Replies

1. 
   Douglas_Vincent | Jan 24, 2001 07:25am | #1

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   I take on about all work, as long as I am making my supposed shop rate. If I am really busy, then I can afford to stick a bigger price on stuff I don't want to do, but I seldom turn down 4 hour jobs that net $200, even if it is slabbing out particle board drawers. However, I DO turn down 40 hour work weeks slabbing out particle board drawers. There is a difference between easy money, having employees and having sold your soul. Not that there is anything wrong with particle board, I am just not on that team, I usually just pitch hit.

1. 
   Dave_Koury | Jan 24, 2001 03:58pm | #2

   *Douglas:I agree with with you and do the same. Interesting point about being busy and charging more. I'm a one man shop, hire a friend for big jobs, so in slow times I charge less to get the work. I also have a bad habbit of charging less to neighbors, guilt I guess.Dave Koury

1. 
   Adrian_Wilson | Jan 25, 2001 01:54am | #3

   *Nothing wrong with kitchens or cabinetry; not sure I would call them necessarily low end at all....if someone wants to pay thousands (or tens of thousands) for something elegant and functional, I feel I'm being useful, and that kind of work can present challenges that make a freestanding piece of furniture seem like a walk in the park. I'm more interested in doing whatever I happen to be doing well, rather than starving for my vision. I'm a humble craftsman type, not an artist, anyway.

1. 
   Dave_Koury | Jan 26, 2001 04:25pm | #4

   *Adrian:Thanks for the input. I was a carpenter for 23 years before getting into casework about 6 years ago. It does pose a challenge at times. I don't consider kitchens low end but most furniture makers do. I will build what the customer wants as long as the check is good.Dave Koury

1. 
   Speiserboo | Feb 02, 2001 02:22am | #5

   *I LOVE doing low-end work. I work full time in a high-end custom shop, and nothing makes me happier than screwing together a set of basement utility shelves for an extra couple bucks. Fine work is nice, and brings a certain level of satisfaction, but in my short years I have learned that I would rather have money than not.

2. 
   Stanley_Niemiec | Feb 08, 2001 07:38am | #6

   *There is however the issue of tooling, set-up and space. I have never been in a "low end" cabinet shop that does not have specialized machinery and set-ups that are entirely different than what I have in my shop. There are some jobs, I could do (and sometimes do "do") but these require extra set time and screwing with to make 'em work. By the time I complete these jobs, I some times regret taking them.Case in point is sheet stock -- most of my work is with solid wood. I don't have a panel saw and my table saw is not set up with in-feed, out-feed and side tables for panel breakdown. I also work alone so manhandling these items and getting accurate cuts is real difficult. These difficulties equate to inefficiencies in production which affects bottom line profitablity and competitiveness.I dunno about particleboard -- based on my background and technical expertise, I do think that something is wrong with it. It doesn't make durable product.

3. 
   Woodrow_Butcherski | Feb 13, 2001 03:41am | #7

   *I reface kitchens and build cabinets for a "living". Today I had to take a night time job in a factory to pay the bills during my slow time. When the economy starts to tank, I'll take anything I can get. I love working in my shop. It sure beats working in a printing plant for 12 hours, 7pm to 7am.

4. 
   piffin_ | Jun 20, 2001 03:06am | #8

   *It can be hard to define "low end work"I've done simple or low budget jobs for people who are high class folks looking for something temporary or a quick fix. Later they come back with the huindred thousand dollar job. eg. a few years ago,I replaced Anderson window glas for a guy on a shack/camp. Didn't really have time to do it but he was recommended by a previous client. Next year I did about ten grand with him. This year I did a "high end" custom kitchen. Some of his jobs may be small but he is a high end person so any job he has for me is "high end" I've also seen multimillionaires who bid looking for the cheapest lowball price possible, regardless of quality. It might be a million dollar job for wealthy people but to me it's a low end or dead end job.