Estimating Finishes

Ellen Bloomfield · Post by **Ellen Bloomfield** » Fri, May 04 2007, 9:15AM

What is the best way to account for finishes in eCabinets? Should I make each finish a different material and add the cost there or do most people add a certain percentage to the labor when using the materials to labor ratio option? What would be a reasonable rate for staining, glazing, painting, distressing?

Thanks for any ideas.
Ellen

Kerry Fullington · Post by **Kerry Fullington** » Fri, May 04 2007, 4:46PM

Ellen,
I don't know how others are handling costs for finishing. I use a spread sheet that I developed to calculate my labor but it needs a lot of work where finishing is concerned. I need to be able to add labor for each step of a finish just as you are saying, sanding, distressing, staining, finish step one, two and so on. I hope you get some response to this from some of the other members to see how they are calculating this.
Kerry

mikesand · Post by **mikesand** » Fri, May 04 2007, 10:55PM

Your question sounds more like a business question than a Ecabs question. The \"going rate\" for a multi step finish varies wildly. The BIG shops have semi-automated and automated spray equipment as well as finish sanders. The best finishers here can get 3 or 4 grand for a top notch job, but most cost less than $1000. I decide how long it will take and charge my shop time rate. There would be several ways to include that price into Ecabs, but I thing that unless you give the same finish every time you should take each job seperately.

Mike

Michael Yeargain · Post by **Michael Yeargain** » Sat, May 05 2007, 6:54PM

Ellen,

I brought a nickle to the table to throw in my two cents, hoping to have some change left over but this is actually a dollar question and I am afraid I don't have enough.

But, in hopes to NOT confuse you with any other shop.

As a general rule I add between 12-18% of the job once I bid it out to allow for an Old world/distressed finish.

Stain jobs only account for about 7-8 % of the cost. While a painted set may run around 5-6 %. For whatever it's worth. I don't bid to compete against other companies. I bid for the opportunity to provide a valued service to go along with our fine cabinets.

You can set up a material such as 3/4\" Birch OW and apply a markup to adjust for this in the system. If your customers wanted to upgrade to an Old world/distressed finish, simply change the materials and then do a cost analysis for the job.

For the most part of costing out a job I place a $ on the larger more costly to build units such as a bank of drawers, refrigerator, or a oven units. I then do a lineal/foot bid for standard base and uppers, then I add the unit cost. Then I add a % up charge for the finishes.

I really hope this doesn't get you confused. My intent is to help add to you knowledge.

Ellen Bloomfield · Post by **Ellen Bloomfield** » Thu, May 10 2007, 2:34PM

Thanks for the input on this one. I'm going to put some more thought into it. When I come up with a possible formula, I may run it by you for any additional insight.

Michael Yeargain · Post by **Michael Yeargain** » Thu, May 10 2007, 3:53PM

Ellen,

You will also need to take into consideration of your location. Where ever that may be, (hint). Some places with a greater population can do really well with specialty finishes while other less populated places will not support a finish at all they just want boxes