General Category > General Discussion
So how much should I charge?
bodrighywood:
If you try amd charge the same rates as a plumber etc you won't get many sales. £20 an hour is reasonable for basic work, you also need to think of percieved value which can make a lot of difference to cost. A 6" bowl on oak won't seem of less value to a buyer than the same bowl in an exotic material for example. For the sized bowl that you are doing with wood provided then charge for the time it takes say an hour plus around 50% for consumables and cost of electricity etc. Don't go either the route of those that just charge for cost of materials or those who ask for silly money.
I am speaking as somone who earns their living doing this by the way
Pete
Redwill:
In reality most of us make things for the pleasure of it and rarely sell for the true cost of making the item. Your potential customer/s have a limit on what they are prepared to pay and that is what you have to find and decide if it meets your expectations.
The experts / professionals can finish an item in less than a quarter of the time most of us can and have to charge a figure that I would walk away from to make it viable. I have listened to the publics comments and mutterings in the tents at fairs where there are some exceptional turnings on show/for sale and many seem to fail to appreciate what it takes to put the item on the table. To be honest that has put me off going down the craft fair route.
Here's hoping you get a fair price for your efforts and skills and it will bring you repeat sales in the future
bodrighywood:
This is an ongoing argument tht i gave up trying to win years ago. I even wrote an article about it and got some oretty nasty emails telling me to butt out and they would charge whatever they want. I agree that someone who perhaps hasn't ben turning for long would take much longer and it would be unrealistic to charge for all the time but bottom libe my problem has always been that the public percieve something that sells cheap as cheap. I do a lot of higher end craft fairs and wood turning is all too oftenb seen as the poor re;lative. Ceramics, glass, metalwork sell for 3 or 4 figures no problem. As lng as people keep selling wood at rock bottom proces that is hpw the public will percieve the craft, a cheap option. There has to be a happy medium but lso a sense of pride in our craft that values it coerrectly.
Pete
michaelb:
This is always a problem for hobby turner or semi professional or full time professional. To me a hobby turner might do the odd commission and not include any income. The semi profisional keeps records income and expenditure and would include any profit on tax return . The full time professional records all income expenditure have set charges knowing how long each commission etc would take, if artistice input is required than that would be discussed with client. Paul thinks £20 per hour is not right which I agree, you think it would take you 3 hours so £60.00 but Paul may be able to turn an 8in bowl in an hour so £60 an hour is realistic .
I have a rule if any I am asked to do some turning. I have a minimum charge of £40.00 and then tell them If you want me to proceed the cost would be £xxx if you want finish that take extra time the cost would be £xxx plus . Agree a price before you accept the commission. Accepting commission before telling the client the price is not a road we should not go down either party can be upset.
Myturn:
Thank you all…
The cost wasn’t mentioned by either of us, I think my customer assumes it will be cheap as he supplied the wood, but cheap isn’t right, so I feel I should put the ball in his court and ask him how much he thinks it’s worth. I now realise that the price should of been discussed and agreed prior, I will just call it a tlurning curve…again! ;)
Colin :)
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version