MMATTOCKX,
I like the cut of your jib man! As a fellow engineer (mechanical) who loves to build I also have pondered this dilemma. It happens that a solution fell in my lap out of nowhere.

I always build my own planes from plans or kits of older designs and they get a lot of attention at my local field because nearly everyone else flies foreign made ARF's. One day a friend in a kidding way said he wished I would build his next plane. HaHa, right? A couple weeks later a different friend said he had a pattern ship ARF still in the box after 6 months but was afraid to start it because it was really expensive and he "didn't have time". Wanting someone to practice pattern with I told him I'd build it for him. He instantly offered to pay me $300 to assemble it. I would have done it for free but he wouldn't have it.

I built that ARF in 10 hours (direct labor not counting boning up on all the new technology) and learned an enormous amount along the way. He loves that plane and has a better one for me to build - when I'm ready. He's told everyone how wonderful his pattern ship is and now two other guys have me assembling mid-range 3-D ARF's for them.

I've enjoyed the work so far because its stimulating to be learning new techniques and technology (carbon fiber, fuel dots, on-board incidence adjusters, titanium, digital hi-torque servos, fuel injected supercharged 4-strokes etc). My friends/clients are technically VERY demanding but also spend freely for the "BEST" equipment and don't rush me to finish. I email them hardware shopping lists and the parts are shipped direct to me. I'm expected to know the best servo and clevis set-up for a given application but don't have to hit deadlines or email progress photos,etc.

I don't know how it is in Calgary, but my two local Austin clubs are full of young, professional guys with lots of discretionary income and just enough time to fly 2-3 hours a week and nothin' else. I'm talking with a FIA pilot in San Antonio who heard about me and wants a competitive pattern ship next spring. Reputation and word-of-mouth is my marketing. I would probably not do a full stick-build on commission because theres just too much labor to make it feasible and I wouldn't build anything without a customer for it before the project starts. If I need to sand balsa I'll build some old classic bird for myself.

Share your builds with your local club and also share your technical knowledge. The commissions will come! Good luck, Mike.