The Information Station: How Much Will My Project Cost?
Overview
This is one of the most common questions we get — and honestly, one of the hardest to answer without knowing more about your project. The short answer is: it depends. What we can do is walk you through all the factors that influence the cost of a custom cover or fabrication project so you know what to expect and can make informed decisions.
How We Price Our Work
All of our projects are priced on a time and materials basis. That means you are charged for:
- Labor — billed at our standard shop hourly rate
- Materials — the cost of fabric and hardware, plus a markup to cover ordering, stocking, warranting, and shipping those materials
Our material pricing is generally comparable to other retail fabric outlets. For our current shop rate, the best thing to do is call or email us directly — rates can change and we want to make sure you have accurate information.
Factors That Affect the Cost
Labor: Design vs. Fabrication
Most projects are billed at a single standard shop rate. For more complex projects with significant design work involved, we may break the time down between design time and fabrication time. We’ll let you know upfront if that applies to your project.
On-Site Visits & Travel
We prefer to work remotely whenever possible — using photos, measurements, and email or phone communication to minimize trips. But sometimes there’s no substitute for coming out to measure or pattern your project in person.
When on-site visits are necessary:
- There is a minimum travel charge that covers our time and fuel in both directions
- That charge increases with distance from our shop
- We try to keep trips to a minimum — often we will fabricate the cover and have you pick it up rather than delivering and installing it, which can save you money
If your project doesn’t require specialized installation — like a sofa cover or a simple equipment cover — picking it up from the shop is a great way to reduce cost. If you’d prefer we deliver, install, and verify the fit on-site, we can absolutely do that — you’re just paying for the trip.
Material Selection
The cost of materials is obviously a factor, but fabric choice affects price in more ways than just the price per yard. For example, woven fabrics like Sunbrella fray when cut, so we use a hot knife to seal the edges — this takes more time than cutting a non-fraying material like vinyl. Patterned fabrics such as stripes or textures require careful panel alignment, which reduces yield and adds labor time. Panel layout and seam placement also play a role — sometimes the most material-efficient layout isn’t the most labor-efficient, and we balance those two factors to find the best overall value for you.
Project Complexity & Special Requirements
The more your cover needs to do, the more it will cost. For example, a truly waterproof cover requires significantly more work than one that is simply water-resistant — there is a big difference between blocking 99% of water and guaranteeing a watertight seal, and we’ll always make sure you understand what you’re actually getting before committing to that additional cost. Similarly, things like zippers, snaps, twist fasteners, and other installed hardware all add time and precision to the job. Projects that require on-site installation or multiple site visits will naturally cost more than something that can be picked up and put on by the customer. We design around unnecessary complexity wherever we can, but when a particular approach is clearly the best solution we’ll recommend it and be upfront about what it adds to the cost.
How We Help You Manage Your Budget
We’re not here to sell you more than you need. If you come to us with a tight budget, we’ll work with you to find solutions — whether that means simplifying the design, choosing a more economical fabric that still does the job, or adjusting the scope of the project to meet your budget. On the flip side, if you have specific requirements we’ll meet them and be upfront about what that costs. The goal is always to find the best solution for your situation at the best possible price. We’ll be honest with you about what’s worth the extra investment and what isn’t.
A Note on Getting a Quote
Because every project is different, we don’t publish fixed pricing. The best way to get an accurate estimate is to contact us directly with as much information about your project as possible — what you are covering, where it is kept, what you need the cover to do, whether you have any special access requirements or existing hardware, and any other constraints or preferences we should know about. The more detail you can give us, the more accurate our estimate will be — and the better we can tailor the solution to your needs and budget.
Have a project in mind? Contact us and we’ll help you figure out the best approach.