Cabinet Shops & Fabricators
Employees, managers, and owners at cabinet shops and countertop fabricators average $28.63 per hour, according to a salary survey of cabinet shops and countertop fabricators conducted by the National Kitchen & Bath Association and Wood & Wood Products. That's more than dental hygienists, civil engineers, or police detectives earn per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The survey, which polled more than 200 respondents, found that business owners earned an average $102,569 with perks. That works out to $35.51 per hour, as owners report working almost 50 hours per week.
Managers reported an average $80,483 with perks, and worked an average of 47.2 hours per week. That comes out to $20.90 per hour.
Cabinet shop/countertop fabricator employees reported earning an average $55,648, and working an average 44.5 hours per week. That comes out to $15.30 per hour.
In all, 58.8% of those who responded were business owners. Some 29.4% were managers: 10.5% production managers, 5.3% sales managers, and 13.6% were other managers. The remaining 11.8% were employees: 8.3% salespersons/designers, 1.3% production workers and 2.2% support staff.
Average size of the companies where respondents work was $2.6 million in sales during 2006, generated with an average of 17 employees. Almost 33% of those responding worked for or owned companies with six or fewer employees, while 29.9% were employed by or owned companies with more than 30 workers.
Sixty-four percent of those responding were compensated by straight salary. Another 18.0% were owners who took from the business as needed, and 7.1% were paid on hourly basis. The remaining 10.9% were compensated with commission or some combination of salary and commission.
Almost 53% of those receiving all or some of their compensation via commission were paid commission on price, and the average commission paid on that price was 9.8%. Some 31.4 were paid commission on net profit, and the average commission on net profit was 13.7%. The remaining 15.7% were paid on gross, and the average commission paid on gross was 11.8%.
Just over four out of every ten respondents got a raise during 2006; 58.5% did not. Some 23.4% got a raise in 2004, 15.2% last got a raise in 2004. Seven percent got their last raise in 2003, 4.7% got their last raise in 2002, and 8.2% haven't had a raise since 2001 or before. The average raise received was $8,789.
The work ethic is alive and well at cabinet shops and countertop fabricators; respondents averaged just 1.6 sick days last year, and 65.5% took no sick days at all. Respondents averaged just over 10 vacation days and 5 other paid holidays.
More than three out of every four (77.4%) respondents have a medical plan. Some 43.2% have a prescription drug plan, and 42.6% have life insurance. Just over 39% have a 401k, and the same percentage have a dental plan.
Almost 27% have a vision plan, 21.3% have long-term disability insurance, 20% have accident/accidental death and dismemberment insurance, 19.4% have a simple IRA, and 18.7% have short-term disability insurance.
Some 17.4% have a profit sharing arrangement.
More than half of those with a medical plan (54.5%) have a PPO; 27.3% have an HMO; 9.1% have a POS plan; and the same number have some other type of health care plan.
Respondents report on the average that the employer pays 23.9% of the health insurance premium in single coverage and employees pay 76.1%. In family coverage, employers pay an average 16.7%, and employees pay an average 83.3%.
Business owners report that they pay an average $984 annually per employee in single coverage and $1,100 per employee in family coverage.
Nearly 62% of those responding got a Christmas or year-end bonus, with the average amount received $2,801. Some 23.9% got a performance bonus last year, with the average bonus received $8,622.
About 74% of owners and 40.5% of managers have a company car. Just under 61% of all respondents say they have use of company vehicles in off-hours.
Some 70.9% of all respondents say they are reimbursed for mileage or car use. Of those, 69.8% are reimbursed for straight mileage. 17.2% were reimbursed for gas, 7.8% were reimbursed full cost, and the remainder by some other method. Average reimbursement reported was 40 cents per mile.
Almost 42% of respondents have family leave available, with the average length of time offered 14 days. Some 43.7% have a flex-time arrangement.
Nearly 40% (39.6%) of respondents have a college diploma or better, and another 34.0% have some college.
Respondents report that the company they work for has been in business an average of 21.7 years, Some 88.2% manufacture kitchen cabinets; 82.8% manufacture bath cabinets; 52.9% fabricate laminate countertops; 45.7% manufacture furniture; 41.6% commercial fixtures; 40.3% architectural detail; 32.1% solid surface countertops; 25.4% other countertops; and 7.7% other products.