A potential client contacted me recently, confused and a bit frustrated. They’d requested quotes from three furniture makers for a dining table and received prices ranging from $4,500 to $12,000.

“Are some of you just overcharging?” they asked.

The answer is more complicated—and understanding it helps clients get better outcomes from custom furniture relationships.

The Design Interpretation Problem

When you ask three makers to quote “a dining table, 2400mm x 1000mm, in walnut,” you’re not actually asking for the same thing.

One maker might envision a simple slab top on steel legs. Another pictures a traditional solid wood construction with hand-cut joinery. A third imagines a more architectural piece with waterfall edges and integrated leaves.

Each interpretation is valid. Each requires different materials, different techniques, different time. The prices reflect those differences, not arbitrary markup.

Better briefs produce more comparable quotes. Specify the style you want, the edge profile, the base design, any special features. Share reference images. The more defined your brief, the more meaningful the price comparison.

Materials Cost More Than You Think

Timber pricing varies dramatically by species, grade, and figure. A basic walnut board might run $40-60 per lineal foot. Highly figured walnut from a reputable supplier could be $150+.

For a large dining table requiring substantial volume of solid timber, material selection alone can swing the price by several thousand dollars.

Some makers quote with premium materials as default. Others quote entry-level materials and offer upgrades. Neither approach is wrong, but they produce different starting numbers.

Shop Rate Differences Are Real

Custom furniture making happens in settings ranging from backyard sheds to professional workshops with climate control, spray booths, and expensive machinery.

A maker working from a rented industrial unit with modern CNC equipment, commercial insurance, and an employee or two has overhead that a garage hobbyist doesn’t. Their hourly rate reflects that.

Does that mean the professional shop produces better work? Not necessarily—I’ve seen excellent furniture come from humble workshops. But the business structures are different, and prices reflect business reality as much as skill level.

Design Complexity Compounds

Some designs look simple but require complex execution. A table with an invisible expansion mechanism. Legs that appear impossibly thin but must support substantial load. Grain-matched veneer across multiple panels.

Makers who’ve built similar pieces before know the challenges. They price accordingly. Makers without that experience might underquote because they don’t yet understand what they’re signing up for.

The most accurate quotes often come from makers who’ve done similar work and can speak specifically about the challenges your piece presents.

What Clients Should Ask

Instead of just comparing final numbers, try asking:

What materials are you assuming? Species, grade, figure, source. Understand what you’re getting.

What construction methods? Solid wood versus veneered core? Traditional joinery versus modern fasteners? Hand finishing versus spray?

What’s your timeline? Rush work costs more. If you’re flexible on timing, say so—it might affect price.

What happens if the design changes during the project? Some makers have formal change order processes. Others expect to adapt. Understanding this upfront prevents surprises.

Can I see examples of similar work? Photos, past client references, pieces in galleries. Quality is easier to assess than price.

The Bottom Line

Price variation in custom furniture isn’t evidence of bad actors. It’s evidence of a diverse industry where different makers offer different propositions.

The cheapest quote isn’t always the best value. The most expensive quote isn’t always the best quality. The right choice is the maker whose approach, materials, and style align with what you’re actually trying to create—at a price that works for both parties.

That takes conversation, not just quote comparison.