General discussions about our craft and industry.
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By TedP
#15657
I am making the transition from upholstery as a 'hobby' to upholstery as a 'retirement income'. I secured my first 'job' yesterday - re-making a set of bow cushions for a 21 foot bowrider (4 pieces). The job is pretty straight forward, which is good to start in on vs. something big.

I have quoted about 5-6 jobs so far, but this one is the first to accept the quote and give be the cushions and deposit $$$. So, far it seems like there are a fair number of inquiries, but few actually pan out. Still early to tell.

I am specializing in boat upholstery, as that is what I know (so far). The work is very seasonal in the Northeast, as folks look to get work done over the winter, so the fall months are busy with quoting.

I am using a spreadsheet to estimate time & materials, based on my experience as a 'hobbyist', and I am giving fixed price quotes within a defined scope.

Looking for any advice or words of experience at this point . . . also wondering about what is typical for a hit rate of 'quotes' vs 'jobs'.
#15658
I too am just starting out, and with a very similar story as yours. As word of mouth gets around you will see your estimates turn into invoices more readily. I have a web page, instagram and Facebook which I update and use but honestly it's word of mouth that will drive your business, especially if your area is short on upholstery shops. I still struggle with estimating jobs. Keep at it and you will find yourself booked out before you know it.
TedP liked this
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By TedP
#15659
@Ddedman Thank you for your comments. I am hoping to build the 'word of mouth' type of referrals, as you mention. I have also noted that some customers are wanting to get part of the boat upholstery done, and potentially would come back later on to have the remaining seats done. I do need to put together a web site, or perhaps a Facebook page.

I currently am advertising on Craigslist - Marine Services, which has generated a decent amount of leads within the past month. My game plan is to book enough work for over the winter, but it is hard to tell which quotes will turn into orders. Right now, I've got 2 complete boats in the quoting pipeline. If they come through, then I'm pretty well booked for the winter. :smiley:
Ddedman liked this
#15750
you will find ones that just want the tiny hole fixed , with vinyl , it dont work that way. good luck in your venture. be sure not to over book yourself. take your time, do it right.
I started out as you are. it runs into full time work and your never caught up charge accordingly , or you will fill like your working for free.. always get the material cost up front, keep up with your hours. for future reference and pay yourself well!!
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By TedP
#15756
Thank you . . . all good advice.

I am using a spreadsheet to estimate my hours for jobs and then keeping track of how well I do against my estimates. The spreadsheet has my labor hours for various sizes and complexity of pieces, as well as material usage. I then add various other costs as warranted.

My key inputs into the spreadsheet are Labor rate, Material rate, and extra features (options), such as 'top-stitching', 'french seam', 'boxed cushion', 'tack strip', 'Hidem/Underlining', etc. I've found that all those things take extra time which needs to be factored in, and some take extra material.

I am doing boat seats exclusively, since that is where my skills are at this point.

Most inquiries so far are 'hit-and-run' type . . . probably price shopping. I've kept my hourly rate fairly low, because my hours are high, having not figured out all the time-saving tricks yet. Regardless, it seems that there is a certain 'market price' for various types of work. Basic, no-frills boat cushions seem to be $250 - $300. So, if you want to charge more per hour, you have to be able to do the work faster.

I am quoting fixed price and scope, and I've heard of others who charge an hourly rate plus materials. Not sure how that all works out from a customer perspective. Customers appear to like fixed price.

As for scheduling, I plan 20 hours per week for upholstery work, given that it is a part-time gig for me. Right now, I'm booked out about 6-7 weeks. If I secure a fairly large job that I've been quoting, I'll be booked for the season ( which takes me to April-May '23). I don't plan to do much, if any upholstery work over the summer months. There is not much of a market in my area for boat seats during those months, since most folks are using their boats. :grinning:

I have not gotten any 'patch-work' types of inquiries yet . . . maybe a few 'can you fix this ripped seam?' type of inquiries. My response is that to fix a ripped seam, the cost would be almost as much as a re-upholster and the longevity would be a lot less . . . that usually scares them away.
Larry in OK, Rhonda liked this
#15834
keep us updated on how things go, sounds like you got a pretty good idea. The reason i say get the material cost up front. I have material people have bought. They still havent brought me their
seat. They ran out of money. If they dont get it done I can possibly resale their material . Just dont like hassle !
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By TedP
#15836
Yes, I collect 50% of the total price up front, which covers material and some labor. That way if things go sour, I am not out a bunch of $$$$.

I just booked the large bowrider that I mentioned- 36 pieces total - and that takes me to the end of my 'sewing season' (April 2023).

I agree, it is tough to make money on small jobs. Some I don't mind doing, if I think it will lead to more business from that customer or their referrals. Upon delivery, each customer gets a handful of my business cards to share with their boating buddies. :grinning:

I've let my CL Ads expire, since I won't be able to take on any more jobs until Fall of 2023. By then, I can get my website up and running, which may bring in some additional leads.
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