Canvas and Upholstry Shops - Overpriced

[SailMaster]

Oh my gosh,

The prices that people want for this stuff. 3000 bucks for a bimini, bimini frame and dodger for a 38 foot boat. Geeze that is a down payment on a new boat.

After watching a few you tube videos on making frames and canvas work I am thinking I should at least get into making the bimini frame myself. That alone is 710 plus tax.

I would like to hear from anyone who has taken on this kind of project.

I would certainly want to have someone else do the dodger. That is a bit complex I think. But the bimini is not a big deal.

Thank you,
SailMaster

 

[Chuckbear]

We have been doing our own canvas work for years, including bimini and dodger. It really isn't that hard if you have the room and a good machine. It just takes some patience. Get some good how-to books and practice on the easy stuff first. Chuck

 

[Forrest15112]

When you get good at it, post some prices. I have a dodger that needs some work.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

Oh my gosh,

The prices that people want for this stuff. 3000 bucks for a bimini, bimini frame and dodger for a 38 foot boat. Geeze that is a down payment on a new boat.

After watching a few you tube videos on making frames and canvas work I am thinking I should at least get into making the bimini frame myself. That alone is 710 plus tax.

I would like to hear from anyone who has taken on this kind of project.

I would certainly want to have someone else do the dodger. That is a bit complex I think. But the bimini is not a big deal.

Thank you,
SailMaster

You think the project is too difficult for you to do yourself but complain about the price being too high? Doesn't really make to much sense.

If you do the project yourself, track your hours. Then think about the price. Don't forget that who ever would be doing this work would also have to be able to cover their costs for rent, insurance, taxes, etc.

I don't see a lot of canvas guys riding around in G Wagons because they are racking in the bucks doing a bimini and dodger package for $3K.

 

[Steve Dion]

Not an eazy project for a novice. $3000 is cheap for bimini & dodger.

if you do not care about the look then it may be worth trying. If you don't like the final look you can always pay a pro.

 

[Rick I]

3K is cheap for a dodger and bimini. Usually just a dodger for a 38 foot boat would run about $2500.

 

[Ron20324]

... 3000 bucks for a bimini, bimini frame and dodger for a 38 foot boat....

In 2006 my new boat could have had a dodger, bimini, filler panel for 5200$- and they already had mesurements and patterns! I bought a Sailrite machine and made my own for alot less, and ended up with the machine to do work for others.

 

[nolasafari]

I also have a Sailrite machine and do my own canvas work. I do some of my own sail repair depending on what it is. You need a few more items than just the machine, an electric knife is a big plus and a time saver. The heavier flywheel is another nice to have item. You can recoup your cost rather quickly but starting out making a Bimini for a 38' foot boat would be ambitious. With the overhead the price you were quoted is about right. BTW where is that new 38' foot boat you can get for 3k down.

 

[RichH]

With normal overhead 'charges' running 30% of the cost of goods and services, a bimini & dodger - a LOT of time consuming 'hand work' - $3000 for both in today's business climate is quite reasonable.
Just take your own 'hourly rate', assume 40-50 hours to complete such and then add 30% to cover 'overhead' ... and see what you would have to charge for 'just' your labor.

Rx: Buy a good sewing machine and make your own. Its not all that hard even for a fastidious and careful 'first timer'.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Well in Canada and California where you are paying taxes out the ying yang to support every Liberal idiot on the planet with their hand out, ...

Personally, I'm for roads, bridges and schools. :dance:

 

[Ross]

Take the time and the price of the equipment and a place to work and learn a new trade. I repair houses and I get paid as much for knowing how to do the work and having all of the tools as I get for just doing the actual work.

 

[Dave Groshong]

Our prices are typically about half of what you pay to have someone come down to your boat, average about $1500, top quality stainless tubing and name brand Sunbrella:

http://shop.sailboatowners.com/category.htm?cat=1702

 

[Joe]

" 3K is cheap for a dodger and bimini. "

" $3000 is cheap for bimini & dodger"


Well in Canada and California where you are paying taxes out the ying yang to support every Liberal idiot on the planet with their hand out, I would guess that it would be cheap.

Yep, blame it on California...... that'll get you a better deal, for sure.

 

[jimmcgee]

It sounds like a lot when you're just pricing the Sunbrella. Now start pricing all the hardware and fittings and it adds up quickly. Say $2000 in labor, for 40 hours work to measure, make and fit; it works out to $50/hr. 30% overhead means $33/hr to the canvas guy. That's not outrageous for a skilled craftsman.


As for "every Liberal idiot on the planet with their hand out"; I'd recommend a good book for you: Rise to Rebellion by Jeff Shaara. The history of the actual liberals who created this country is a lot more interesting than the caricatures thrown around on political TV. And The Jungle by Upton Sinclair might give some perspective on those bloated agencies that do things like inspect meat.

After all, nothing's better than stretching out in the cockpit with a good book

 

[Les]

Thanks, Jimmcgee, for the book tip. I just bought it for my Kindle to read this winter on my boat (with the furnace on..). Looks like an interesting read.

I paid a lot more for my dodger but when you take the number of trips per year and the number of years the dodger will last and divide it into the total price, the price isn't so bad. I'm happy.

 

[StinkBug]

I just built a simple bimini for my little boat. Just the stainless tubing and fittings cost me over $300, and I got the tubing using my wholesale account at the local metal supply, and the fittings off ebay. It would have cost a lot more for a boat your size. Stainless isn't cheap. I then spent probably 10 hours fitting it all up and bending all the tubing and welding the pieces together. I generally charge $75/hour for fabrication on vehicles people bring to my shop, so that's another $750 and I haven't even had the fabric done yet on this very simple little bimini.

Go ahead and ***** about prices, and blame California, but the fact is that I have about $10,000 wrapped up in just the few tools I used to bend and weld together my frame, and I'm not even close to being mobile, so you can forget about someone like me coming out to your boat. For that you better up the rate quite a bit.

Bottom line, either figure out how to do it yourself or STFU about what people charge you to do something you have neither the skills or the tools to do. I can guarantee you none of those guys are getting rich doing this kinda work. I'm sure not, and I'm pretty well known and respected in my little corner of the fabrication world (which is not boats).