost.  Put another way, if the finished item isn't worth what it is going to cost to redo it then don't expect to get a good price for your efforts. 

There would be more money in headliners! 

My .02.

Doyle

[206RB]

Sid is one of the smart ones who decided which market he wanted to target, and went after it.  And did a mighty fine job at it, too.
I'm proud to have had the pleasure of working for him, back in the 70's and mid 80's. Good friend, too.
Mike

[baileyuph]

Hey Mike is there a background report one could read on Sid?  It might make interesting reading ......better yet to have coffee with you to hear about his career.  Sounds like it would be an interesting guy to know.

Doyle

[206RB]

I'd like that, Doyle, but I don't get out your way ever. Plus, it would take a lot of coffee!
I'll let him do it. I Just sent him an email, inviting him to this forum.
Mike

[baileyuph]

Super idea Mike, sounds like several of this crowd are familiar with him.

Plus, it would take a lot of coffee!

LOL Mike, as some of our projects do.

Doyle

[stitcher_guy]

I've got both of Sid's DVDs that he's produced (door panels and seating), and proud to say that I've stolen a few of his ideas.

What really impressed me about him was when I ordered my seat video. I've seen his work in the big mags for years. His name is one of the handful that's dropped by everyone as a true master and expert. He's achieved the level that everyone should be shooting for. Yet, when I called the number to order his DVD...HE ANSWERED!!! Now how cool is that? You get this idea that along with being so good he's also gotten huge and industrial and it's a machine operating out west rather than a guy's trim shop. Yet when you call, it isn't a receptionist or business office. He's just answering the phone on his own. I really really appreciated that. I asked him if the DVD offered any tips for making the covers totally smooth, because I'm always fighting one wrinkle somewhere in about any project. He thought a second and told me that when they do the liquid listing (gluing it), he cuts a groove in the foam so the selvage tucks down in to hide the bulge. Not in the DVD, just him passing on some info.


And echoing Doyle, yep. ANymore to stay in the mainstream upholstery  biz, you have to always be looking at what you can do to keep the machines running. Around here, we just don't have the clientele to charge that much. Although, I am now giving generalities of $5k - $10k for an interior. When I first started, I was reluctant to go over $3k when quoting a price, and always lost my shirt. But, this month is 7 years I've had my shingle hanging and business is steady, so it's time to weed out the chaf from the grain.

The assembly line approach is a good add-on sidelight in the shop. We right now have 61 side chairs for a local bank. Doing a few chairs at a time over the next few months. I have hard patterns made and doing them anytime I get free time to have them ready as the chairs come in. It is so quick just knocking them out.

But, even the assembly line mindset had a glitch. I have 5 of the chairs in the shop right now. The part-time high school kid I have working for me was given the task of pulling the several hundred decorative nails and then underlying staples from the chairs. I was very busy with some other things, and thought he had all the chairs done after two full afternoons of pulling apart. He only had two done.

Hmmmmmm.

So I got hold of one (decorative tacks already gone) and had the staples out in 35 minutes. So, Mr. High School was told A) STAND UP at the table with the chair right in front of his chest to pull the staples, B) Be right near me so I can keep an eye on the progress, C) I did it in 35 minutes, so he had 50 minutes to get it done, because there was NO reason to use up all my labor time...plus....just stripping it. With his tail between his legs and the reality setting in that he now works for a place wanting to make a bit of money, he came back to me with a stripped chair in only 40 minutes.

The added bonus kicker...he was all smiles and proud as could be that he actually did it almost as fast as me.

[Rich]

Diversification is a double edged sword. Yes, in certain situations it may be your only solution, but to really be sucessful in a specialty that you want to be known for, you must use diversification as a means to an end. You need to be pouring most of your efforts into your specialty and going "deep" with that. If you don't, then you will find yourself in the same diversification "trap" 10 years later an then 10 years after that. You will have always wanted to do more of your specialty but never got enough call for it. It doesn't call you, you have to actively pursue it. This is what I believe the sucessful people have done.
My .02,
Rich

[Backwoods]

Russel
 
     Do you get this magizine and what are your thoughts about it.


Darrell

[stitcher_guy]

Yes, I get the magazine. I started the thread about it.  ;D ;D

Besides getting it, I do write an occasional column for it (haven't for awhile because I've been so busy in the shop), but I don't fell that it makes me overly biased in their favor. They don't always have the best upholstery trade coverage, with a lot of focus on aftermarket accessories and window tinting. But their focus pertains to me being in the automobile market, rather than Upholstery Journal's dabbling in that area with the main focus on furniture and home upholstery.

[Backwoods]

Then it would be worth the mony for us auto upholster guy. In your unbias opinion.

[stitcher_guy]

ATRN is useful if you're in the auto trim business. It doesn't cover anything about regular/furniture upholstery. It started out years ago focusing on auto upholstery. It has morphed into covering pretty much all facets of the auto restyling aftermarket. A strong push the last couple (few) years has been window tinting/dent removal/accessory installation. I like that it continues to give information on the upholstery business, but also some good information and ideas on add-on businesses, and also how to dovetail our trade into the overall restyling scene.

One thing I turn to right off every issue are the Shop Profiles. It's a pretty good gauge to see how others in the business are doing. They will also do spot checks with different shops with a specific topic to get a pulse of the industry.

Overall, yep, it's a good resource for the auto trim industry. And doesn't cost that much, either.

[Backwoods]

Ordered it today I have been trying to find a good Up Mag without having to buy all the rod building Mags. I have 100's of different mags just for the style of interiors thanks for your imput.

Darrell

[Mike8560]

...
"Have you ever asked for $10,000?"  ;D ;D
....when he brought it by, he was trying to get a timeframe on the interior, and figured it would be "a couple weeks." I just laughed and told him I'd try to have it by the end of september

i dont do auto work so what do i know, but it sounds like you dont aske 10k for in interior. id gueese he like my customers think that when there job is started its going to be worked on 8 hours a day till its done, wich  i do for the most part, i try to do if i can.
its not going to take you till september  5 days a week is it to do it is it?

[skipstitch]

Man, if you only charge $10k and have been working on it since 2007... and you have 5 months left to finish... you didn't charge enough!!!!   

What's with all the old posts????  :D :D :D :D