Would You Use The Services of a Custom Layout Builder?

[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?

[CP5415]

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

Gordon

[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...

[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.

[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!

[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]

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.

[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 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![:)]

[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

[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

[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

[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.

[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

[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]

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.