Official Luthiers Forum!

Not wishing to reinvent the wheel, does anyone have a fairly comprehensive guitar estimate worksheet that could be shared here as a template...perhaps in Excel?

Thanks ahead of time!
Doug

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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

Is this for quotes to a client, or simply for your financial edification?

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

A light hearted response... Keep it really simple dude:

1. Wood - typically less than you paid for it, as it was so long ago whne you bought it - you know when you could get a ten sets of QS rio for $100... and you cant remember
2. Hardware and parts - now where was that invoice...
3. Labour - hahahahahaha - work it out, usually comes to about $5 and hour

Both.

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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

On a more serious note - I have a VERY simple excel sheet I use, welcome to a copy if you want.

Todd, (or Doug[?])

May I see it, too? I've been working out prices for my #3 but I'd love to see how others (pros) do it.

Hope you don't mind me asking.

All the best,
Nick

Quick question for Todd:

Do you or many others add a 'retail' mark up' ? By that i mean, its relatively straightforward to work out costs or materials and labour - add allowances for disposables such as glues, abrasives and finishing products - add in some calculated cost for overheads such as electricity, heating, humodity controls, (rent), tool allowance etc - all the usual costs + Plus then a labour charge based on a hourly rate... but that only gives you your cost price... with no profit for the buisness? So is there a % or standard mark up to create the selling cost? I may be wrong but suspect that many builders are actually selling at true cost rate (materials, overheads and labour) and forgetting the margin?

Your hourly labor rate should be mostly profit. The internet has made mark up on parts very tough. If I can add enough to the actual cost there to justify my time in ordering it I am usually happy.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

I'm new to lutherie but when I built custom furniture I would add material cost, labour rates, taxes, etc and then add 10-15% shop rate. I live in Canada and for six months of the year it costs a lot to keep the shop heated! In that amount I considered things included such as glues, abrasives, blades, but not finishing materials. The customer did not receive this breakdown...it was simply my method of determining my quote.

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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

I would be interested in a copy, too. I've made my own, but I'd like to see how others do it and if there's anything I've forgotten.

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

Jon Sevy did this time study, available from his website (with lots of other good stuff). Put your own $$$ in, including overheads.

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Trevor Gore, Luthier. Australian hand made acoustic guitars, classical guitars; custom guitar design and build; guitar design instruction.

http://www.goreguitars.com.au

Filippo,
New builds. What Todd sent is what I was looking for and I can simply add a column for cost of all material, etc.. (THANKS TODD!) But if you have something to share I'm game to continue to learn from the masters
Doug

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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something