This is to the people that had a custom bumper made locally, what is the typical price for a custom bumper? Also if you could post a picture of your bumper, that would be great so I can get an idea of how much it costs and for what type of product. I realize prices will not be all the same but nice to have a general idea.
It all depends on the level of effort and amount of material. Tube bumpers go for at little as 500 dollars and fancier stuff are all around 800-900 or more.
I would get a pre made one simply because you know how it will turn out.
I am now realizing that the ShortBus I have from Slee and the soon to be 4x4 Labs are really about the same as a custom price-wise. I would have thought the custom is much cheaper as they are usually local.
Pricing is really all over the map. It is hard to beat the production prices on something like an ARB bumper. I always tell people whom want custom stuff that it best be something VERY custom that they can't get off of the shelf, otherwise I really can't compete price wise and their $$ is not a good value being spent with me.
Buy a welder and an angle grinder - you could build your own and a custom bumper can be had for the price of the steel and the tools (under $1000 easy). About three trucks ago I just bought a welder and started learning.
There's 65 pieces in this and I built it on the weekends. I did it in the driveway. If I priced it out to sell, no one would buy it at the cost I'd have to sell it for to cover my time. That's the problem with custom work - it's costly. Better to buy of the shelf if you don't wish to fabricate.
Yeah even when someone is good at buliding bumpers by the time you factor in his time and then the costs of his machines he's had to buy, plasma (cnc), press brake ($$$$$$$$$$$), welders etc... Its a lot of money for custom fab. Even if he skips out on the cnc plasma and press brake he will have to outsource or cut by hand and their is more money and time.
Expect to pay around 1000 for something fairly basic. Though certainly it depends on the shop.
I have a friend in this game and I'm pretty familiar with prices for totota armor, fwiw.
You can expect a rear with swingout(s) and other cool gadgets to cost significantly more. Think 1600+
Really the time and cost to invest in the tooling needed is staggering. Let alone the skill needed. Custom fab is an art, positively absolutely an art.
I'd expect a front with headlight tube gaurds and such should run around a grand. This being from an off road armor fab shop and not a welding shop as I'd expect theyd probably charge you shop rate/hr and you'd... Well it'd be very cost prohibitve.
i went the cheap way. so here is my story on a super cheap custom bumper.
i had an idea of what i wanted so i did some basic mock ups with pvc pipe and sticks just to get an idea.... we said cheap here.
i then went and picked up some pipe from a local store and took it to a muffler shop. had the guy use his super high end bender to knock out the bends in the way i asked.
i then took those pieces to a buddy who welded them up for a 6 pack for me. i think total i was in it about 125 bucks.
I am now realizing that the ShortBus I have from Slee and the soon to be 4x4 Labs are really about the same as a custom price-wise. I would have thought the custom is much cheaper as they are usually local.
I sent a pic of the shortbus bumper and a link to the page to a local fabrication welding shop that listed bumpers as being one of the jobs they can do, and the guy said there was no way he could meet the price listed on Slee's site. He said it would be at least $200-$300 more from him.
When you have a design that's not a one off, its easy to keep margin up by replicating it over and over. It means costs can be managed to be affordable for the purchaser.
