CUSTOM  SADDLE
 MINIMUM
 BASE PRICE

For any industry to be economically viable, it must be profitable.  Simple put, if the bills cannot be paid and the individuals engaged in the industry cannot receive a reasonable income, the industry will fail.  Therefore, ASMA has developed a custom saddle minimum national average base price that both saddle makers and consumers can use as a benchmark or guideline.   

    Arriving at a minimum national average base price for a custom saddle is not an easy task.  The variables in costs, experience, regional differences, types of saddles etc. make it hard to determine a one base price that everyone can use.  The following information is based on a working/roping saddle developed by the editors of the ASMA "GREEN BOOK" GUIDE TO PRICING ( complete details are available in that publication) . The working/roping saddle is being used because that is what general public visualizes as a western saddle.

     In arriving at a minimum base price the following assumptions have been made.

1.  Times  – The times are based on a full time saddle maker with 3 to 5 years of experience in the discipline in which she or he has been trained.

                     2.  Materials  –
                                A.  Leather is premium leather  ( No. 1 or A grade) native hides and domestically tanned.

                                B.  Tree is a top quality domestic custom wood tree covered with rawhide or fiberglass made by one of the major tree
                                      manufactures.

                                C.  Hardware is stainless steel or solid brass when available.

                                D.  The cost of materials are based on the minimum quality for the materials used in a custom saddle .
(Most established custom saddle makers will use higher quality materials than this example and therefore higher material costs.)
3.  Wages  – The wage data is based on the median household income for the United States with payroll taxes, health insurance, and retirement account included.

4.  Overhead – The overhead data is based on average overhead costs.

Minimum national average base price for a working/roping saddle:

$ 3,144.81

BASIC CUSTOM WORKING/ROPING WESTERN SADDLE MATERIALS LIST AND COSTS

The basic minimum custom plain working/roping saddle includes the following:
medium saddle skirting leather --  natural oil finish -- custom made rawhide or fiberglass covered laminated wood tree -- 3/4, 7/8, or full double rig with stainless steel dees -- 3/4+" bark tanned wool lining -- padded seat -- Cheyenne roll cantle -- leather covered laced stirrups -- blevins buckles -- all edges hand finished and dyed -- 6' latigos -- saddle strings on front and back  -- 100% mohair cincha with stainless steel buckles -- 1 3/4" stitched and lined rear billets and a 3 1/2" stitched and lined rear flank with stainless steel buckles.


MATERIALS LIST AND COSTS  – Based on average costs and  times for a saddle maker with 3/5 years of experience
AMT
DESCRIPTION
COST
TOTAL
2.50
SIDES MEDIUM SKIRTING LEATHER
174.63
436.58
1.00
TREE
250.00
250.00
1.00
SHEEP SKIN
68.25
68.25
2.25
SQ FT 1/4" FOAM SEAT PADDING
2.60
5.85
4.00
SQ FT SPLIT LEATHER FOR PADDED SEAT
2.30
9.20
3.75
SQ FT 4/5 OZ LATIGO LEATHER FOR LINING REAR FLANK
5.95
22.31
1.00
PAIR STIRRUP CORES
13.65
13.65
1.00
PAIR 3" BLEVINS BUCKLES
7.45
7.45
2.00
3 ½" RIGGING DEES
2.10
4.20
2.00
3" RIGGING DEES
1.99
3.98
1.00
MISC HARDWARE  ( BREAST COLLAR DEES, REAR FLANK BUCKLES, SEAT STRAINER, ETC. )
7.98
7.98
1.00
100% MOHAIR CINCHA
19.70
19.70
1.31
SQ FT 4/5 OZ LATIGO LEATHER FOR LACING
5.95
7.79
0.94
SQ FT 6/7 OZ LATIGO LEATHER FOR SADDLE STRINGS
6.15
5.78
2.60
SQ FT 9/11 OZ LATIGO LEATHER FOR LATIGOS ( TIE STRAPS )
6.35
16.51
MISC SUPPLIES  @ 10%   ( THREAD, TACKS, NAILS, GLUE, OIL, DYE, ETC. )
87.92
 MATERIALS COST
967.16
PROFIT OR RETURN ON INVESTMENT ON MATERIALS USED (5%)
50.90
 TOTAL MATERIALS MINIMUM COST WITH RETURN ON INVESTMENT
1,018.06

45.25
  HOURS OF LABOR NEEDED TO BUILD SADDLE  
SHOP RATE TOTAL
MATERIALS
 &
 SHOP RATE TOTAL
HOURS OF LABOR AT A SHOP RATE OF $19.33 PER HOUR
 INDIVIDUAL POVERTY RATE
881.92
1,899.98
HOURS OF LABOR AT A SHOP RATE OF $26.07 PER HOUR
HOUSEHOLD POVERTY RATE
     1,205.91
2,223.97
HOURS OF LABOR AT A SHOP RATE OF $40.00 PER HOUR
1,810.00
2,828.06
HOURS OF LABOR AT A SHOP RATE OF $45.00 PER HOUR
2,036.25
3,054.31
HOURS OF LABOR AT A SHOP RATE OF $47.00 PER HOUR
    NATIONAL AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME
2,126.75
3,144.81
HOURS OF LABOR AT A SHOP RATE OF $50.00 PER HOUR
2,262.50
3,280.56
HOURS OF LABOR AT A SHOP RATE OF $55.00 PER HOUR
2,488.75
3,506.81

BASIC CUSTOM WORKING/ROPING WESTERN SADDLE TIMES

Based on average times for a saddle maker with 3/5 years of experience               

PROCESS
TIMES *
(hours)
TAKE ORDER (includes fitting horse if needed)  
5.00
CUTOUT LEATHER
3.25
PREPARE TREE ( LAYOUT  - INSTALL STIRRUP LEATHER PLUGS  - BAR RISERS - INSTALL GULLET COVER - ETC. )
3.00
INSTALL RIGGING
1.75
INSTALL GROUND SEAT   ( includes fitting with customer )
3.25
COVER HORN
2.50
INSTALL CANTLE FILLER AND CANTLE COVER
1.50
INSTALL SWELL COVER
2.00
FIT AND BLOCK SKIRTS
1.00
FIT SEAT COVER
3.75
FIT REAR JOCKEYS
1.25
COVER STIRRUPS
2.50
PLUG SKIRTS
1.25
MAKE UP REAR FLANK BILLETS AND REAR FLANK WITH TUNNEL LOOPS
1.50
MISC  —  STIRRUP LEATHERS - STIRRUP HOBBLE STRAPS - CONCHOS - LATIGO / RIG CATCHERS - ETC
1.75
FINISH  - EDGE  – DYE EDGES  – OIL  –  APPLY FINISH
1.25
LINE SKIRTS WITH 3/4+" BARK TAN SHEEP SKIN
1.00
INSTALL PADDED OVERLAY SEAT MACHINE STITCHED
2.50
FIT AND STITCH  CANTLE BINDER FOR CHEYENNE ROLL
2.75
ASSEMBLE
2.50
     TOTAL HOURS   
45.25

This minimum national average base price is somewhat subjective, there are many variables in this pricing,
but this figure is a good starting point.  If regional differences in the median household income are taken into
account the price range is from $2,334.24 to $3,410.44 or about 20% on each side of the average.  



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