Pricing your builds

[moosapotamus]

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[Canucker]

I go along with 3 times the cost of parts. It's simple, self-sustaining and you don't have to draw any lines between strangers, friends and everyone in between.

But I will break ranks on one point and suggest that your time spent is worth absolutely nothing to whoever buys one of your pedals. Therefore, it should not factor into whatever you decide to charge. OTOH, if you were a massage therapist, instead of a pedal builder, then your time would be a factor. But people who buy pedals are paying for a sound, perhaps a "look", and some level of reliability and workmanship. That's it. Doesn't matter if it took you 4 hours or 4 weeks to finish the pedal. They are really only interested in the end result.

So, Bill - I think you're under selling yourself (just like the majority of the rest of us ). You should charge $90 each for those hypothetical pedals.

~ Charlie x 3

Thats ridiculous  to say a builders time is worthless. You say they are paying for a sound, look, reliability and workmanship....all of those are achieved over time. Spend no time and your left with a pile of parts and those are pretty quiet.

[Perrow]

Actually, even ordering parts take time...

[deadastronaut]

time, parts, electricity, solder, pcb, drill bits, paper,  toner, paint, clear, waterslide, etch, box, postage, paypal fees, ebay fees, ...pencil lead. .....etc etc etc etc...

put off yet?

[Jdansti]

^ Don't forget beer... 

[haveyouseenhim]

And sausage doesn't just grow on trees

[markeebee]

And sausage doesn't just grow on trees

Ha ha, silly, did you ever do science at school?


Cool, thanks for your input y'all.

Looks like 60, 70, 80 maybe 90 quid is a reasonable market price, depending on complexity/cost of parts/whether the person you're building for is male or female.

(How misguided am I?  Like a girl would be chuffed that you charged her slightly less for a distortion pedal.  How far we have all fallen from the real world.)

I think I'll use the 'cost of parts x 3 rule'.  Makes it easier, and is about the same as the 'cost of parts + labour' rule.  So long as Workshy Indie Fop Bee makes enough to keep him interested, and I don't have to step in, I'm happy.

Regarding breadboarding and design time......if somebody says "make me a fuzz please" I can just pull out a stock circuit, and then any tweaks and mods are really just for my own entertainment.  So no extra charge there.  But if somebody says "make me a fuzz with loads of switches and a picture of a donkey riding a purple scooter" I'd be inclined to charge for  research time.  In fact, unless it's something that's interesting, I don't really wanna do it so I'd ask for a bundle and hope they go away.  Or, more likely, I'd say no.  Like your mum never did.

Having said all that, I don't think I'll be having to deal with the issue anytime soon, if last nights "soldering resistors onto scrap PCB" lesson is anything to go by 

[haveyouseenhim]

Well we all know you should charge women more..........well, because they love all of the switches

From what Ive gathered in this thread is $90 to $100 is reasonable for skilled labor and parts for a decent box.

[Perrow]

But if somebody says "make me a fuzz with loads of switches and a picture of a donkey riding a purple scooter" I'd be inclined to charge for  research time.

Here's to get you started, some photo shopping required to change the color of the scooter.

[deadastronaut]

^ hilarious...wtf?....how the hell ...what!....oh the interweb is a sick place...but your even sicker for looking for it.. ha ha, ...

[juansolo]

If it's a super easy build in a small box with no battery provision it'll be around £65. Up to around £110 for a large powder coated box build with battery provision. More complex stuff like multi effects I do for around £150. But all the prices are flexible depending on the build. That's a rough rule of thumb as it can vary depending on complexity and time taken. Also if it has expensive germs, delay chips or bricks that knock up the price of parts which will be reflected in the cost.

Essentially I'm covering my costs and adding on a little for my time. The idea is that it makes it a self funding hobby. To date we (for I do this with a mate) just about break even. We usually run about £50-£100 in the red. But on the upside, we haven't paid for any of our own effects for the last 2 years (or there abouts). You certainly couldn't make a living out of it at these prices and ultra low quantities though.

[juansolo]

But if somebody says "make me a fuzz with loads of switches and a picture of a donkey riding a purple scooter" I'd be inclined to charge for  research time.

Here's to get you started, some photo shopping required to change the color of the scooter.

Oddly this is exactly the kind of request I tend to get... I want a Phase 45 with a zombie on it. Or an Octavia with a monkey on it.

[Skruffyhound]

Nobody seems to have mentioned the time that it takes to sell them. Production is one thing, but if it's a real business you'll be spending almost the same amount of time looking after/finding customers, promoting product etc.
This has been my experience in any case (with another product). Mark I'm sure knows this, being a successful businessman, I just think it should be added to the list.

[Jdansti]

^ Time is money and my time is very valuable to my family and me. I haven't been asked to build any pedals, but it might be that no one wants one built into a toilet seat. People just don't have good taste anymore. 

[Jdansti]

But if somebody says "make me a fuzz with loads of switches and a picture of a donkey riding a purple scooter" I'd be inclined to charge for  research time.

Here's to get you started, some photo shopping required to change the color of the scooter.

Looks like a Democrat Eco-Ride. Not trying to get political, just an observation. 

[markeebee]

Oh, sorry, I misunderstood.  Actually they need a picture of an ass riding a scooter.  Different altogether.  Maybe I could incorporate John's toilet seat.

Mark I'm sure knows this, being a successful businessman.........

**uncontrollable laughter**

[Jdansti]

Oh, sorry, I misunderstood.  Actually they need a picture of an ass riding a scooter.

I could make a political joke here, but I won't. 

[Canucker]

This kind of work seems to find you...if its a few pedals a year. If you build stuff and then hope someone wants it your totally screwed. At least its a hobby that takes up little space (compared to other stuff you could be building)....imagine you had to factor in the overhead of a real business? rent, insurance, taxes, advertising...you'd be dead in a week! Regardless of what level you do this at TAKE A DEPOSIT OF 50% or Greater!!!!!!!!!
As far as ordering parts taking time...the place I shop it cost me ten bucks in gas and if I didn't want to walk a bit it would cost me three bucks an hour to park...and it took me fourty minutes last time to pick out $3.50 worth of the resistors I needed! and thats counting out ten of each value and having my containers for them pre labeled!
I stick to my previous statement of if your not building two of something don't bother....and if your doing stuff point to point on perfboard....forget about it! I'll never do that again. 

[Perrow]

Oh, sorry, I misunderstood.  Actually they need a picture of an ass riding a scooter.  Different altogether.

OK, time to turn off safe search on Google images...

[Perrow]

As far as ordering parts taking time...the place I shop it cost me ten bucks in gas and if I didn't want to walk a bit it would cost me three bucks an hour to park...and it took me fourty minutes last time to pick out $3.50 worth of the resistors I needed! and thats counting out ten of each value and having my containers for them pre labeled!
I stick to my previous statement of if your not building two of something don't bother....and if your doing stuff point to point on perfboard....forget about it! I'll never do that again. 

It's time for you to learn about Tayda