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How to price out a pantry unit with rollout shelves

9/16/17       
Tony Member

We're a window blind and shade installation company that will be offering rollout shelves. Since this is a new line for us we have no idea how to price a pantry unit with new fixed shelves that also includes rollout shelves. Any info would be appreciated. We're located in the greater Boston area.

9/16/17       #2: How to price out a pantry unit with ...
Joe

Not exactly sure what you are asking. We do a lot of roll outs. We can install 4-8 in a pantry in 15 minutes. As far charging, we price by the unit. We fabricate them ourselves. There seems to be 4 options out there. Wire roll outs, melamine, stapled or dovetailed plywood and solid wood Dovetailer. We only do a solid wood dovetail.

9/16/17       #3: How to price out a pantry unit with ...
tony

Hey Joe,

Thanks for responding. For example lets say a customer has an existing pantry unit and wants rollout shelves on each shelf. However their existing fixed shelves have sagged over time and need to be removed and replaced prior to installing rollouts. Is there a general rule of thumb of estimating what should be charged.

9/16/17       #4: How to price out a pantry unit with ...
Joe

Sure, there are a couple ways I would handle this. First there's the way we do it. We do not use the shelf we have a side rail system. Its extremely quick and I feel a better option.

If I was shelf mounting I'd budget 10-15 minutes per roll out on install. Here's how I would handle the sagging shelf price. I would do a flat price per shelf. Any size same price. I'd offer it in two finishes. Maple and white. Keep it simple.

Are you purchasing your roll outs or are you making them? I think you will find it is a great addition to your services.

9/16/17       #5: How to price out a pantry unit with ...
Tony Member

We're purchasing the rollouts. I've thought about using a side rail system such as the X Series bracket system from Century. However my concern is that if we encounter a pantry unit that has uneven interior plaster walls. Were not finished carpenters and i don't believed we would be skilled enough to install the side rails properly.

9/16/17       #6: How to price out a pantry unit with ...
rich c.

General rules of thumb in pricing is a path to loosing jobs or money, or both. You'll have to do a time study to understand how long your employees will take. Have any family that needs rollouts?

9/17/17       #7: How to price out a pantry unit with ...
Joe

Tony if I was to estimate how many side walls are crooked to the point it requires dealing with it is guess 3 of our last 500 installs had that issue.

9/18/17       #8: How to price out a pantry unit with ...
AJ

Weird combination to offer, window shades/blinds and rollouts?....what made you decide to try your hand in roll-outs?

9/18/17       #9: How to price out a pantry unit with ...
Tony Member

AJ,

Someone told how much a shelf genie franchise was charging for a box in my area. Supposedly they're getting anywhere between $200 to $300 a box. I've seen their boxes and feel i can offer a better product for less and still make good profit. So I figure why not take a shot at it.

9/19/17       #10: How to price out a pantry unit with ...
rich c.

So why not take a shot? You admit in the first post you have no idea how to price it. I'd consider that a reason why you should not take a shot. That, and your employees are trained to install window dressings.

9/20/17       #11: How to price out a pantry unit with ...
D Brown

$300 per roll out shelf regardless of size is hard to believe anyone actually would pay that much,has anyone sold them for that much here ?

I can tell you the 2 businesses do compliment each other because when someone is ready to do some remodeling chances are they may do cabinet work and perhaps new window coverings as well as other work.

We also have a window coverings business besides a cabinet shop and we have been taking advantage of the combo for over 30 years.

In all honesty I don't think I would have made it if I only did roll out shelves. Good luck.

9/21/17       #12: How to price out a pantry unit with ...
Mark Elliott Member

I have a couple of customers that do that kind of work,

From what they tell me they get about $150 per pullout.

It takes 2 trips. One to measure and sell and one to install.

Mark

9/21/17       #13: How to price out a pantry unit with ...
Tony Member

The following post from another poster regarding Shelf Genie. So it seems there's money to be made in rollouts:

"A fellow I ate lunch next to at the Closet Summit a couple of weeks ago said he did $1M last year with Shelf Genie somewhere in the midwest and that they wanted him to take over another market. So apparently it is a real thing. If I remember correctly he said he did all the sales himself and had one guy who did all his installations."

9/21/17       #14: How to price out a pantry unit with ...
JeffD

I think your on the right track with the X system for existing cabinets. It should make the whole process fairly easy for installation. Then find a good supplier for the drawer boxes and you should be able to make it work. Of course this works for cabinets, if your running into plaster walls then your best bet would be installing a cabinet with roll-outs....maybe more than you want to get involved with, but I don't see hanging roll-outs on plaster walls as a practical solution...just my opinion though.

I'm in the same market and while $300 per box seems excessive, it wouldn't completely shock me either. I've done a couple of these and there is some market for it, I know I didn't get near $300 per box, but usually there's enough boxes to make it worth doing.

good luck,
JeffD


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