Anyone making good money from tables?

[Cornwall360]

Hi all

I could use a bit of advice on my proposed direction.
I’m currently restoring furniture, making the odd piece here and there.
But what I love is making dining tables and benches.
I’m fully tooled up for it, and have some pretty unique finishes.
Obviously nervous about chucking my eggs in one basket and going full bore at this.
Also I’d be turning a portion of my shop into a showroom.
Would just like to know if anyone,(or knows anyone), is making a good living from making dining Furniture?

Thanks

 

[bourbon]

Hi all

I could use a bit of advice on my proposed direction.
I’m currently restoring furniture, making the odd piece here and there.
But what I love is making dining tables and benches.
I’m fully tooled up for it, and have some pretty unique finishes.
Obviously nervous about chucking my eggs in one basket and going full bore at this.
Also I’d be turning a portion of my shop into a showroom.
Would just like to know if anyone,(or knows anyone), is making a good living from making dining Furniture?

Thanks

you have to compete with the likes of 'oak furniture land' for run of the mill stuff. Try and find a USP for your tables.

 

[boschboy]

people are skint at the moment is my personal opinion

 

[Fitzroy]

I'd say look on the web at what things are priced at I searched bespoke dining table and there are plenty of sites (Etsy, Ennis and Brown, tommarshfurniture) were three early hits. Think about the fit and finish of what you are making and how it compares, then workout your hours, materials, depreciation, back-office costs etc. How much are you left with, and how many hours per piece to make, may give you some insight into what could be possible.

I'm the slowest hobby woodworker in the world but I showed a coffee table to my colleagues who wanted to see what I make. The all said ooh that's lovely, you could do it for a living. I asked how much they would be willing to pay, they all ball parked it against standard retail stuff, so £400-600 were the high estimates. I had c. £100 of materials in the table and about 60hrs of time, so best outcome was £8.33/hr (£3 below minimum wage) without depreciation, heating, lighting, insurance etc etc. My electrician charges £28/hr so I'd need to be able to make the piece in 17hrs to earn the same. Not a chance!

My conclusion was you need to be selling to those who want to spend £3k on a coffee table and be delivering something that matches their expectations. Unfortunately my thought experiment did not reveal to me what that secret sauce is!

F.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Your sparkie charges £28 an hour? What's his name?

 

[Fitzroy]

Your sparkie charges £28 an hour? What's his name?

Not telling anyone, i've finally found a good one, who will give me an estimate, works hard, and then charges me for the time the job actually takes.

 

[HOJ]

I’m currently restoring furniture, making the odd piece here and there.

Do you make a living now, doing this? so why not complement that with the table making, rather than over committing in one direction, as you say.

But I have to be honest I doubt it will be a single stream earner, I am a pro maker and I sometimes struggle to make a living, let alone a "good" one.

 

[johnnyb]

I do know 2 guys that makes a living partly making tables. One makes stuff for pub refurbishment. One makes tables using quebec yellow pine.

 

[johnnyb]

Neither of them are fine(not bad just set designs using brought in components but quite quick.