Shop Talk Exterior Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Photo 4 Photo 5 Photo 6 We adopted some basic principles: " Was our company going to focus on production, creativity or a blend of both? " * Each job we estimate must contain an element of improvement over the current design. This may require something as simple as reversing the direction of a doorway zipper to a totally different style and type of enclosure. Recently, we've adopted a " no straight lines " approach for our sailboat frame systems. * Each job must include something not typically found on all the other boats of its kind. This can be something as insignifi cant as using magnetic catches for those hard-to-reach places. Over the years we've had 38 Marine Fabricator | September/October 2022 great success by throwing out the norm and adding functional designs that makes it easier for clients to use our canvases. Creativity equals profi tability Now, you might wonder why you need to think out of the box if you're happy doing the same ole thing over and over. The answer is profi tability. In our market, we are seeing marine service departments and canvas shops needing to charge a $150 to $250 per hour labor rate to cover infl ationary costs and payroll. On the East and West Coasts, these rates may be double.