Side work
I can’t remember if I posted about it but I made a pretty cool shelf for my brother to use at work. Since putting it up, my brother has two mechanics come by and ask me to build them some things.
One guy, I’m going to build another shelf pretty much like the one for Jonathan. I plan on starting it soon and it should be pretty easy to build.
Another guy wants a new snake cage for his 10′ Boa constrictor. He will supply me the glass or plexiglass for the panels. I need a little info from the guy but I’ll probably start that pretty soon as well.
This is great that my hobby is now starting to make me a little money. I don’t think I’ll charge much, maybe 10% over cost or something like that. It would be nice if I could turn this into a little side work.
By the way, this is a little scary.
Hillary doesn’t want you to actually use your own money to buy your own health coverage if her plan goes through. She would want to actually garnish your wages. Wow.
February 4th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Yeah, side work is great. You should charge more than 10% over cost though… I mean, to build a shelf? What are you using, MDF? You could make HUGE shelves out of one sheet of MDF for practically nothing.
You gotta figure out what your time is worth. I change how much my time is worth depending on who I’m doing work for, but I charge a minimum of $25/hr on top of cost of materials (if any are required for whatever I’m doing). Since I do more time-sensitive, service-related stuff, I often charge a minimum billed hours also (minimum 2 hours at $25 an hour).
You don’t have to try to screw over the customer, but you should get an idea about what your work is worth. However, making a product doesn’t necessarily line up with an hourly rate. You could at least find a similar product and see what’s being charged for that. Charging a nice big discount off what some big company charges might be a good method.
February 4th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
The problem with furniture and shelves and stuff is that a large company can charge a super low price (sometimes cheaper than the materials I would use to build it) because they mass produce them. I can built a custom shelf to the exact dimensions you want. The shelf I was going to come up with something other than 10% since the material price is so low. The snake cage will take some time and more materials so I think a percentage of the cost is a good way of billing it. The shelf might just be a lump sum of $40 more than cost or something of that nature.
February 5th, 2008 at 8:06 am
True Chris…plus, I’m taking it that you view it as more of a project and a hobby than actual “work.” I mean, you sound like you have fun doing it regardless of whether it’s for you or for someone else.
Might as well get something for it though…but I’d edge it up a bit from 10% over cost.