Questions: People keep asking to buy my trailer...

[GuyInSoCal]

As of the time of this post, my trailer is not for sale.. but that doesn't stop people from asking..

For those that don't already know, I am building a Cargo Conversion from a 7 x 16 x 7 Pace American Outback DLX. I have a friend that owns a boat repair business, and I rented some space in his side parking lot to build it.

Clients from the boat business are always poking around my trailer asking questions. There is at least two a week that ask if it is for sale.. Even as few people at the surrounding business' have asked.

Yesterday someone came at me with a different twist. He said that he has the dream and the funding, but doesn't have the time to build one.

I walked him through my build. We talked about needs, wants and desires of a trailer build.. both his and mine. We crawled all over it. Inside and out. We spent about two hours talking. In the process I explained to him that he could do it at whatever pace he chooses to go. Don't think of it as a race, because thats when things go wrong.

In the conclusion of our talk he said, "I will pay you to build one for me".... I didn't know what to say.

He wants the same size trailer I am building now.

So here are my questions:

Do I place my trailer on hold and build his? My trailer is 99.999% done

Is it worth the time and energy to build one for someone else?

If I was to take this on, I would not even know what to charge for my time..

Side Note: I am an engineer, so I am more than capable to design and build one for him. Pictures from the progression of my build are here in my profile

Vernon

 

[halfdome Danny]

A good rule to build from is 3 to 4 times your materials cost.
Danny

 

[Pmullen503]

Don't neglect to adequately value your time.

How many hours of your time would it take to build another? Do you have better, more profitable ways to spend that time (the one thing you can't get more of)?

It's one thing to spend a hundred hours on something for yourself or family. Quite another for something that all you'll have when it's done is some $$. It better be worth your time.

 

[Dan242]

Your 2nd trailer always benefits from the lessons learned on your first. Sell this one and build another one and make it better.

 

[DrewsBrews]

Doing things the first time requires alot more attention to be paid the whole time, which tends to slow progress way down. Otherwise you end up getting in your own way later. If you can do a second trailer near exactly the same design as you did the first, you may be able to do it much quicker since you have the prototype to refer to. Alot less thinking, more progress.

 

[GuyInSoCal]

Doing things the first time requires alot more attention to be paid the whole time, which tends to slow progress way down. Otherwise you end up getting in your own way later. If you can do a second trailer near exactly the same design as you did the first, you may be able to do it much quicker since you have the prototype to refer to. Alot less thinking, more progress.

I would not build a trailer identical to the one I am building now. That would not make my trailer unique.. a one off.. but I get what you are saying