Cabinetmaking Service
What will I be doing ?
There are nearly 18,000 professional cabinetmaking services in the U.S.,with many of them operating as home based businesses. A cabinetmaking service designs and builds cabinets for new and remodeled residences and businesses. Some cabinetmakers work directly with the owner while others prefer to work through contractors.
What will I need to start ?
Making cabinets is a craft. Once you’ve learned the craft you can offer your skills to others. So the first step to starting a cabinetmaking services is to build your skills. Learn cabinet construction, joinery and production methods. Second, start gathering your tools. To build cabinets you’ll need both hand and power tools : saws, fastening equipment, finishing tools. Books on cabinetry will offer you advanced techniques as well as help in selecting the right tools.
Who will my customers be ?
Customers for your cabinetmaking business include contractors, business owners and homeowners. Many cabinetmakers start by bidding on cabinets for a local residential contractor. A friendly contractor can not only help you get started but also serve as a professional reference to other customers. You can develop new customers by advertising in local publications, especially those read by contractors and homeowners. Ads should stress the quality of your workmanship at affordable prices. Focus your advertising budget on professional service ads in newspapers and telephone books.
How much should I charge ?
Your hourly rate as a cabinetmaker will range from $40 to $80. Of course, you typically won’t tell your customers that rate. Instead, you will bid on jobs based on the time and materials spent on the project. Most professional cabinetmakers soon develop a multiplier or per-unit price. For example, one cabinetmaker marks up the cost of materials 300 percent, pricing cabinets that require $1,000 in materials at $3,000. Others price by the linear foot of cabinets. Refer to my book, The woodworker’s Guide to Pricing Your Work (Betterway Books) for more specific information on pricing wood products.
How much will I make ?
Once your cabinetmaking service is established, you’ll be able to get your shop rate for 70 to 80 percent of your time. That is, you can bill for 35 to 40 hours of a 50-hour week. Overhead expenses will take 25 to 50 percent of your net sales.
How can I get started ?
Your cabinetmaking service will pay you for efficiency. That’s what appeals to most men and women who get into this business. If you can make more cabinets in less time without reducing quality, you can make more money. So the key to success in this business is efficiency. That means buying equipment that helps you make more cabinets with the smallest investment. It also means learning techniques that make you a more efficient worker. You will also profit from smart selling. Learn through experience who buys, how much they will pay and how to keep them happy. You can start your cabinetmaking business in your spare time and built it to a full-time venture, learning as you earn.
The SIC code for cabinetmaking services is 1751-03
From the book of Dan Ramsey, Title : 101 Best Home Businesses, CAREER PRESS, 3 Tice Road, P.O. Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417, 1-800-CAREER-1, 201-848-0310 (NJ and outside U.S.), FAX : 201-848-1727
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