There is another discussion on this list about professionally built layouts costing $150 - $200 per square foot using standard scenery.
So all of you… What do you think the following layouts cost per square foot.
-Basic floor layout on plywood with track and switches.
-Add $??? per operating accessory on average.
-Christmas tree layout including track and scenery.
-4x8 table layout with woodland scenics scenery,8 buildings not including track.
-4x8 table layout loaded with buildings and scenery (toy like) not including track…
-Larger layout with woodland scenics scenery and 12 buildings not including track…
-Larger layout loaded with buildings and scenery (toy like) not including track.
How much do you suppose track is per square foot (or should we say $3 per linear foot?). A 4x8 layout would be in the neighborhood of 24 linear feet plus the cost of switches ($30 ea). Double the track linear feet for for two loops.
The cost of Lionel O-22 switches is going to be more than $30. The price range I have seen for them is $37-64. Lionel O-72 switches are more. Gargraves or Ross switches with motors will be more than $30.
The cost per square foot is tough because it really depends on the track plan, type and quality of items selected, level of detail, etc. Do you have any 45 or 90 degree crossovers? Large switch yard? How many people figures? Bridges? etc, etc.
As a rough example:
I was looking at an 87 sq. ft. track plan that uses 36" wide doors.
The track is all O guage tinplate with O-31 curves.
The plan has 37 O-22 switches and Plasticville buildings.
This is not a highly detailed or scale layout, it is a toy train layout.
I roughly estimated the buildings, track, switches, doors, and table legs to be about $2,500. Most likely a little more because I would be buying retail and would need to have some items shipped. The switches alone come in at about $1,480 at low retail.
This roughly comes out to $28.75 per square foot not including landscaping, people figures, wiring and wiring controls, or labor if someone else builds it.
If your asking about operator built layouts, they can be as expensive or inexpensive as you want. I built my entire layout’s benchwork from scrap lumber. When I rebuilt our deck, I recycled the wood. It’s solid as a rock, but didn’t cost me a cent. The plywood top was free as well. I got it from my neighbor’s, who were throwing it out. I finally started spending money when I had to buy foam panels to go on top of the plywood.
I bought a few new structure kits before realizing I can get them a lot cheaper at train shows. You’d be surprised what a little paint will do to a Plasticville structure.
I make my own trees for 2 reasons. First, I’m looking to make the layout as inexpensively as possible, and more importantly, I wasn’t impressed by what is commercially available.
I’m not Rockefeller. The less money I spend on the layout, the more money I’ll have to spend on trains. My layout hasn’t cost any where near the price per square foot you mention.
Honestly, under $10.00/sf is what I’d estimate my layout has cost me. Look at the photo in my post. That scene is heavily populated with store-bought trees I received for Christmas. Those trees alone double the cost per square foot. Now that I make my own, that cost is gone.
Trees all totaled = $5.00/sf.
Foam panel = approx $.50
Ground foam, lichen, paint = maybe $1.00
Train show second-hand farm structure = $3.00
Masonite panel = approx. $.50
I carved the stone wall from scrap foam panels. Free.
Being creative with my re$ource$, I’ve been able to build my layout on a real shoe string. I’m not saying that everyone should take this approach. I do so because I don’t have a lot of disposable income. If I did, I’d have seriously considered having a pro-built layout made for me. In fact, if I ever win the lottery, my first phone call would be to Williams - “send me one of everything you make”. The second would be to have a new layout designed and built in my new mansion.
Take for example those air filter trees. The filter cost $5.00. A can of spray paint, some glue sets you back another $5.00. The sticks are free out in the yard. One filter will yield dozens of pretty large (8 inch) trees. How much would that many trees that size cost to buy? Considerably more than $10.00!
I’ve found that my money really tends to go towards buying new trains, having PW trains repaired (huge cost. I wish I could fix them myself), and periferals, like a new transformer.
You can have a great lookin layout for chump change or you can have a half-baked layout for a rich-man’s ransom.
I’ve seen a layout filled with ready-made structures that looked fake compared to Jim’s layout, and others (of course you could spend a lot and also have a nice looking layout; but the point is that money doesn’t necessarily ensure a great layout).
I charge my time by the hour and say $50 is a good rate for a pro (do not laugh, have you had any work done at your house lately).
Lets see my layout of only a few hundred square feet that took 30 years of part time work (all overtime X 1 1/2 as I work a real job too) to construct and cost way more than that $200,000 price for 1200 sf. DIY is not so bad after all for a HOBBY. In terms of spending real money I buy trains on the cheap, raid trainshow junk boxes and will only pay $5 for a pair of Marx switches.
Cost of Fun of planning and building your OWN layout, PRICELESS.