Help...

[GPWELDING]

Any help I can get on how to charge people for drawing something out and cutting??? If I can ask what others are charging??

This would be very helpful im starting my own shop in about 4 weeks any advise helps, thank..

Also will be welding and doing repair.. wondering if you charge hourly or how??

Again anything helps Thanks..

TED

[elkriverfab]

GPWelding,

I charge a $50.00 an hour for design time.
I do a quick sketch up of the desired piece and if the customer wants to go through with it I start the charges.

I do however factor it in the job and charge accordingly to the size/complexity.

For example if someone wants a small sign I will do a quick drawing to see if that is what they want and try to secure the job. If it is a small sign I factor in design time, materials and labor and give them a price.

If you try to charge too much for a small sign by adding design time that is not justified they will not have you do it.
So finding a middle ground is something you will have to do at times.

But that is for something simple not custom. Custom= design time= charges.

Don't let it go too far and end up spending time for nothing, it does happen.
Some customers will drag you out and end up doing nothing after you have drawn designs up.

Sometimes this cant be helped so I don't do any custom designs until I know I will get the job.

Another example....I had a customer last week who wanted a few gates and he sent me over a bunch of photos of his yard, fences and so on.

I knew there was a chance of him not going through with it like all customers so I slammed out some designs for him that were spot on with what he wanted.

He called me on several occasions during the week wanting this and wanting that and I said " lets get together and I will take all the measurement's and we will go from there"

I don't have any problem with meeting a customer, taking measurements and COLLECTING A DEPOSIT

Once that was said, heard nothing more from him.
This is why I don't spend too much time with a customer unless I see they are serious.

He was a nice guy and pleasant on the phone but I don't run a call center.

If they are serious, I jump on their project and get it to them like wildfire.

Some people just want to waste your time when other want the piece done.
Maybe they are trying to get money together, figure out details with the wife or just wanting to plan it in there head, I don't know.

I have had customers do that, not hear from them in 6 months and out of the blue call and want it yesterday!

I charge around $50.00 an hour for any welding (starting).
Again, sometimes I factor in a certain amount of welding if the job is going to pay.

Just remember........You will never make any money trying to low ball your work or be a free designer, it will just drag your business into a nickle and dime operation that wont even pay for materials, weld wire, electrodes and so on.

I have learned this the hard way but the hard way is the best way at times if you take yourself serious.

Don't forget to charge per inch on cutting (see the great spreadsheet on this site for a base charge).
Charge for consumables and everything involved with the job. Paint, primer flap discs **everything**

If you do this there will be times you can be a little forgiving if you have to use a little material that was not factored in.

And last, ask yourself this.....What would it cost me to have this made? Nothing is free and this is your time and talent.

I build a lot of barrel cars and customers are always asking me how much?

Some customers freak when I tell them but I don't budge........If I tried to buy something like that it would cost me.
And after I build a bunch of those things I still tell myself "man that was some work"
Even though I have a system down for them they still kick my butt.

Other customers say I want 10 of them with no question.

Don't let a customer tell you what to charge because most of them want flea market prices for a Lamborghini.

But the customers who do pay, treat them well and build as if it was going to be yours or a family members.

Don't forget to take a deposit for materials and use it for that only, not for this weekends T bones for the grill.

Last week I had to buy materials for a gate and it totaled over $900.00.
No way will I front that and be left with an unpaid project and my electric bill or mortgage money in the form of welded tubing in the shop with no buyer.

If they don't want to front materials or partial materials look at the job real close.
Sometimes a piece can be sold if unpaid but what a pain.

Others on hear will help you too and their advice is good so take it all, part or bits and pieces but don't sell yourself short.

Hope this helps some.

[GPWELDING]

Thanks for the info....

[jmsrbrt]

What Elkriverfab said, except it wouldn't hurt to estimate the time you think it might take to produce a drawing, purchase the material and the labor to build something, then "ballpark" a price to your potential customer. I've found that most of the time, someone is willing to pay the price you want once you give them a little detail on what it is their money is buying. Plus it builds goodwill. I've had a lot of repeat customers, and new customers from referrals, and on a job-to-job basis, I've probably lost a few dollars here and there, but in the long run, I think it will all average out.

The flip side of this is, your ballpark price will most likely weed out the shoppers.