Bench price check

[jbc28]

I built this today for a friend. 48" seat width, 14 gauge 2" square tubing, 3/16" plate. I'm going to paint it flat black with my sprayer. How much do you think I could get for this?

[Shane Warnick]

I have no idea where you are, or what your market is. I can't say what you could get for one of those. If it was me building it, I would say I would be at $350 for the tubing and welding, and standard rates for the plate and the plasma cutting including the caps for the tubing (would prob cut those from drops in the designs if I could). I would take a seat of the pants stab at it and say another $200-250 for the plate and cutting, so I would be around $600. I would prob do it for a cool $800 out the door powder coated. I don't paint much these days, no time and powder coat is better and just as economical, and lasts way longer. Just my opinion anyways.

Shane

[jbc28]

Thanks for the info. I don't think my local market would support that, but I think it may be possible in a bigger city.

[Shane Warnick]

As a side note, on the next one you build, you might consider using some 6" or even 8" circles to cap the bottom of the feet. It keeps it from sinking into the ground, especially when they are used in the yard etc. The first couple I did seemed to end up 2-3" into the ground after a couple of months, and then rust becomes an issue. I added some 6" circles cut from 1/4" plate, and it's no longer a problem.

Something else to consider is, if you are going to make a standard set of benches and carry them as a stock item, you can drop the price some and increase profitability by making say 5 at a time, downside is, you have material etc tied up in them.

I have found it's hard to compete with academy walmart target lowes etc on stuff like this, you can go buy a bench at academy for less than $100. I always sell mine as customized, heirloom quality, last one you will ever need to buy kind of deal. I use 0.120" wall tubing, and 1/4" plate. Probably overkill, but I bet they don't rust out any time soon.

If you are doing it as a business, you need to remember that you don't need practice and figure out what you need to make per hour etc, and stick to that. You won't sell walmart suzie a bench, but if you make a couple, and donate them etc and get your name out there, you would be surprised. If there are any high end garden / landscape centers near you, approach them about selling them for you. I made the place close to me a couple of benches at "cost" (not really, but a good discount) that had their logo etc. Now, they take orders, I sell them for "wholesale" to the garden center, so about a 10-15% discount, then the garden center marks them up 15% and everyone is happy. I also place a sticker on EVERYTHING like that when it goes out the door. Customer may not find it for a year, but they usually do and call and order some more stuff.

If it's a hobby, and you are shooting for beer money or vacation money etc, get what you can and make and sell the hell out of them. You will stay busy and people will get nice things.

Shane

[jbc28]

Thanks for the info. I did cut out bases for the feet with holes in them so it can be bolted down.

I built a jig to make the frames. The second one will be quicker.

[Gustav129]

Thanks for the info. I don't think my local market would support that, but I think it may be possible in a bigger city.

First you have to ask what you have into it material wise. Then how much you have time wise. Avg weld shops charge $75/hr for welding/fab I charge a little less for side work, but only pay myself $20/hour out of that. The rest gets rolled into side business for future supplies/tools.

If it was for a very close friend, I could do cost of materials plus bbq brats or something.

So see what you have into it $$ wise, and decide if you can go without any profits or time.