Going Into The Box Building Business

[CBFryman 2]

Because of the price of the two local audio shops to get a true custom enclosure built, everyone any anyone is getting cookie cutter boxes from them. IE, preprogramed into their saw for their vehicle, or, even cheaper, basically prefab w/o the actualy fabrication. Better than prefab but unless the T/S params lend themselves to the given volume/tuning and the box is tuned to the owners ears, they end up unsatisfied.

I've already done a few boxes for people around school and they have been extremely satisfied. I recive complements almost daily on "so and so's" box.

But these where mostly close friends and i charged very little. My question is, how much should i charge to make it economical for me to build the enclosure with out them flocking back to the local audio shops because they are "Trusted" even though im known as the audiophile at my school im looking for business from the local community college and the older bunch as well.

Because i have limited tool resouces it takes me longer than if i had a loaded shop. More sanding/slight cut corrections.

I was thinking $10-$15/hr + true matierial costs (as if i had to buy all new materials every time, so if i have extra's lying around that is a few extra bucks in my pocket) for sealed enclosures and a bit more for ported. Design process isnt included in the hours. Sound fair?

This would put the cost for a decent enclosure at less then half the price of a similar enclosure from the local audio shops.

However, should I include isntalation in that or should i just have it a "here it is, do it yo's self."

i dont mind tearing into friends cars to run wires because they are, freinds, but for $10/hr im not going to tear into some strangers car to run wires, end up breaking something and turn around looseing more money having to fix it.

ideas/opinions?

[topgun 262]

If I was doing it, I wouldn't even say anything about installation, unless they ask you about it. Then its 15 bucks an hour to install. I say just stick w/ building the boxes so you don't have to screw w/ former idiot's installs and hack jobs.

[flakko 1]

50+materials for a sealed

100 and up + materials for a ported

[Eldorado 0]

50+materials for a sealed

100 and up + materials for a ported

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You are lucky i dont charge that price

[mrray13 30]

for a typical "custom" box, ie: one built to fit the car and sub specs, runs $100 for sealed and $150 for ported at the shop. that includes carpet. this includes wedge boxes and rectangular boxes, all mdf. some will be 1/2", some will be 3/4", depending upon application.

those are the prices i use when i build for people, except those would be a two sub box. single sub, i drop each one down about $25.

the truth of the matter is, it's your labor. if the person won't/ can't build their own enclosure, then they need to pay for it. simple economics. i don't see/ feel like the prices i listed are too much, especially when you consider the quality of the enclosure. if people feel your charging too much, then they can go elsewhere. my time is valuable, as is my skill. if they don't want to pay for it, cool, someone else will. and in most cases, i'd wager that someone will end up with a better product then the one who won't pay.

but that's just me.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[///M5 2,833]

I'm with Kent, charge more and if it means a little less business at least the ones you do will be profitable.

[CBFryman 2]

True...here is the 2 price lists im thinking of.

40 + Materials for sealed

55 + Materials for Ported

If its >4cuft the price goes up $20

Materials have a 10% mark up.

Fiberglass is the same for either with fiberglass stuff.

OR

65 for sealed < 4cuft Finish Not Included

80 for Ported < 3.5cuft Finish not included

>4cuft add $25 > 8cuft add $50 so on and so forth

Same incraments with ported

Finish Prices:

Truck Bed Liner: $35

Carpet: $35

Vynil: $25+ Cost of vynil (diferent quality vynils are different prices)

Paint: Starts at $50

Fiberglass Enclosures $20/hr + Materials 10% mark up on materials.

[///M5 2,833]

Seems fair to me, have you figured out what that relates to in hours? Just want to make sure you are compensated.

[CBFryman 2]

takes me about 4-5hrs start to finish, painted or w/e and all. and that is for a big enclosrue like the one for my 18, which is almsot 8cuft, so i'd becompensated for that as well. around $10-$15/hr is you want to look at it like that. And its underthe table, non taxable so that is double what im getting at my job job and i enjoy building enclosrues alot more than putting ocmptuers togather, dealing with retarded customers, and setting up networks along with testind harddrives for 4hrs a day...

[CBFryman 2]

also, small enclosures like this one (which was made from scrap wood out of bordom, hence the lack in quality)

take me less than an hour to get the the point of putting on a finish. and that is the kind of enclosure people are wanting more than ones like this

which even then takes me about 2-2.5hrs to get to the finishing point.

even still a ported qlogic enclsorue made from like 5/8 MDF and had no bracing cost 80bucks and isnt tuned to the driver to be used, so that is still a deal IMO.

well im gonna take these prices to 2 potential custoemrs tomarrow and see how they like it. I'm also probably going to put like a warranty on craftsmanship and a maximum 2.5week turn around time once i take their money then they get a discount unless i sawy otherwise ath the time of payment.