Whether you’re an upcoming woodworker or an experienced one or just planning to start your woodworking business, when it comes to pricing your custom woodworking projects, you need to be sensible so that you make something out of it. Pricing your customized woodwork projects is done by taking certain parameters into account. when clients ask what the cost of a particular bespoke piece of furniture is, it could vary from professional to professional. Here are six variables that influence the cost of a piece of customized furniture:
The type of timber or materials used: The cost of different species of timber varies. You can use veneers rather than MDF to reduce your costs, or reclaimed timber that adds a lot of class and character to the environment, though not always cheap. What could increase the cost of materials is whether it is locally sourced or obtained from sustainable sources.
Creating quality products: If you’re making customized furniture, obviously it means that your customer will not want a flat-pack design or something that’s mass made at the lowest cost. The items you create will be high quality stuff, one of a kind and highly durable.
How much joinery effort does it involve? Often, customers are shocked to find that a single chair costs much more than a dining table. One reason could be the price of raw materials or the joinery effort involved in making the chair. This is a very important parameter for setting a woodworker’s prices for custom pieces.
Is the design new and original or an existing design one? If the woodworker is going to create a design for the piece of furniture, it will mean more expense for you. However, if it means going by an existing design, it shouldn’t be that expensive. You should be clear about this as it could mean more money.
Are there volumes involved or is it a one-off piece? Once you talk high volumes of customized furniture, the per unit cost of woodworking will reduce. This is because he won’t have to look for raw materials, taking specific measurements and setting up tools. On the other hand, for one-off pieces, since volumes are down to one, it will be that much more expensive.
Labour and overheads cost too: Customers don’t really care about the conditions under which woodworkers work to produce their wares. Their safety while working and rents also form part of the cost that you finally pay. So, having any furniture custom-made cannot be procured at a low cost but will include this factor too. After all, you’re buying a piece of furniture made just for you from an expert in his field, from wood obtained from sustainable sources and by supporting a skilled craftsman. Truly, this is a wonderful investment.
Based on the above parameters, if you’re looking for a snapshot of the items that make up the costing of your custom woodworking projects, here’s how it works:
Labor charges per hour: $30
Cost of materials: $30
Total costs involved: $65
For a markup of 50%*, multiply by 1.5= 65×1.5= $97.5
*The markup of 50% will help a woodworker invest in new tools, Internet expenses, next project needs, etc. It will also help to contribute to the family expenses and savings for the woodworker.
