How much would you sell this belt for?

[billybopp]

12 minutes ago, GoatsnThings said:

I find this very interesting lol I origionally started a whopping year ago so I can make higher quality stuff for the price of material for my motorcycle rather than buying generic massproduced stuff that lacks the quality and origionallity that I want. So, I started to avoid having to buy several hundred dollar seats and stuff. What position does that put me in? lol I can't really ask what I would pay for it because I started so I wouldnt have too lol

Yeah ... that's often how it starts.  LOL.  By the time you've got the tools and materials you need, count in the "waste" material that you use in the learning process and everything else, you often find that you've spent more than you would have to just buy something to begin with.  BUT, then you wouldn't have had the joy of learning a new skill nor the pride that you take when somebody says "that looks great" and you get to say "THANKS, I made it myself".  You can't put a value on that!

 

On 6/23/2017 at 9:33 PM, RSmithLeather said:

 

I'm  new to the the leather game and want to charge enough to make a profit, however, I like to hook people up with one of a kind items affordably.  What would you sell this for?  It took me 4 hours to tool.

 

 I can't give any specific advice on pricing, but don't sell yourself short.  That's some beautiful work, and if it only took 4 hours to tool you've got some skills.  Also, I'd suggest that you keep in mind all the other sneaky little costs involved.  It could take another 4 hours of work to produce a plain belt with no tooling at all, once you take into account the time to track down and buy materials - leather, dyes, hardware, thread, tools, paper towels, etc, cut the leather to size, dye it, finish the edges and do all the other things just to make a belt - particularly if you aren't geared up for semi-mass production.  If you're doing this as a hobby for beer money that's plenty to keep in mind to help you think about pricing and profit.  

As NVLeatherWorx suggested, as a business there are other considerations.  And there are a number of threads on this site about that subject.

While I haven't done leatherwork as a business, I have run other businesses from home - and there are a number of other things that you can think about.  To name a few, tools, workbench, educational material, and other capital investments,  If you have a shop, rent and such are pretty obvious.  Working from home, if you have a dedicated workspace you could include that percentage or your home value as an expense( and you can deduct that on income taxes too), heating, cooling and lighting (also deductable), water and soap that you use to clean up (small but there),  Bigger expenses could include health, business, and a portion of homeowners insurance.  All that in addition to the above materials costs! There are others, but this will give you some food for thought!

Bill

[NVLeatherWorx]

2 hours ago, GoatsnThings said:

 

I find this very interesting lol I origionally started a whopping year ago so I can make higher quality stuff for the price of material for my motorcycle rather than buying generic massproduced stuff that lacks the quality and origionallity that I want. So, I started to avoid having to buy several hundred dollar seats and stuff. What position does that put me in? lol I can't really ask what I would pay for it because I started so I wouldnt have too lol

 

If you are making things for your own use then it doesn't matter what you would charge for it because you obviously aren't going to buy it from yourself.  This information is directed at those who are making things for other people, not themselves/personal use.  If you were to start getting requests from others who see your new leather gear though you would find yourself sitting in this same boat and wondering what to charge for it and that is when you can gain some insight from what we have provided as a response to the question.