How To Properly Charge When Starting A Welding Business or Side Hustle!

[@markbenoit]

That was pretty good, some good advice I got from someone was to get 40% of the job up front then get 40% when you get about halfway point then the last 20% at pick up. It’s a very fair way to do it for both sides. One rule I made was to never let a customer or friend take a project home with full payment, many time if I did this I would have to chase the money down wasting much of my time.

[@washburnfabco]

Thanks. My number one rule is your not getting anything from my shop unless its paid in full. Also I try not to do work for friends unless it’s something quick and cheap that I don’t even bother charging for. Bigger projects I just talk them out of because every one underestimate the final cost

[@richardvillanueva559]

Pump these info drops out we all appreciate them 💪

[@DonnyBwelding1]

This has been my experience as well ...if u listen to his suggestions you will save thousands

[@washburnfabco]

Thanks Bro!

[@bquade70]

Just subbed, ya have some great info., thx! Lake Havasu 🌞 Az

[@jessealanis7443]

Really good business advise, appreciate the video. Thank you

[@washburnfabco]

@@jessealanis7443 thanks 🤙🏻

[@Michael-qv5qo]

love my arkcaptain need a spool gun though lol

[@patrickcobbs5217]

Good video. I am a commercial GC, but quit that job and mainly do welding repairs now. You nailed this video. My dad taught me this at an early age!

[@washburnfabco]

Thanks buddy 🤙🏻

[@brent8922]

Hey Josh, Im up in Foresthill outside of Auburn, Ca. Trying to build my side hustle to a full time business. This is great information, definitely rings true. Thanks

[@washburnfabco]

Your welcome! Best of luck

[@chrisweldz1122]

Hey man nice I'm in the Sacramento area as well doing mobile welding I hope it goes well for you too.

[@PIAZI123]

Well done

[@washburnfabco]

🙏🏼

[@Michael-qv5qo]

I got a job that i was recommended for fixing some dump trucks but I can't think of what to charge easy work. Most of my tools been stolen, so i am using my arc captain mig 200. It works well

[@washburnfabco]

For dump truck and heavy equipment I run the tig200 on stick with 7018. I have burned 100s of lbs of rod with it. Some times 20lbs in a day. Love it

[@staybusybuilding2910]

Spot on with everything you said. I’ve been through multiple scenarios you’ve discussed. Thanks from Modesto 👍🏼

[@washburnfabco]

Modesto, Nice. Thanks Bro!

[@brandondesrosiers8799]

New sub after seeing this video. You really opened my eyes to how complicated this process is going to be. It’s been my dream for the past few years to start my own gig because I absolutely love to weld. I just purchased my welder/generator, a Lincoln ranger 250 GXT for 1250 bucks from my employer. I now know from your advice that I have a very long road ahead but I’m grateful for you opening my eyes to it, thank you.

[@washburnfabco]

Welcome! Yeah man it’s a lot more complex then it sounds and you don’t really realize it till you start and it hits you like a brick wall. I’ll be posting content more regularly now. Just had something free up some time of mine a little bit where I think I can get 1 vid a week for sure dialed in!

[@mezoutdoors]

Thank you for the information

[@decarlosheard3472]

Great information! I never pay for any material customer pays for material upfront before ANY work takes place. Been burnt to many times

[@washburnfabco]

Thanks! Just had some one give me a deposit and still decline to pay the final last week.. video coming this week

[@terrycapehart6303]

Good man, have a blessed day America

[@washburnfabco]

Thanks you too!

[@excerciseninja2902]

This is awesome

[@washburnfabco]

Thanks!

[@repaircollc]

Great video! You and I have the same approach to pricing. I know im expensive but thats intentional. It keeps the time wasters at bay. Like you said, I show up with an entire shop, thats not free. I charge a mobile fee for every job. Its still cheaper than moving the machine to me, so they gladly pay. Im glad you included insurance. That's the big one I see most forget. I just found you channel, you seem to have a good handle on business. I think you are going to be very successful. Thanks for the show! ✌️

[@washburnfabco]

Thanks brotha! Welcome

[@jingz.6xx]

Thanks for the input. I charge $125 - $150/hr plus materials for mobile welding service in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With all the expenses, Its a fair price for both sides in my neck of the woods.

[@washburnfabco]

I wish we could charge that much in California now but it just don't fly here any more unless you wanna be jobless haha. Too much undercutting competition.

[@swift6307]

What is your typical monthly profit and how much do you make per average job

[@marcblurep2939]

Thank you so much for the info!😃👍

[@OMGITSJB]

Been workin on the road for almost 7 years! Movin back home to ms later this year and my dream and what i been workin toward all this time is runnin my own shop, ive googled ive searched high and low, josh how do i find jobs to bid?is there a website i can bid on or do you hear about jobs from different people?

[@washburnfabco]

So I don’t bid on jobs whatsoever since were more of a general fabrication shop. (Heavy equipment, off-road etc). We don’t do any structural or anything involving engineer and so on. As far as I know to be able to bid on jobs you also need a contractors license and you would have access to bid different ways with the license obtained. Most of my jobs come from word of mouth and social media.

[@ethanday378]

Shoutouts to the galt boys in here

[@washburnfabco]

Yes sirrr

[@marcblurep2939]

I start welding school this coming august 2024, but if i was just interested in doing repair welding as a side hustle, would you recommend working for someone else 1st before going out on my own? And do you suggest charging hourly for repair welding?😊

[@washburnfabco]

Any work preformed that isn’t a product that you build consistently the same should be charged hourly especially repairs. You need some sort of repair experience prior or you will be lost. Real world jobs are never as simple as putting a bead down on some coupons. At school you learn to weld in a perfect environment. Def get experience in the field you want to do as your side hustle

[@JustCozItsMe]

@@washburnfabco”perfect environment” depends on the school but its always going to be more suitable than the regular jobs. And thanks for the video, solid info bro.

[@ArcticBlues1]

Thank you :)

[@washburnfabco]

No problem!

[@TM-rp7bd]

Get down Wood. Good job bro.

[@washburnfabco]

Thanks !

[@Ben15Nadeau]

This is a great video man and very informative. One question I'd like to ask is are you buying the materials yourself every job or do the customers sometime pay for materials in advance. Im looking to get my foot in this door as a side hustle as well. Just dont want to quote a customer and not be able to afford said materials. Also what do you do for customers that want an estimate over the phone? Blow them off I figure cause its hard for me to quote a job witbout visually seeing it. Especially becsuse the customer might think its easier then it actually is.

[@washburnfabco]

If I know them well I do the po with my supplier and have them use their card to pay for materials. If it’s a new customer I charge them materials plus 20-30 percent for the fluctuation of materials cost. I don’t give quotes over the phone and I also charge for In person quotes. If some one contacts me not willing to bring it by for me to see I usually say hourly plus materials. There are some exceptions to this. I do a lot of off-road work so I can look at a bumper design for example and know approximately what it’s gonna take so I can tell them. Other things like rock sliders and trailer liners I have worked out a price per foot or square foot. Which will work for other things as well like fences gates handrail etc. But we always tell them it’s strictly hourly plus materials. There’s so many time if you give people a set rate and you finish the job and they expect you to make changes free on things that were not originally disgusted. Come up with a good job assessment agreement form that they sign

[@Ben15Nadeau]

I appreciate it homie, keep up the videos man. I think you are definitely under rated but I forsee your channel growing exponentially. I like your style and your honest attitude towards things. This Industry isn't for everyone, but your subscribers definitely appreciate the honest feedback

[@washburnfabco]

@@Ben15Nadeau no problem. Thanks brotha !

[@tonyinhbolero4815]

👍👍

[@marcblurep2939]

By the way, i meant to also ask you of what r ur thoughts about college welding programs? Positives or negatives?😊

[@washburnfabco]

Imo community college welding programs are the best option. I had a great teacher in Sacramento.

[@chadspinosi3942]

I have a question on what kinda insurance you need to cover your ass from liability of things like amusement park rides stuff.

[@washburnfabco]

Donno specifically amusement park rides but in general if you weld your required to have general liability insurance

[@dahookmob]

👍

[@DonnyBwelding1]

Can u give away a bobcat miller

[@washburnfabco]

I don't get paid enough for that lmao.

[@reaper-sz5tm]

I think any mobile welder should start at $40-50 an hour and nothing less. The overhead cost alone justify that, plus labor

[@washburnfabco]

$50 hr ? That’s working for free on mobile if your set up legally and legit

[@reaper-sz5tm]

@@washburnfabco what do you suggest for an hourly?

[@washburnfabco]

@@reaper-sz5tm starting shop $50hr in your garage is okay but you shouldn’t be at that rate long. Mobile rate is gonna depend on your state. California starting should be no less than 80 and then again you shouldn’t be at those rates long. What happens when your charge these super low rates is you don’t hardly make any money if any, The jobs cause stress or a hassle (dealing with customer, quoting, sourcing material, driving to a job, using consumables etc) and waste time. Charging low your better off just working for some one else to save yourself the headache. Remember every job you do you are responsible if it fails and causes injury or damage. Low rates drive the other guys with years of experience to have to lower their rates in your area that have worked hard to earn. Know your worth. If you don’t know what your doing and you don’t think your time is worth much then your prob not cut out for business. The reason you own a business in a trade is because you have already mastered your niche. Don’t mean to sound harsh but extremely low rates are not good for the welder nor the industry. If you do good work and charge people too low they are going to assume every one should be as cheap as you and provide the same quality of work. Hope this helps

[@toprankintv9122]

You didn’t give any math just talk…still dnt know what base price to start with….I need actual numbers examples because you’re saying to include all these different expenses in the cost but I still dnt have a number to gauge what you’re talking about. Need live examples

[@washburnfabco]

@@toprankintv9122 all these numbers are a reference to your costs not my cost. You need to do the math for your numbers. If you can’t figure it out from this vid your in the wrong game bud