RCU Forums - Professional Jet Builder

Quote:

ORIGINAL: DavidR

Quote:

ORIGINAL: invertmast

I have done basic frame-ups of the smaller Yellow aircraft jet kits to where they are ready for paint and fit-out for as low as $250. For a china-arf like a skymaster,etc that the owner just wants a fit-out and initial setup, depending on the options (light system, smoke, etc etc etc) anywhere from $750+.

You work to cheap! At those prices you have to be working for around $.50/hr or less....

I have built several jets for people, mostly BVM stuff, sport jets somewhere around $6k finished, scale $8-10k based on the detail wanted. I don't do as much as I used to but I would not take one on unless the customer knows what he wants, what he can expect, and that it's finished on my schedule. I don't build to tight deadlines, but that's just me. There has to be communication between the builder and the customer.

DR

DR,
I agree, my prices are cheap, but I also don't build to make a ton off of profit off someone, I do it mostly for the joy of being able to build something different and to keep my own hobby floating. Now that being said, I recently gave a quote out for a ziroli P-38 enlarged 30% with all the bells and whistles (lights, opening canopy/crew ladder, gear doors, panel lines, rivets, documentation package, etc etc etc etc etc) and quoted the guy $13,000 + materials and a minimum of 2 years and He thought i was out of my mind.

The smaller yellow kits are cheap to build b/c if i'm able to devote enough time to them in a week, i can typically knock one out (again, this is just basic construction, no fan/motor, servo install etc) in a few weeks if the owner's don't want anything out of the norm.

Prices above are cheap, but even so I don't have a flurry of people knocking on my door to build them anything.