[TheForge] materials vs. final cost

[Grant Marcoux]

I use Nol's calculations as a guide and find they are pretty close to the mark; he has given the best 'food for thought" low down on this issue that I have read.  They are also useful when trying to figure the best bid on home repairs/improvements I contract out.  

For my own work, I find that some things pay better than others; for instance, historic duplication pays better than say, knife making, which pays better than teaching.  You have to know your local markets.

I'm interested in hearing from others on this issue, as it is near and dear to each of us.

Grant

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Stephen Snow
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 8:03 AM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] materials vs. final cost


This *is* an excellent little article and great food for thought. A good starting place for thinking through the issues of an iron-working business. There are many more issues, as he notes (amortization of shop, equipment, etc., and other things) but a great little eye-opener.

thanks for the link.

Steve Snow

-----Original Message-----
>From: Peter Hirst <saltydog335 at aol.com>
>Sent: Mar 27, 2008 10:49 AM
>To: Sponsored by ABANA <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
>Subject: Re: [TheForge] materials vs. final cost
>
>At ten times materials I'd be selling my lamps for $40, shop time $10/hour. 
>Now if I were using wrought iron from the UK, that lamp would go for $800. 
>Or at least it would be so priced. It wouldn't go at all.  I think shop time 
>is a much better starting point.  A few years ago, Nol Putnam published a 
>guide to blacksmithing as a business.  Absolutely far and away the best 
>discussion I have ever seen of the realtionship of cost, value and price. 
>Applicable to all crafts, amyber all businesses . If its still there, its 
>available at
>
>http://www.anvilmag.com/smith/blcasabs.htm
>
>An absolute must-read for this discussion.
>
>
>Keziah
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Woolley" <wjec at comcast.net>
>To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
>Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 8:53 AM
>Subject: Re: [TheForge] materials vs. final cost
>
>
>> Four times materials as a labor cost?  I'd be giving away my railings. 
>> And just about everything else come to think of it. IMHO this formula is 
>> way off.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Rich Maynard wrote:
>>> My tutor said 4 tmes materials for a farication job, 10 times materials 
>>> for
>>> hand forged. Not as a basis for quoting, but it's a useful check I find.
>>>
>>> Richard Maynard - Artist Blacksmith
>>> The Forge, Much Hadham, Hertfordshire SG10 6BS
>>>  rich at muchhadhamforge.co.uk
>>> www.muchhadhamforge.co.uk
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>>> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Andy Gladish
>>> Sent: 25 March 2008 21:26
>>> To: Sponsored by ABANA
>>> Subject: [TheForge] materials vs. final cost
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, 24 Mar 2008 07:36:33 -0700, Peter Hirst <saltydog335 at aol.com> 
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>   Can anyone think
>>>
>>>> of another craft where top quality materials represent less than 10
>>>> percent of  price?  So yeah, for the next order I take, where the extra 
>>>> quality will show, I am definitely in the iron market.
>>>>
>>>> I would be interested in knowing how other smiths'  economics --or math
>>>> --  compare to mine.
>>>>
>>>> Keziah
>>>>
>>>
>>> About fifteen years ago I was doing a lot of very careful house painting 
>>> for very wealthy people.
>>> 10% was one of my rules of thumb- not applicable to everything of course, 
>>> but it averaged out about there.
>>>
>>
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>
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========================================
Stephen Snow, PhD, LPC
shsnow at mindspring.com
www.commcure.com
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"A human person is infinitely precious and must be unconditionally protected."
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