I'm just getting started and have no idea how to price my work. I've only built for myself practicing techniques but have just received a request for 2 rods----Can someone shed some light on how to price a custom rod please!!

Thanks in Advance!!

We just talked about this. [rodbuilding.org]

Ed
I have a feeling you will be getting a lot of response from your question.

I can only talk as a hobbyist. I build rods as a hobby, but somehow word gets out through friends and relatives, and I am asked to make a rod as a gift or other reason. I DO NOT advertise but I manage to make enough rods to earn enough to support and keep my hand in the hobby.

I make a bill of materials including an estimate for expendables and add 10%, the customer knows exactly what he is getting.
My labor charges is dependent on the urgency of the delivery. I generally average minimum wage or less.
I have never had any warranty issues but if any should arise I would deal with it in good faith, so I do not offer any formal warranty.
My rods are strictly bread and butter rods, no frills or thread art, just a fine fishing tool.

Sometimes I am too casual with my pricing but I grew up with the notion if BOTH parties walk away happy the transaction was a success.
As I said it is a hobby that sustains itself so I am not burdened with cash flow, profit margin or any of the other parameters necessary to earn a living.

I don't consider myself a pro but I do consider myself a competent craftsman.

John

John,
All very well said. I particularly like the very last sentence!!!

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

John DeMartini Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ed
> I have a feeling you will be getting a lot of
> response from your question.
>
> I can only talk as a hobbyist. I build rods as a
> hobby, but somehow word gets out through friends
> and relatives, and I am asked to make a rod as a
> gift or other reason. I DO NOT advertise but I
> manage to make enough rods to earn enough to
> support and keep my hand in the hobby.
>
> I make a bill of materials including an estimate
> for expendables and add 10%, the customer knows
> exactly what he is getting.
> My labor charges is dependent on the urgency of
> the delivery. I generally average minimum wage or
> less.
> I have never had any warranty issues but if any
> should arise I would deal with it in good faith,
> so I do not offer any formal warranty.
> My rods are strictly bread and butter rods, no
> frills or thread art, just a fine fishing tool.
>
> Sometimes I am too casual with my pricing but I
> grew up with the notion if BOTH parties walk away
> happy the transaction was a success.
> As I said it is a hobby that sustains itself so I
> am not burdened with cash flow, profit margin or
> any of the other parameters necessary to earn a
> living.
>
> I don't consider myself a pro but I do consider
> myself a competent craftsman.
>
> John

Well said my friend.

Ed,

I have been building rods for myself for over 30 years. I got requests from friends to build them a rod about 15 years ago. Being retired and love building rods, I started my business and wondered the same thing. What to charge for my rods. What I considered was the price of a comparable "store bought" rod. Obviously the manufactures are buying in much larger quantities, so it is very hard to beat their price. What I have found is a hard core fisherman will pay to get a rod to his liking. I have e resale number and get an average of 30 - 40% discount off of retail pricing on the components. To friends, I charge $50 labor and don't mark up the components. I know they can not buy a comparable rod at a store. I use quality components, static load every rod for guide count and spacing. Let the client chose the reel seat and blank based on his budget.

For a client that is not a friend, I charge the same $50 labor plus 10% on the components. On ocean rod requiring an under warp I charge $10 labor. Most of my builds are freshwater rods. I have to admit I do not make "minimum wages on building rods, but as mentioned I love to build rods. I do not warranty the components, just my labor. If a guide comes loose, I will replace it free of charge.

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com

My long gone grandfather was like most of us...more hobbies than can be counted. Among his many crafts was leatherwork. He made very fine wallets with leather engravings of hunting dogs, pheasants, and trout. He gave them away as gifts, only to be repeatedly told to sell them at the general store in Hughesville PA. So...eventually he did. They sold fast and he’d end up with requests for more, so he raised the prices on them...thinking that it would slow down the demand. After all, he didn’t really want a full time leather wallet business. Low and behold, the exact opposite thing happened. The more he charged, the more people wanted them. It was in that finding that a lesson was learned. It’s the intrinsic nature of humans to want what is at a higher value.

Cover your costs and make sure you have enough profit to make more rods for yourself, as well as keep yourself stocked with basic materials & supplies that every fishing rod needs.

You don’t have to be like me. I run a fire suppression business for grease removal from commercial kitchen hoods. As such, I’m a savage capitalist.

-Raymond



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2018 03:14PM by Raymond Faus.

Thanks for all the advice!

It is good to also keep in mind the "perceived value" of a purchase! Price something too low and it may be perceived to be a cheap product, priced high and it may be perceived as a prestige purchase. Underlying it all, is the quality of the product. Once one builds up a reputation for quality, it is much easier to demand premium prices. Trying to compete with factory rods, leaves very little room for profit.

In my case, I build only fly rods, and for avid fly fishermen, here and in Europe, if my price is not acceptable, I pass on the sale.

I only build as a hobby and build for friends at component cost. Any more and it is a job and expectations mount. I have a job and only want to build as a hobby and when I want to do it. I do occasionally donate a rod build to CCA or a school @#$%&. I am not a master builder by any means but have turned down $750 for a rod build by a guy who paid $750 at a CCA @#$%& where he bought my build. The @#$%& rod included a cross wrap and logo weave on top. Hope that helps! Good luck!