Some of my carvings have prices posted in the Shop section of my site. Other carvings might come from your own ideas. Here are some general factors that go into pricing my wood carvings.

Time is my consideration behind all quotes since a large carving may take the same amount of time as a smaller item with more detail and complexity. All prices will be contracted before carving. 

  • How I Price a Carving/Project:
    • Carving the same item in each type of wood can take me longer time and takes more of a toll on myself and the chainsaw.
      • Soft woods: $100 per hour per cubic foot.
      • Medium woods: $125 per hour per cubic foot.
      • Hard woods: $150 per hour per cubic foot.
      • General painting, oiling, varnishing, repairing, maintenance: $100 per hour
    • Types of wood.
      • Soft woods (Janka 300-600, i.e. Cottonwood, Pine, Basswood, Spruce, Fir).
      • Medium hard woods (Janka 700-950, i.e. Elm, Black Ash, Birch, Red Maple).
      • Hard woods (Janka 1,000-1880, i.e. Hard Maple, Walnut, Oak, White Ash, Locust, Hickory).
      • For reference you can check out the cubic feet calculator (click here) and the wood database (click here).  
  • Additional Expenses:
    • Commissioned carving requiring wood that is particularly in demand (i.e. walnut or cherry) or hard to find the size or type, may be delayed or charged extra for the purchase of such wood.
    • Commissioned carvings for public entities or venues will have an additional $100 per cubic foot.
    • Commissioned carvings may also be marked up a percentage based on the complexity or time restraints. Complexity is generally due to the extra challenge or detail of the artwork. 
        • Normal challenge and or no rush: no rate change
        • Medium challenge and or a deadline: medium complexity: +15-20%
        • Very challenging or detailed and or having tight time restraints: very complex: 30-40%
    • On-site carvings may be subject to an additional daily charge. I will discuss this in an estimate. There are on-site expenses such as insurance, mileage, transporting supplies necessary for carving, adding detail, adding paint or stain to a carving, gluing or assembling pieces together, preserving your new artwork with oil or varnish, and prepping an item for certain weather or indoor conditions.
    • Additional expenses for on-site carvings or shows:
      • Mileage – distances over 10 miles from South Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I generally will charge for $1.50 every mile from South Milwaukee and back to South Milwaukee. Projects that require travel and overnight stays the current GSA rates will apply (link). My schedule can be pretty full at times; so start and finish times can depend on the time of year, but we will discuss these things. 
      • Weather issues requiring a larger canopy ($350+)
      • Scaffolding ($200+ per day / $400+ per week)
      • Boom Lift ($600+ per day / $1,200+ per week)
      • Setting up boundaries, props, and other miscellaneous items or complexities will need to be discussed prior to signing a contract. 
      • Cement base: To preserve the life of a large outdoor carving, a customer may elect to cut off the trunk/stump and then reset it on a cement base once it has been carved. This method will keep the stump off the ground and away from the root system. Carvings that are attached to the root system still have live roots pulling in moister which may create unpleasant aging to the art piece. Choosing to have a cement base includes a lot more time, effort, and materials. If the carving is heavy the concrete should have a good week to cure.
    • Most on-site/commissioned carvings from start to finish will involve a minimum of four hours of work. That includes the prep, the carving, and preserving your artwork. Anything over 4 cubic feet will likely take more than one eight-hour day.
    • I won’t cut or clear your tree. You will need to hire a tree service to come and cut it off to your specification before I carve. Ask me, I can recommend some tree removal specialists.