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Old 03-11-2018, 10:16 AM   #1
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How much did you pay for your bimini?

Hi All,

We contracted out to a Canvas shop out of Anacortes to build us a complete new bimini. We gave him a $1200 deposit. We have a complete helm and seat cover for the bridge and his worker punched 2 holes in it where he thought the front struts should go through. We were taken back a bit as we did not have any intention of having the bimini up while the bridge was covered. Then he made these giant 8" holes and sewed in leather to make a cone that would be tied around the strut. I have really had to calm the Mrs down. The owner admitted they should have asked first. Ya think? I ordered him yesterday to restore my helm cover to original (i.e. no holes) and get it back to us. Were a good 45 minutes away from his shop and they have had to go back and forth at least 3 times now.

I'm just wondering what the fair price is for the construction and installation of a bimini should be. I'm certainly not paying him for the screw ups.

Dave
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Old 03-11-2018, 10:28 AM   #2
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How much did you pay for your bimini?

I know this is a generalization, but some of the worst boat related contractors I’ve met are canvas/Bimini contractors.

Sorry. I’m no help.
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Old 03-11-2018, 10:42 AM   #3
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We paid $2,100 Canadian in Vancouver. It included the frame and a boot (cover). We had a similar estimate from a shop in Blaine but we were in Vancouver at the time.
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Old 03-11-2018, 11:04 AM   #4
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Ten years ago:

Our Tolly came with a not new bridge bimini on it. Purchased and self installed the then new bimini over sun deck. Both are sunbrella material. Bridge frame is galvanized. Sun deck frame is stainless steel. Covers for each when down. Both bimini in good condition still.

Spent another $25 +/- for fasteners/bolts to install the sun deck bimini onto boat's stainless railing.

Sun deck bimini cost just under $600... shipped to me as complete package. Installation time, single handed, couple hours.
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Old 03-11-2018, 11:07 AM   #5
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Dave
Was your installer the low bidder?
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Old 03-11-2018, 11:25 AM   #6
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Dave
Was your installer the low bidder?
Nope, I hired him because he is one of about 4 in the area who said he could start it BEFORE June. This was back in January that I hired him and they have been at it for a week and a half.
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Old 03-11-2018, 08:47 PM   #7
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I am following closely with the same question.

Our frame is good, but the sunbrella top was left deployed while the boat was on the market for a number of months. Who knows, it may have been open for years. It is worn through in several places and I would like to have it repaired or renewed.
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Old 03-11-2018, 08:53 PM   #8
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Just got a price for full Bimini bridge enclosure. Nothing wrong with mine just wanted a color change. 5,000.00 I’ll keep mine till it wears out.
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Old 03-11-2018, 09:02 PM   #9
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A friend of mine is getting his flybridge enclosure redone due to a handheld horn exploding inside his old enclosure. It is costing his insurance company $6800.00.
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Old 03-11-2018, 09:17 PM   #10
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Doesn't spending $5 to $10 grand on our boats annually on boat maintenance and improvements typical (not counting insurance, berthage and operational costs)? That's my experience ... contributing to the local economy.
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Old 03-11-2018, 09:26 PM   #11
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Quote:
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Just got a price for full Bimini bridge enclosure. Nothing wrong with mine just wanted a color change. 5,000.00 I’ll keep mine till it wears out.
There's less than a thousand dollars in material in that enclosure, and that's using the good materials.

I had a local contractor quote me similar for a camper back enclosure ( I had the frame already). So I bought the material from Sailrite and built it myself, saved $4k.

There's no rocket science to canvas work.
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Old 03-11-2018, 09:38 PM   #12
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There's less than a thousand dollars in material in that enclosure, and that's using the good materials.

I had a local contractor quote me similar for a camper back enclosure ( I had the frame already). So I bought the material from Sailrite and built it myself, saved $4k.

There's no rocket science to canvas work.
I don’t know about that, I look at our flybridge enclosure and I see a lot of zippers and all kinds of pieces. Looks like rocket science to me! Lol
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Old 03-11-2018, 09:41 PM   #13
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We paid $2,100 Canadian in Vancouver. It included the frame and a boot (cover). We had a similar estimate from a shop in Blaine but we were in Vancouver at the time.
Not trying to be a prick but this looks very similar to a boat canopy you'd buy on eBay for $200

https://www.ebay.com.au/b/Boat-Bimin...47/bn_72173268
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Old 03-11-2018, 09:50 PM   #14
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I don’t know about that, I look at our flybridge enclosure and I see a lot of zippers and all kinds of pieces. Looks like rocket science to me! Lol
It's not really. I never had operated a sewing machine until I did my project. I watched the Sailrite videos on YouTube, walked around the marina and looked at how others did it and proceeded.
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Old 03-12-2018, 05:43 AM   #15
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There's no rocket science to canvas work.

Maybe not, but it does take a goodly amount of space (a table or large open floor space) to properly build a 10’x12’ bimini. Add a dog or cat into the mix and, well, dog and cat owners know what I am talking about.

Just to do a 1-for-1 replacement of ours had a low of $1500 and a high of $3000. We have opted to, at some point, try and do it ourselves when it warms up, but I have to build a large sewing table first.

100% of your success is in the pattern making! It has to be accurate and easy to understand a week later when you forgot what all the marks are for. ;-)
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Old 03-12-2018, 06:26 AM   #16
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In our generous sized aft cockpit we use a 10x10 patio unit that unfolds out of a bag.

About $60 at local stores.
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Old 03-12-2018, 07:22 AM   #17
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Maybe not, but it does take a goodly amount of space (a table or large open floor space) to properly build a 10’x12’ bimini. Add a dog or cat into the mix and, well, dog and cat owners know what I am talking about.

Just to do a 1-for-1 replacement of ours had a low of $1500 and a high of $3000. We have opted to, at some point, try and do it ourselves when it warms up, but I have to build a large sewing table first.

100% of your success is in the pattern making! It has to be accurate and easy to understand a week later when you forgot what all the marks are for. ;-)
I used my dining room table, it worked fine.

And on the part about patterns, take the time and make lots of notes, measure several times.
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Old 03-12-2018, 08:01 AM   #18
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In our generous sized aft cockpit we use a 10x10 patio unit that unfolds out of a bag.

About $60 at local stores.
GO Fred!!
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Old 03-12-2018, 08:17 AM   #19
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Not trying to be a prick but this looks very similar to a boat canopy you'd buy on eBay for $200

https://www.ebay.com.au/b/Boat-Bimin...47/bn_72173268
I chucked when I saw that. Aluminum frame, plastic fittings and rated up to forty knots. Heck, we’d have replaced ours this morning with a couple of wind gusts we had.

In all seriousness, I think you get what you pay for. Ours is all SS frame, fittings, Tenara thread, the frame is ~9’ across and has survived winds over 50 knots more than once.
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Old 03-12-2018, 08:52 AM   #20
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Quote:
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I chucked when I saw that. Aluminum frame, plastic fittings and rated up to forty knots. Heck, we’d have replaced ours this morning with a couple of wind gusts we had.

In all seriousness, I think you get what you pay for. Ours is all SS frame, fittings, Tenara thread, the frame is ~9’ across and has survived winds over 50 knots more than once.
Sure did have some pretty big wind gusts this morning!
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