Thread: SS fabrication quotes

I need a small SS awning made to fit over my garage door. Really just a rain deflector. 1.2mm 304 grade, as it comes (not polished).
I emailed five local SS fabricators for a quote.

Here are the results:
$77
$209
No response
Sorry, we don’t do sheet metal
$352

How to explain the range of prices? Mr $352 is obviously taking the pi$$. I went with the cheapest quote and let the ripoff merchant know how wide of the mark he was.

Not making judgements on the specific prices being charged, however what if they had to buy in a full sheet, just to do your job?

Unless I already had enough in stock and/or knew I would be able to use/sell the rest of the sheet in short order, I would probably charge you for the full sheet.

Just saying ....

So if you had to order a whole sheet and quoted me accordingly, would you give me the rest of the sheet? After all, I paid for it.

I agree some places do take the , but some have a minimum charge materials formulas which office lackies just follow blindly.
Other places can charge depending on their current workload.
If they have a lot of work on they might charge based on overtime rates with minimum time charges for work done.
I'm not saying its the case with your job because it looks so simple but an engineering place where a relative used to work paid $100/hr for jobs outside normal hours, minimum of one hour payment. All this was of course passed on mainly to mining companies.

Originally Posted by jack620

So if you had to order a whole sheet and quoted me accordingly, would you give me the rest of the sheet? After all, I paid for it.

I would, but you find most people just want the piece made and have no interest in taking the rest home.

Interesting, I just this very minute priced a 2400 X 1200 sheet of 1.5mm 304 Stainless No.4 finish and it was quoted as $190 +GST, so even allowing for the full sheet, Mr. $352 is still charging pretty hard for a 30 minute job.
I really don't buy the full sheet argument from most workshops as 1.2 or 1.5 304 is a common item for any sheet metal shop and if it is out of your line, then either offer an alternative or be honest enough to decline the job based upon it being out of your normal run of work.

Originally Posted by Karl Robbers

1.5mm 304 Stainless No.4 finish and it was quoted as $190 +GST..

Well there you go.

Originally Posted by Karl Robbers

1.2 or 1.5 304 is a common item for any sheet metal shop and if it is out of your line, then either offer an alternative or be honest enough to decline the job based upon it being out of your normal run of work.

Exactly what I was thinking Karl.

I reckon its down to what you encounter at the particular time and circumstances when you ask for a quote.

It is just a guess and unless someone is on the spot they would not knowwhat really happens.
i think it might go something like this----

Say for instance $77 dollars quote might have an offcut on hand and 2nd year apprentice available.Boss is feeling happy and has not had a blue with the missus before coming to work.
Result !you get the job for $77.

Quote $209 , only a tradie in the shop today and only has a full sheet in stock.


Quote $329, we only normally do work for the larger companies, but if you want to pay $329 ,we will take it from you.


Grahame

You might be right Grahame.

FWIW, based on Karl’s price for a full sheet of 1.5mm, the material for my job is less than $26 including gst. Given they are volume buyers and that I wanted 1.2mm, probably quite a bit less than that price.

So I reckon $77 is about right.

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

I reckon its down to what you encounter at the particular time and circumstances when you ask for a quote.

It is just a guess and unless someone is on the spot they would not knowwhat really happens.
i think it might go something like this----

Say for instance $77 dollars quote might have an offcut on hand and 2nd year apprentice available.Boss is feeling happy and has not had a blue with the missus before coming to work.
Result !you get the job for $77.

Quote $209 , only a tradie in the shop today and only has a full sheet in stock.


Quote $329, we only normally do work for the larger companies, but if you want to pay $329 ,we will take it from you.


Grahame

That is exactly how it works in most cases. A past employer of mine used to levy his own particular tax upon those he did not like for whatever reason, (it didn't take much to put him offside). I have seen 100-200% added to jobs before.
Many customers stamp their feet and get a bit demanding too. If you come through the door and say that you need something like X and there's no particular hurry, I will almost guarantee you that the price quoted will be less than if you want it done yesterday. Cash speaks all languages as well.

Originally Posted by Karl Robbers

That is exactly how it works in most cases. A past employer of mine used to levy his own particular tax upon those he did not like for whatever reason, (it didn't take much to put him offside). I have seen 100-200% added to jobs before.
Many customers stamp their feet and get a bit demanding too. If you come through the door and say that you need something like X and there's no particular hurry, I will almost guarantee you that the price quoted will be less than if you want it done yesterday. Cash speaks all languages as well.

Works with me in both directions. A company I use for stuff I don't want to do myself, I just tell the office manager what I want and give her plenty of time to get it sorted. Pricing is always good. I also have rights to check out their offcuts bin and the charge for a bit of 3mm 316 or similar is always reasonable.

Doing work for others, plenty of notice means it's more likely I'll say yes and not charge a lot. Any hassle or attitude though and you'll never get it done at all regardless of the price. I don't need to do a single thing purely for the money, it just goes into the tool budget anyway.....

PDW

Originally Posted by jack620

So if you had to order a whole sheet and quoted me accordingly, would you give me the rest of the sheet? After all, I paid for it.

Sure ... I would explain that the price includes the cost of a full sheet and that you are welcome to what ever is left over.
As I said I would only charge you for it (full sheet), if it was unlikely that I would use it in the short term.

I'm picking up 3 bits of 1.2mm 304 today for splashbacks - just flat rectangles, no folds. Total price is $430 +GST, which works out to about $168/m2.

That's a Canberra price though. Probably half that anywhere else

Originally Posted by RustyArc

Probably half that anywhere else

Well I hate to break it to you, but Karl's quote was $73/m2 including GST!

Originally Posted by jack620

Well I hate to break it to you, but Karl's quote was $73/m2 including GST!

That's for a full sheet. My price was for cut-to-size pieces which, in my case, would require 2 sheets due to the particular sizes, and I'm paying for their guillotine to get perfect edges (some of which will be exposed).

Not to say it still wouldn't have been cheaper elsewhere, but probably not $73/m2