In choosing a design, after the major considerations of size, function and æsthetics have been settled and you are pretty sure that you have decided on a specific design, there are probably two questions in your mind. Especially if you are a first time builder you will ask:

These are two deceptively simple questions. The reality is that both of these questions are like the proverbial, "how long is a piece of string".

Now we know that there are a lot of designers out there who will tack on a dollar and hour figure for every plan. But, that is not quite fair, especially to an inexperienced builder. Those of you who are building their 3^rd, 7^th or 12^th boats know that you can take this information with a wink and a nod and the proverbial pinch of salt. Nor, when they offer these figures, do they generally offer any context for them. Since each designer may have arrived at his/her hours and dollars by a different formula, when looking at the figures, you may be trying to compare apples and frozen dinners (in other words way outside of the apples-oranges conundrum).

Let us just briefly look at some of the ways these things can be figured: The cost at builders prices (wholesale) located in a boating area? Using the cheapest possible materials? An average of all the client builder’s reported costs for that model, the cheapest boat ever built by a client – or the most expensive… The reported times by builders, in months?, hours?, days???? First-time builders? Professionals? What was counted as "work" time? What were the temperature conditions? To what cosmetic standard was the boat finished – work boat or piano?

For the designer - or plan seller, there is the decision as too how to address the question so that it encourages folks to buy your plans. Many use the marketing approach of the "least and the fastest". In other words, the cheapest boat built in the fastest time. For any of you who are familiar with the speed boat building contests, such as the Sikka Challenge, you know that incredible times can be achieved. However, it’s not realistic for the less experienced builders or for a nice looking results. The same can be said of materials – you can get things cheap, but the boat will look bad, and won’t last long – it may start to delaminate in a year.

We want to take an honest approach. One of the problems is that few of our builders (or anyone else's for that matter A.) Keep accurate records of time & money or B.) get back to us with those figures. We, therefore have to interpolate the information we do have from builders, and add our own experience. To put this into perspective, the costs we get vary by as much as 3X on a small dinghy and building times by up to 7X! While we certainly don’t want to make the process sound longer and more expensive than it really is, we also don’t want to "low-ball" anyone. It is not fair to indicate that a boat can be built for $200.00 when the average cost based on our material recommendations is $800.00.

All of this having been said let us frame the context of estimating costs and hours:

Estimated costs

All costs are estimated on USA pricing and availability.

Costs do not include your shop expenses, such as electric and heat/cooling or tools, which are a capital investment or expense, rather than a project cost.

Prices are based on retail prices for marine plywood as recommended in the plan. Solid stock is based on the readily available lumber as found at average hardware/lumber/home improvement center. Epoxy & fiberglass needs are figured at the national retail price per gallon from a nationally advertised and available brand listed in the source list that accompanies the plan. The price does not include your pumps – as these are things that you either have before, or will keep after the project. Incidentals and throw-aways are priced at the "bulk" prices as advertised from the supplier(s) in our source list. These items include brushes, sandpaper, pots etc… Hardware, mast and sails (on sailing models) are priced at the retail prices from B&B, FOB Vandemere.

For larger boats with interior appointments and canvas, these are also costed out at professionally- made prices for canvas and upholstery, and new stoves, lights, hatches, ports etc…. all of "better" to "best" quality. If you can make your own, or have a good maritime flea market around, obviously, it will save a lot of money.

Finishing products can actually represent a large portion of the expense of any boat, and most plan sellers do not include the cost of these products. We suggest you estimate based on higher end marine paints, either enamel or polyurethane (one or two part), plus all of the solvents for the product. As this can vary wildly from brand to brand, this is a broad guide only.

Finishing time is also an area that can vary tremendously. It depends on how much sanding you will have to do to smooth up surfaces (how carefully you built and applied epoxy), and what degree of perfection you are willing/desire/able to pursue. It is not unusual for a "perfectionist" to spend 40 hours building and 100 hours finishing….never being satisfied with their "last coat" until the whole boat looks like a grand piano.

The best way to estimate a price, is to ask for a materials list and price the materials at your own chosen suppliers in your area.