Would You Use The Services of a Custom Layout Builder?

[Anonymous]

I' ve seen a couple of builders advertise in the pages of MR that they'll help design and build a model layout for those interested. If cost were no issue, would any of you avail yourself of their services? Just curious.

[Jetrock]

No way! Building a layout is well over half the fun! If cost were no issue, I might hire a custom house contractor to expand my layout space to gargantuan proportions, but I'd still build the thing myself!

I might be tempted to hire someone to apply my decals, though...

[Anonymous]

SCF:

I am one of those model railroaders who can afford to throw money at the hobby, even contracting the services of a team of professionals. Under no circumstances would I do so.

Truth be told, I don't think RTR is modeling. I can accept, marginally accept that is, those who say they don't YET have the skill base to kit and eventually scratchbuild. It is a temporarily valid excuse IMO. One to be outgrown as rapidly as possible. Every project should test, and thus increase, the modelers skill set. That is the way to grow in this hobby.

Check book modeling isn't model railroading.

Randy

[Anonymous]

Have them design it, contractor install it, buy RTR trains. Is this a hobby or ??

Short answer is No! I wouldn't have it done for me - money or not.

I enjoyed planning and designing my layout. I enjoyed building the benchwork. I am now enjoying laying track and creating the scenery. I detail engines, kit-bash rolling stock, and scratch build everything else. It's my hobby not theirs.

[NevinW]

I certainly could see hiring someone to build benchwork and to do other repetative parts of building a model railroad that I don't enjoy, like wiring. but I would always do the actual modeling myself. Design is something I enjoy, so I would reserve that for my Cadrail program and myself. - Nevin

[tomwatkins]

No. I enjoy the building process too much. If money were no object, I might hire a good contracor and large construction crew to build a large basement expansion, complete with expanded house over it to keep the rain and snow out of the new railroad room.
Tom Watkins

[GerFust]

SuperChiefFan:

Nope, I wouldn't use them. If I had a large enough layout, I might use a design consultant, if there is such a thing, to review my design and tell me what I might have missed. But then again, isn't that what you all are for?

-Jer

[Anonymous]

I don't have a problem with someone wishing to start a business that constructs layouts, but it wouldn't be for me, either. That prompted my post--I wanted to know how many of you would be interested. There are some aspects of the hobby that have little if any appeal to me but it's my little pike and I'm content with shaping it my own way. That's half the fun! My beef is room size (sigh). I want a basement![:)]

[Roadtrp]

Well, I guess I'll be the oddball here. I'm just getting involved in MR again after a 30+ year absence. The first time around my dad did all the work -- I just ran the trains. So at this time I really know nothing about creating a layout.

So if I had unlimited money and space, I would hire those guys to build me a wicked good layout that I could play with right now. I could then devote the time I needed to learn how to do it right as I created another layout myself. There would be no ru***o get it done since I would already have a great layout to play with in the meantime.

It would be kind of like having a 2004 Thunderbird to drive around while I was restoring the ’59 T-Bird in my garage.

[Anonymous]

I would use them to get started, bench work, track work and wiring, but I would want to do the rest. I have a young daughter and I don't get much time to have fun so the quicker I can get to the fun the better.

[Anonymous]

I would use them to get started, bench work, track work and wiring, but I would want to do the rest. I have a young daughter and I don't get much time to have fun so the quicker I can get to the fun the better.

[AltonFan]

I'd consider having a professional build benchwork, and perhaps design the track plan, I'd I prefer to do everything else. (I'd consider getting professional help to build locomotive mechanisms under certain ceircumstances.)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AltonFan

I'd consider having a professional build benchwork, and perhaps design the track plan, I'd I prefer to do everything else. (I'd consider getting professional help to build locomotive mechanisms under certain ceircumstances.)

I'd have them do the bench work, and if I were doing DCC I would have them do the DCC wiring, too. But, since DCC wiring is way too complicated for me, it's DC for me. Yeah, I'd have them do the bench work and electrical wiring. I would lay track, add scenery, etc. by myself though. If you had a proffesional do all that, it wouldn't be modeling!

[Anonymous]

I would use them to build the bench laythe track. and do the wiring. I have aleready learned that but i have never made it to the sencery stage yet so i need to learn it.

[CBQ_Guy]

Well since you said cost was no object....

I already have a track plan I've spent a LOT of time developing, but I'd be curious to compare it to what a "professional" would come up with.

I also hate carpentry, so having someone else build the benchwork would be real tempting; heck, let em put up the lighting, too! Ideally for me, I would just come in and start laying cork and track, and go from there doing the rest on my own.

Dream on...

[CP5415]

NO!!!
It would be nice but it would take all the fun & frustration of building it myself!!!!

Gordon

[Anonymous]

Ok.

Let's say thee has a layout built for a average 10 x 8 room.

HOW MUCH? to have them put in benchwork, plans etc... is there some kind of pricing or is it between you and the designer?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by HighIron2003ar

Ok.

Let's say thee has a layout built for a average 10 x 8 room.

HOW MUCH? to have them put in benchwork, plans etc... is there some kind of pricing or is it between you and the designer?

I recall speaking with a custom layout builder years ago and remember being told it was a matter of size and design. Obviously the more elaborate, the greater the fee. Fair enough. I remember, too, feeling that most of this man's business came from well-to-do customers whom had little desire to build anything, yet loved to see trains run--and had lots of room (basements) available for large designs. To this day I wonder if small layouts are of interest to custom builders, given the "let's make some big bucks" mentality so pervasive in our society.

[CNJ831]

Just to put the question in better perspective as to costs, our local PBS channel ran a show a couple of weeks back that profiled a well known custom builder located a little north of Albany, NY. When asked what they charge for a "nice, complete layout", the answer was,"things start at a basic $50,000 and go up from there." They indicated that they have built at least one $300,000 private layout now in the mid west. My guess is that you could get some Hollywood special effects company that would do it better for less!

CNJ831

[Anonymous]

Response to 4884bigboy:

Who told you DCC wiring is more complex than DC? Don't listen to him! I can run three engines independently on the same track (more if I had more throttles) and I have two wires between the power supply & the booster and two wires from the booster to the tracks. The same functions with DC would require three seperate electrical blocks and their associated switches.

The defense rests.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by GerFust

SuperChiefFan:

Nope, I wouldn't use them. If I had a large enough layout, I might use a design consultant, if there is such a thing, to review my design and tell me what I might have missed. But then again, isn't that what you all are for?

-Jer

I am a design consultant, so we do exist, only I'm an architect professionally so I don't usually evaluate layout design (for pay). Still, there are plenty of us whose professional lives are design-oriented, and certainly many model railroaders who like layout design most of all, so be sure that there are those whose services might be available. I doubt, though, that there is anyone who performs exclusively this service for profit, and I bet the custom builders would charge too much to just look at a design.

So, as you say, that's what we hobbyists are for. Personally, I always evaluate track plans (my favorite aspect of layout articles in MR) when I look at them, questioning why a crossover is missing here or there, or why the aisles are so narrow, or spotting what seems like missed opportunities. This forum doesn't allow posting of images, but if you could find a way to upload your track plan onto your own web server (check with your ISP), you could share a link here and get lots of feedback.

[Anonymous]

As a person into building custom layouts I use my services on a daily basis.

see my website http://w3.trib.com/~mrljim.

Sorry I am booked with custom painting orders for a year and a half yet. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CNJ831

Just to put the question in better perspective as to costs, our local PBS channel ran a show a couple of weeks back that profiled a well known custom builder located a little north of Albany, NY. When asked what they charge for a "nice, complete layout", the answer was,"things start at a basic $50,000 and go up from there." They indicated that they have built at least one $300,000 private layout now in the mid west. My guess is that you could get some Hollywood special effects company that would do it better for less!

CNJ831

$50K? I think someone's a bit greedy just north of Albany.[:(] I mean, what qualifies as "nice and complete?" Is the layout heavy on the scenery? Lighted structures? What size are we talking here? I think some of the local boys would be more than willing to erect benchwork, etc. for far less just to make some extra cash. I haven't seen a layout to date that I would fork over $300K to have a replica of, either.

[Anonymous]

Being a carpenter by trade I would build my own benchwork definatly. Wait a minute maybe I should place an ad? unfortunatly I could build elaborate bench work but the rest "if I had the money" i would pay someone to do.

carpenter matt

[leighant]

If I had lots of disposable income shoirt of time and already had the dream train palace as a layout space, I would consider hiring someone to build the trackwork and wiring
But my ego, personality and idosyncracies are such that no one could DESIGN a layout for my tastes and desires to compare with my own design. Refine it maybe. Pick it apart for bugs. But the designer would have to start with MY design and end up with something pretty close to it. I just pretty much know what I want, and have been researching it for years and years.
And I would want to build the scenery and structures myself.
I would appreciate some help RUNNING it.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ebriley

Response to 4884bigboy:

Who told you DCC wiring is more complex than DC? Don't listen to him! I can run three engines independently on the same track (more if I had more throttles) and I have two wires between the power supply & the booster and two wires from the booster to the tracks. The same functions with DC would require three seperate electrical blocks and their associated switches.

The defense rests.

What's an electrical block? See, I know NOTHING about wiring.

[AggroJones]

No. Anything they can do, I can do just as well. I wanted to be a custom builder and model man but fear I could not make enough money.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CNJ831

Just to put the question in better perspective as to costs, our local PBS channel ran a show a couple of weeks back that profiled a well known custom builder located a little north of Albany, NY. When asked what they charge for a "nice, complete layout", the answer was,"things start at a basic $50,000 and go up from there." They indicated that they have built at least one $300,000 private layout now in the mid west. My guess is that you could get some Hollywood special effects company that would do it better for less!

CNJ831

5 to 1 it was for some corporate exec or music/entertainer type whos too busy to spend the time doing it himself so it get some one to grind out a pike for him. then The owner can impress all his friend with "his" layout.

The only way I would even consider something like this would be IF (thats a BIG if) I ever decided to build a large 20' x 20' or larger room sized layout with full blown DCC and computerized switching and control systems. Then I could see to need for help with all the miles of electrical spagetti wiring issues and maybe help in doing the benchwork and maybe basic tracklaying.

But I would never let them design the plan for me nor would I ever let them design the scenery for me. Those are too personal. They would always be more or less the "hired help"

[vsmith]

Dont get me wrong, if your doing this Custon Layout Service for a living thats great!

Its great you can make a living doing something you love to do, especially in this sour economy. It just that short of me hitting the Lotto, I'll never be able to even consider the $$'s it sound like these services require. So for me and it sounds like a lot of others here its really a non-issue. We are too poor and will always have Hydrocal dust in our clothes and wood splinters in our hands.

[Anonymous]

The people I know that build layouts here aren't making a lot of money at it. The reason is that to charge what you are really worth drives up the price of a layout. What should I charge an hour as a custom layout designer and builder. First figure out how long it took me to get good at all the skills required, then factor in all the time required. So what would you value as your hourly rate?

As anyone who has built a layout will tell you, everything seems to take about 4 times longer than you thought. And there is more work required than you originally thought. Layouts are unbelievably labour intensive. So $50,000 for a large layout wouldn't surprise me at all, especially if he wants a high level of detail.