Custom Woodworking & Furniture

Custom woodworkers build furniture, cabinetry, built-ins, and wood products tailored to client specifications or for sale.

Projects range from custom dining tables and bed frames to kitchen cabinets, shelving systems, and decorative items.

You can focus on custom commissions, production furniture lines, or combination of both.

Success requires woodworking skills, design ability, understanding wood properties, finishing techniques, and business management.

Pricing varies widely - custom furniture $500-10,000+ per piece, cabinetry $5,000-50,000 per kitchen, smaller items $50-500.

Custom work typically charges for materials plus $40-100+ per hour for labor.

Startup costs include workshop space, power tools (table saw, planer, jointer, sanders), hand tools, lumber, finishing supplies, and safety equipment totaling $8,000-30,000 depending on scale.

Building business involves portfolio showcasing work, local marketing to homeowners and interior designers, craft shows for smaller items, Instagram showcasing process and finished pieces, and word-of-mouth referrals.

Revenue comes from custom commissions, production pieces sold online or at shows, cabinetry installations, and potentially teaching woodworking classes.

Operating costs include workshop rent or mortgage, lumber and materials, tool maintenance and replacement, insurance, and utilities.

Challenges include dusty dirty work environment, space requirements, pricing complexity accounting for time and materials, and physical demands.

Success requires excellent craftsmanship, understanding design clients want, efficient processes, accurate estimating, and balancing custom work with production pieces for income stability.