Price

[jfc]

Ok so you all called me cheap and i quite enjoyed that but ive been asked to price this job and i wondered what you guys would put in for it .

Painted MDF , free standing unit . Dont worry about including the cost of the sliders for the doors as i can look that up myself unless anyone has used some they recommend .

Edit ; i forgot to say its just the tv part and a book case either side .

[dom]

Sorry Jason, I don't understand.
Is it the boxed part for Sky box and video and two floor to ceiling book cases, what sliding doors will they cover the bookcases or go over the telly.

[jfc]

Ahhh yes . All flush and the doors slide to cover the book case while the tv is on .

[dom]

£2000.

Assuming Spray finish, Floor standing, MR MDF, including handles, and sliding gear.
Be interested to know how you handle the sliding gear though.

[engineerone]

blimey dom you're a bit cheap on this ain't ya.

even i would figure about 3-3.5k

i would think 8-10 sheets of mdf to get it all right, unless you are gonna make the uprights as torsion boxes. if it is veneered then you are over a monkey for just base materials.

knowing that jason can probably knock it out in about 20 minutes then the only argument is the labour cost. but i would think 40 hours including assembly on site.

paul

[dom]

He's only building the bit holding the telly and the two bits either side not the whole wall of units.

[engineerone]

well looking again dom, i still see the need for at least 6 sheets, to ensure that the grain is in the right places.

i am assuming the sliding bit is about 48 inches high, and 48 wide overall. and if the bookshelves are also 48 high, then not sure i am far off in terms of material.

although i do understand that you have REAL experience with these things, mine is just based on the unit i designed earlier in the year and making lots of bookshelves.


paul

[jfc]

Paul , it's getting sprayed white .

[engineerone]

ok,that shaves a couple of sheets, but am i right about the sizes

paul

[dom]

I reckon 4 of 8 by 4 sheets

[engineerone]

alright, lets see if i can work this out
four sheets, moisture resistant ie green i guess, because of the paint needs, so that's what 150 for the mdf.

joining ie biscuits etc.,and such like another 50, plus the sliding mech.

cutting, jointing and assembling what 10 hours. over night drying time. then spraying two primer and two top, plus drying time,
say 4 hours.

then disassembling, and moving plus installation. another 4-5 hours.

plus of course the one thing we always forget, the waiting time for the wood, the collecting time at the yard, or design time.

so lets say 25-30 hours. plus the parking ticket

i guess it is then what we guess the hourly rate would be
say 30 quid giving a basic cost level of around 900 +200
then what about profit. so as usual Dom you were right.

but then i always wonder how often one should think of a number and be optomistic, then negotiate a discount for
deposits, and early payments. but only say 10%.

paul

[tim]

senior said:

Just a point here, people mention going to the yard, pick up time etc, I haven't been to a timber yard for 10 years, and wouldn't have a clue where mine is, I don't buy anything which isn't delivered.
on price, I think there are too many variables to quote on other peoples jobs. My advice to you Jason on anything which involves a mechanism is to spend as much as you can afford, buy cheap and you'll end up with something which is always going wrong.

Thank God - I thought it was just me and the fact that I live in the back of beyond. To my mind there is no advantage in spending hours sorting through piles of timber unless its for a very special piece indeed. In fact I think there is more comeback if you brief the rep at the yard fully and then if its not what you agreed its their fault and you can send it back. My local timber yards are poor, expensive and still some distance away. With sheet material its a no brainer to get it delivered.

Re hardware - I made the 'cheap' mistake once - most expensive thing I did - 250 mile round trip to replace 4 sets of drawer slides that were a tenner a pair less than the best!

What's interesting now is judging the quality of hardware for new kit ie plasma TV wall mounts - vast difference in price for ostensibly the same kit and sometimes no real difference in quality ie tat at both ends of the market as well as good.

Still think £2k is too cheap. Look at this at £1.5k www.standanddeliver.com/acatalog/Luxor_2000-SLB.html or this at £2k! www.standanddeliver.com/acatalog/Spectral_Closed_CL-1556.html

Cheers

Tim

[dom]

O.K. then Jase, Seems I got it wrong, you and Viscount Linley charge £5k.
Good luck with that

Dom

[engineerone]

dom, cheap,
does not compute, no wonder my computer broke. ;D

i do understand senior when you say you do not go to the yard, but surely you do allow for late or non deliveries and tea time

paul

[dantovey]

senior said:

Just a point here, people mention going to the yard, pick up time etc, I haven't been to a timber yard for 10 years

I understand your point Senior, and having seen the photos of your work I'm not going to start disagreeing with you on how to run your business; however selecting my own timber works for me.

I get through maybe 12-20 boards a week of various hardwoods and visit a local yard every Monday to pick out my requirements for the week. This way I can make sure that every board is of the right quality, matching for colour & figure, and above all straight.

Whenever I have had timber delivered there have always some boards I am disappointed with - I consider the couple of hours a week I spend selecting my own boards to be time well spent.

Additionally, I can often pick up some bargains. Many times I have found short lengths or off-cuts which I have bought for a song but which I have been able to make full use of for trim, drawer sides etc.