How do you guys charge for your time? I'm no rod building expert, but since I have started I have had numerous requests from friends and co-workers. I don't feel comfortable charging "professional" rates, but would like to sock away a little here and a little there to fund a few rods for myself. In fact, the first few rods I have built have been completely labor free, but I am afraid everyone I know is going to jump on that wagon! I am not into building works of art, but rather the best performing bass rods possible. Most of what I've done are spiral wrapped/split gripped with a little custom flare in the form of a open diamond and or chevron wrap in the split grip. I have contemplated charging $50 on top of component and shipping costs. I really don't keep track of my time. I just take my time and enjoy doing it. All the rods I have made lately have cost retail around $100-$120 in components and shipping. Would a well built custom bass rod in the $150-$200 range (depending on component cost) from a begining builder be a bargain for most considering the workmanship is there? I'm not looking in to making this a real bonified business, but more of a hobby with benefits. I would like to be able to get my stuff wholesale, but I don't know if I'm ready to go to that much trouble at this point. As far as wholesale costs go, what are you generaly looking at saving over retail costs? Just sales tax? Thanks for any input guys.

TJ

I can't tell you what you are worth, but I.M.O $50.00 is definitely a REAL bargain!

I would think that you'd want to make a minimum of $100 net profit on any rod you do, if you intend to really make any money against what your time and knowledge are worth. Nothing wrong with selling them for less if you want, of course.

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For $50, you might hav a lot of rodbuilders contacting you for ousourcing work, lol.

Yeah I know $50 ain't much, but I don't consider myself much of a builder at this point although the three I have done and the three I have rebuilt have come out excellent. Since my first three, (which were labor free) I now have five more in the workings for the guys at work. I didn't really want to do them for free, but at the same time I feel those guys are doing me a favor letting me learn at their expense. I figure if I can charge enough to build me one rod for every two or three I sell, then at this point I'm happy. This is just such and enjoyable hobby, and I can't express the gratitude I feel for all those who contribute their success and failures for the benefit of everyone. Thanks again for the responses guys.

TJ

The way I see it, if you are happy and feal good at doing them for that price, go for it. But on the other hand, why not charge them $75 above material cost and still feal good.

Mark Syck

SYCKO Custom Rods
There Are No Limits To The Imagination

Most wholesalers require you to have a Federal Tax ID#. If you already have one, you're good to go. Wholesale can save you a substantial amount of money in parts & supplies.

As far as selling goes you will want to remember to charge for, and subsequently pay the IRS for, the Federal Excise Tax you are required to collect. The same goes for your state sales tax. Check out the LIBRARY here and read the article on the Sportfish Excise Tax.

Best of luck!

Jay

Its a good starting piont but soon youll find out you spend all your time working and zero time fishing and at that piont Im sure you will find charging for your time will come really easy.
Have fun but be warned your hobby may very quickly turn into obsession.

I'm with Tom, $100 minimum. The longer you do it the more you start to see just squirling away a few bucks is nice but you have to carry parts and order suplies and you don't want that cost on a credit card acruing intrest against you.

Tim,

You'll find lots of interest from friends if you charge retail for the parts, or only $50 labor for your rods. If you are producing split grips and above average thread work and good attention to detail, you should be planning to make $100 profit per rod.

Once you start pricing in this range, it will be less of a "deal" for your friends and no doubt, you will get people tell you that "I can get Rod X at the WalMart for less than that." If these folks want to go buy that rod at Wally world, then by all means, send them on their way. They can't get the rod that you build there, so it isn't really a good comparison.

Take care.

Terry

Another idea that may work: See what the closest factory model is priced at, and work out a number from there. Ergo: Let's say factory Sage flyrod comes in at 600.00 retail, plus sales tax, with warranty, tube, and sock. Better guides, and reel seat, sock, tube, and blank come in at 300.00. A two hundred dollar upcharge still leaves the custom rod 100.00 less than the factory model.
This sets up two more options: either charge the same as the factory does, but no local state sales tax, and offer a lifetime warranty was well, or: sell the rod for the lesser price, and advise the sport he/she will receive a new blank on warranty, but will need to re-buck up for any re-builds.

Ken Driedger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Better guides, and reel
> seat, sock, tube, and blank come in at 300.00. A
> two hundred dollar upcharge still leaves the
> custom rod 100.00 less than the factory model.
>
Ken, I understand your point, but unless you are getting your materials wholesale you will not, in most cases, be able to build a custom rod for half of what it would cost for the factory model, especially with upgraded guides, reel seat, etc. When I build I am not trying to beat or even compete with the price of a rod that is mass produced. I build CUSTOM rods and most customers are willing to pay a premium for that.

Rodger the word CUSTOM..................................It was for ****illustrative**** purposes, an
IDEA, for comparitive PRICING purposes.......and reasonably accurate at the higher end fly rods, from Sage, Loomis, etc...
For me, I put down cost of all the materials, and between 130, and 175 depending on how many guides, trim wraps, etc.
No-one's yet to complain.....if this comes in at the same or less than a factory model, that's fine.
The sport gets the number of guides he wants, the colour of threads, trim wraps if wanted, and the grip type and length so I guess I do CUSTOM work too...If it turns out it's more than a factory model.....that's life in the fast lane....




Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/03/2006 10:38PM by Ken Driedger.

I agree; those high end fly rods are in a league of their own. Scary to think that a $400 gets you a middle of the road fly rod these days.
Anyway, I'm about where you are -- charging $125 to $200 over my cost.