If you are in the market for a piece of furniture and you decide to check out handmade items, you will often find that they are more expensive than mass-produced products from online stores.
Just by looking at the price, many customers can be disappointed. But contrary to what you may believe, it’s likely that you are not being overcharged.
Read on to learn why handmade furniture comes at a higher price, and the factors that determine cost.
By no means is this article a ploy to justify overpriced items. The goal is to provide you with a holistic insight so that you can also learn about the several factors that determine value for money.
1. The Time it Takes to Create High Quality Furniture
A lot of craftsmanship and time is involved in creating high-quality furniture, whether it is an original design or not.
Many customers underappreciate the time taken by furniture makers to create quality furniture. This factor does, of course, alter cost in many parts of the world.
However, in many countries, furniture makers do not fall under the high-earners category, even within the furniture-making industry. This is because they do not mass-produce solid wood furniture, unlike their industrial counterparts.
So, whenever you see a piece of custom-made furniture that is more expensive, a major reason for that is the time and attention that was invested in the manufacturing process.
2. The Running Cost of a Furniture Workshop
The cost of setting up and running a professional workshop is high in many parts of the Western world, including Canada and the U.S.
And the equipment is not cheap. For example, a high-grade benchtop planer can cost at least 800 Canadian dollars.
But this is just the purchasing cost; the owner still has to purchase other equipment and set up an effective dust extraction system.
3. The Cost of Rent
Those making furniture as a hobby often use their garage or backyard to create wooden furniture.
However, for professionals, this would not suffice. A reasonable workshop space is needed to house equipment and consumables.
So, many furniture makers rent. The rental cost depends on the location and size. So, the cost of rent, as expected, would be factored in the final price of any item produced in the workshop
4. The Cost of Tools
Many people assume that furniture is made using particle boards, hammers, and chisels.
But many professionals use power and hand tools to make furniture.
Some examples are drills, sanders, hand planes, routers, etc.
These high-powered tools come at a price and electricity is needed for them to run.
Companies known for mass-produced furniture usually automate the process, which, in turn, excludes the much-needed human touch and places quantity over longevity and durability.
Companies like Festool that provide high quality woodworking tools are quite pricy but worth it.
5. Utilities
As with any other business, furniture-making requires electricity.
Indeed, electricity is needed to power the machines and tools, and the cost has to be factored in when determining the price of a custom furniture or regular one. Costs of transportation also comes into the picture here.
6. Consumables
Aside from the machines and power tools that are used to make furniture pieces, other consumables are also required.
Some examples include white spirit, finishing oils, waxes glue, sandpaper, wire wool, screws, staples, stuffing, caster wheels, etc. Many local furniture makers opt for high-quality consumables, so the end product will be a piece of furniture that is worth the price tag.
7. High-end Materials
Handmade furniture is usually custom made with top-of-the-shelf solid woods and veneers if necessary.
Hence, the higher price tag. Many retail furniture types are made with cheap wood material or plywood.
The quality of materials used determines if a piece of furniture will last or become a casket of sawdust after a few months. The high-quality materials used in making handmade furniture are another reason why it is pricier.
8. Customization
Not too much detail is required here. Customization allows you to tailor furniture to the tiniest detail. Obviously, customization comes with a higher price tag.
9. High Standards of Quality Control For Handmade Furniture
Handmade furniture is often regarded as the best furniture because it undergoes rigorous quality checks and inspections.
Thus, ensuring that the furniture is of high standard. Artisans take their time to check their work at every production stage. Consequently, their margin of error or existence of defects in the final product is reduced to the barest minimum.
This high standard of quality control is why many regard handmade furniture as flawless.
Furthermore, this type of quality control sets handmade furniture apart from the mass-produced ones, which is why they are often higher in price.
So, as a buyer, you are assured that any handmade furniture you purchase has passed through several stages of high-standard quality control.
10. Artistic Value
Handmade furniture is regarded by many as an art form because of its intrinsic artistic value.
Every handmade piece of furniture is unique and was made with a great degree of attention to detail. Think of the solid wood as a blank canvas for the artisan to birth a piece of luxury furniture indicative of the artisan’s skill and creativity.
Some people are known to collect handmade furniture because of the originality and craftsmanship they portray. The inherent artistic value that handmade furniture holds contributes to its higher cost.
11. Slower Production Cycle
Unlike mass-produced furniture, handmade furniture has a slow production cycle. It may take months for a piece of handmade sofa to be completed.
Make no mistake, the slow production time is not indicative of laziness on the part of the furniture maker. It simply means that the production process is not to be rushed. Rather, the artisan takes his or her time to select the finest material and pay attention to details.
Furthermore, handmade furniture is less reliant on automation. This is another reason that handmade furniture can be expensive.
Additionally, the production process is usually time-consuming and labor-intensive. Again, the focus is on skill and attention to detail over hasty results.
The reason that the furniture in many retail showrooms is cheap is because they were mass-produced, with little or no skill invested in the woodworks. Handmade furniture is costly because of the craftsmanship embedded in the manufacturing process.
12. Design Complexity
Complex and intricate designs are almost always featured in handmade furniture, signifying the creativity and skill of the artisan.
These complex designs require someone skilled with years of experience. Mass-produced furniture does not have any special or intricate design, hence they are readily available at a cheap price.
The complex design of handmade furniture enhances the aesthetic appeal of the item.
13. Investment in Craftsmanship
It takes years to become well-skilled in the creation of handmade furniture. These skills are not exactly inherent, they are taught or acquired.
Artisans regularly enroll for training to become better in the craft of making handmade furniture. This investment in craftsmanship is why every piece of furniture made by a skilled artisan is of high standards.
These skills were not acquired for free. These artisans invest in themselves so they can make better handmade furniture.
So, if you want to purchase unique furniture, it only makes sense that you pay more for it.
14. Local Sourcing of Materials
As explained earlier, handmade furniture is made with premium materials. Many of these materials are sourced locally, ensuring their quality and sustainability.
Sometimes, rare materials are used.
Using locally sourced materials allows for traceability and authenticity.
Therefore, you can be assured that the furniture you purchase should have a low carbon footprint.
15. Handmade Finishes
Handmade furniture, at the final production stage, often features hand-applied stains, paints, and finishes. These handmade finishes are part of the reasons for the high price.
Artisans take their time to apply several coats and layers on the furniture to give it a long-lasting, rich appearance.
The process requires patience and skill because the layers must be delicately applied and allowed to dry evenly before the next layer is added.
If the process is rushed, the end product will not be aesthetically pleasing.
FAQs
Below are answers to some of the most common questions asked relating to why handmade furniture can be expensive.
Is solid wood furniture expensive?
Solid wood furniture is expensive because it is made from high-quality solid wood, not mass produced plywood.
Why is handmade furniture important?
Handmade furniture is important because it is one-of-a-kind furniture.
In other words, no two handmade furniture are the same.
Each piece of furniture will reflect the skill, style and creativity of the craftsman.
Summing Up Why Handmade Furniture Can Be Expensive
All in all, handmade furniture is made with precision and high-quality materials.
Additionally, every piece of handmade furniture undergoes a high degree of quality control to eliminate errors.
So, while the price may be higher than what is obtained in retail or online stores, with handmade wood furniture, you are getting your money’s worth.
Furthermore, you do not have to worry about the durability of the furniture.