What to charge for a slab?

[pep]

I have a customer interested in a E. White Pine slab.  The slab is 4-1/8" thick x 30" x 12'- 6".  It has been air drying in doors in a Quonset Hut for about 2 years.  He wants me to cut off the live edge on both sides and then saw it in half.  Then he plans on sending the 2 pieces away to be made into a custom dining room table.  The slab is totally clear with no defects.  What's a good price when money is no object?  I'm hoping BradS or Solodan can help.


Cheers

Pep

[beenthere]

I'd first ask how interested the customer will be, if when you saw the slab in half (I assume you will then have two 2" slabs) the two halves are no longer flat. Will he still want them, or is that your loss if he doesn't, and you don't have a 4" flat slab any more? 
I see a potential for a big loss to you in the making, if sawing in half doesn't work.

Sell the 4" slab as is, for a good price.
Then saw it in half for him if he can't get the custom shop to do it. All the risk is his then. Otherwise, saw some 2" slabs of W.Pine and air dry them for his table.

Wanna see pep come out on the winning side here. 

[Fla._Deadheader]

 That's 125 bdft  Nothing available like that in your area, I would think $3.00 or more, the way it is. Agree with Beenthere, all the risk is on your part. Money first. 

[footer]

The law of supply and demand are on your side here. Especially since it has been air dried for 2 years. I agree that I would ask $3.00 - $4.00 a BDFT, and sell it uncut, then cut it after the deal is made.

[treecyclers]

On a slab of that magnitude, which is extremely rare in that quality, I'd stay closer to the $4.00 range.
Once it's paid for, then I would be more than happy to resaw it for my client, straight line each edge as requested, and do the milling at a reduced rate.
I get $3-4 per boardfoot for Ponderosa over 20" wide, $4-5 over 25" wide.
Ensure that you stress to your client that slabs like yours are extremely rare, that you're happy that his selection for a dining room table from the slab is a fitting life for such a magnificent specimen, and that you'll be more than happy to help him in any way you're capable in the future for all of his woodworking needs.
Superdave

[rebocardo]

Agree with everyone, especially treecyclers angle.

[urbanlumberinc]

Another thing to consider besides rarity of such slabs is competition.  Does anyone nearby cut, dry and sell slabs like the one you describe?  If not you should charge accordingly. 

[treecyclers]

From my own perspective, I temper everything with one simple concept.
I serve my clients as best I can by helping them get the lumber they need and want at fair prices that are commensurate with the quality of the lumber I provide.
I have the benefit of being just about the only game within 300 miles, which gives me an added competitive edge, but everything is tempered with keeping the client's best interests at heart.
I'll let something go for a few cents a boardfoot less if I think the client has the potential to become a steady client, and tehy get that "bonus" every time they come in.
All of my steady clients get a discount of some type, whether it's a couple boardfoot extra when we load their vehicle, or a discount at the cash register of a few cents.
It creates a psychological link to my business in their minds that "hey, these guys are great! I'll do more business with them in the future because they take such good care of me!", which works about 85% of the time, but not always.
Since I don't advertise yet, word of mouth is the only way that I get new clients, and I can hasten that along by giving them the thought that I treat them extra special whenever they come to shop with me.
There's no such thing as a "one shot deal client", because everyone that does woodworking has friends that are also woodworkers, and they have to buy wood someplace too. Word gets around very quickly in my experience, good or bad, and that makes or breaks businesses very quickly.
Superdave

[Cedarman]

Paintings are a dime a dozen, boards are dime a dozen. But that rare beautiful painting by a master goes for really big bucks.  That rare perfect beautiful board should be treated the same way and marketed as such. If you have that rare piece, do as suggested, make sure the customer knows this is a rare beautiful piece.  People just love to brag about their one of a kind items.

Treecyclers, you got it, make each customer feel special.

[willknot]

I agree with treecyclers and that goes for any business. I learned a long time ago it can take 20 years to build a reputation and 20 minutes to screw it up. Nice slab by the way!

Will

[pasbuild]

For what its worth we pay $3.00 bf for clear 2 1/8" random width random length s3s kiln dried from a regional wholesaler, most of what we get is in the 8" to 13" width's

[solodan]

I think the dollar amount really depends on where you live and the market, but the formula for pricing these very special pieces could  be basically the same for whatever market you live in. What I do for live edge slabs is take the normal demensional lumber price and double it, then I add this amount again if it is a very large heavy piece like in this case. That would put my price on a slab like yours at around $1125. And it does sound like alot of money to us here, because we would never pay that price for a hunk of wood , but the fact is that this guy wants a $5k table not a $500 one. Pep, you also air dried it for 2 years, something I don't have to do with the rustic stuff, cause they like the checks , but I would take that into heavy consideration as well.

I also agree with everyone else here, about really going out of your way to make each customer feel special, but the only way you can truly do that is if you take care of yourself and your family first. don't sell yourself short, I have done this too many times to myself, however I feel more confident in my pricing structure now and as a result, I do better work, and provide better customer service.

[KnotBB]

What about Douglas Fir?  I've got a 6 ft. long 2" thick 24" wide old growth D. fir slab, bark on one edge, that has no heart center with only one knot almost on the end (make it 5 foot and no knot)  It's been in a green house for 6 months and no cracks or splits.  What's a good price?

Have another one 8" long with three knots and straight edges (some bark) about 22" wide

Wondering Steve

[solodan]

Well Steve,
I know down my way 5/4 (which actually only nets 4/4)x12" clear doug-fir goes retail for about $8 l/f. 12" stock is real common and most retailers around here have no problem getting it. 24" clear doug fir is not rare, but not common to pick up at the lumber yard, and I'm sure if you ordered it the mill would charge a special setup charge. If someone is looking for the live edge, than that adds value. I would call some local lumber yards and ask for some prices on 24" stuff, for example they can give you prices on large beams like a 4x24, then just do some of your own math, cause those large beams are not going to be clear. Based on my formula I use, my price down here would be about $360 for a slab like that.    Maybe more depending on the actual piece.

[DR_Buck]

I agree with Solodan.   The $1150 price is more in the correct range.  Extra wide + clear + rare = HIGH DOLLAR.

I know Mark (GA Boy) and I have some large white oak (see  Kennedy Estate White Oak) that also include " historic" in the fomula.  You can bet they'll go for a high dollar.   

[pep]

Hi All

Just wanted to thank all the members for theirs responses.  I'll have to agree with Solodan's price range.  I was thinking about 1200.00.  They also want 55 ft. of 4x4's for the leg crosses.  I was going to include the 4x4's in the 1200.  This slab is the only 12 footer that I have out of about 80.  I had 1 that was 16' but it was too DanG heavy to handle so I cut it in half.  It was 44" on the big end  down to 30".
I will try and get some pictures of the slab, cutting the live edges and then sawing in half, and also of the finished table.


Cheers

Pep

Hope y'all have a great Thanksgiving Holiday