Market Research

[rittert3]

I'm just like every other joe these days trying to get by and pay a few bills, I got a thing or 2 keeping me from full time employment and had an idea strike me. I know all of us BYCers are always looking for new coop designs, features, ect. and we need some help now and then. So my idea was to start helping people organize their coop plans, material list, and possibly draw up a "blue print" for them for a small fee. The reason for this post is to see how many people would see this as a valuable resource and let me know what kind of fee you think is reasonable for these services. I have noticed people selling custom egglables, t-shirts, bussiness/farm logos ect. ect so I thought why not help people with their coops. I've gotten pretty skilled with sketch up the last couple years, know alot about chicken and their needs, alot about coop luxuries and features, and construction and carpentry. Please give me your thoughts on this and let me know what you think.

 

[rittert3]

Really 15 veiws and no comments, ideas, nothing? somebody must have something to say.... Please!

 

[AngelaClassAct]

I kinda enjoy the design process via trial and error and searching around the web. My husband is an awesome builder, so....I show him ideas, and I think through practicality and functionality. If we weren't do-ers, then hiring a person would probably work well. I'm not in the market for a service like this, so I wouldn't pay for it, which is why I didn't respond.

That being said, you could open up an Etsy shop and offer your services there. I don't know that you could make a FT gig out of it, but you never know, you could be the next published chicken expert!

 

[rittert3]

I'm just kind of looking to make a few extra dollars here and there doing what I enjoy. I want to work with people on their own ideas and help them organize everything so it is easier to work with, I might also give people ideas of things to make what they thought of them selves better in some shape or form. I also know of tons of less obvious retailers of the hard to find products that go into building coops and can help find these cheaper to get people more for their money or the same for less money.

 

[seattlehens83]

Personally I wouldn't use your services. I also enjoy the process and I would view it as the less I spend on other things is the more I can spend on the coop.

Would reconsider if you were an expert on coop building and practicality... i.e. reducing cleaning, feeding time.... and could develop plans/ideas that are new and more efficient than what people are currrently using...

It seems to me that since most people are building their own coops they most likely have the ability to make material list, track down cheap products and come up with the best way to build... plus thats what this forum is for.

I see what your offering and its not a bad idea I just wouldnt have the need for it.

Just trying to give yah a little feedback.

 

[AZBootsie]

The planning is my favorite part of the project....so no, I wouldn't hire you. However when browsing coops for ideas, I saw plans for sell. You might do OK if you prepared a couple of different blueprints, pics, material lists etc and sold the packet on-line.

 

[rittert3]

I am good at putting togather current systems available for the most practical and convenient overall system for the budget available. In a way my service would be like ordering coop plans but cheaper, more personalized, and more interactive for the customer. I could give ideas during the planning process if needed then organize everything into a blueprint, and a complete materials list including where to go to get the best price on each given material/ product. I know alot of people are crunched for time so I would beable to give them the opertunity to still create their own personalized coop without taking all the time to shop around and draw it up in a manner that is easy to understand when the fisical construction starts. In the end it would still be 100% the customers design, unless they wanted me to do more in which case I would be more than happy to help. $12.50 per project is an asking price that comes to mind and sketch-up alone (to draw up a detailed blue print) can take anywhere from 2-10 hours to draw up so I think as far as cost of time goes this would be a great deal.

 

[allpeepedout]

I think your idea has potential. However, most people I know who can build things themselves also enjoy the design and planning part, as well as the flexibility of improvising along the way. They don't necessarily like to work from drawn plans, and they are DIY to save $$$.

I do see a market for "Coop Architect" services for people who want a custom solution and need a set of drawn plans to hand off to a contractor (who may have no knowledge of coop design) to do the construction. To reach this market, you might need to communicate in a different and more upscale set of circles than then DIY crowd. And you could charge more. Just speculating.

 

[Time-Out]

Why don't you just give it a go? Surely it wouldn't cost you anything initially? Try popping some plans on ebay with a note saying that you can modfy them to the customers requirements. See what happens.

 

[Ole rooster]

The most important thing is to get yourself recognized. You will have to plaster your name and services everywhere. Show what you do and convince folks how you can help, or just make things easier for them. It's always worth a try. I looked at all the coops on BYC and took pieces of a lot of um and put that into what I wanted. It's a given what I built is not for everyone, but it's exactly what I wanted. There are changes I would make had I to do it over again. Maybe you could have helped there. I don't know. But me being in construction from the age of 3 kinda gave a head start of sorts. My biggest problem is a materials list. I don't know how many trips I made to HD. But part of that was me changing things as I went.

Try it, promote yourself and see.