WOW why is UC so expensive?

[fractal]

I just saw the starter kit with 4 buckets is $900! I see at most, $400 worth of stuff including the air and water pumps, tubing, hoses and buckets. Why is this system so bloody expensive? Is it just that people will pay that much so they don't have to build it themselves? Never have looked at the system before so I was really surprised to see that, talk about sticker shock!

 

[mastacheeser]

The 60 site aeroflos run like 1k each

And don't forget the chiller

 

[ttystikk]

I know, right? I've yet to pay dime one for a five gallon bucket...

 

[fractal]

The set doesn't include a chiller does it? If it does, then it sounds about right for that cost.Does it include a controller like the ebb/grow system? I'm just not seeing why it is anywhere close to $900 and nowadays it doesn't cut it to price hydro gear way high "because you're growing money trees".

Seriously, even if those buckets are custom made they would be no more than $40 each. . .Not the 13 gallon buckets the normal sized ones. And all of the piping and tubing is off the shelf stuff. I see $200-250 for air and water pump, then $150 for four buckets and tubes/pipes. That's retail not wholesale.

 

[Papa]

when was the last time you paid msrp at your hydro store? so maybe we're talking something less than $900. two hours later, if you can follow directions, you have nutes in the system awaiting plants. there's no design work to be done, no hole saw to buy, and no late-night runs to home depot for another pvc fitting. everything you need is in the box, packaged extremely well, with instructions.

and it performs extremely well. consistently.

i love hot rodding as much as anyone . . . designing and tweeking systems . . . but for those who want to put together a great system with no hassle, it can't be beat. and on top of all that, you get fantastic customer service. dog chewed up a bulkhead? give cc a call and they get one out to you that day. have a question about nute levels? give cc a call and they'll have an answer for you based upon years of experience.

 

[sixstring]

Got a link to the system your talking about?

 

[mastacheeser]

Cch2o.com

 

[Texas Kid]

Im just curious..if a manufacturer has $400 in cost what do you think they should sell it for? I've been in manufacturing all my life and the formula commonly used in large durable goods is material cost x 2.53% or divide by .40 I think and bill labor at 3 x pay rate..otherwise you are pretty much goin to loose money and that doesn't include any engineering if required that strait manufacturing no prototyping cost.If you walked into a machine shop tomorrow 9 times out of 10 they will start with that formula and adjust on quantity material buys. So if you make something for $400 how much if fair to you? $425.00, 500.00, 600.00? if you apply the traditional formula 400 x 2.53, you would be at $1012.00 then add labor to prep and package..so if you look at it like that it is under priced...the cheapest you can do it using the exact same components, not DIY tubs, cheap pumps, and no plumbing, is still over $400 bucks and you have to track it all down, cut all the tubes, cut all the buckets and that was me buying buckets 45 at a time to get the cost those down..if you think $900 is to much then don't buy one and build one yourself but quit bitchin all the time about how much they are..

 

[darkmatter]

It's a million miles away but I won't one or 5.

 

[Darth Fader]

Because there are many costs involved in running a business beyond simply adding up parts costs

 

[ttystikk]

when was the last time you paid msrp at your hydro store? so maybe we're talking something less than $900. two hours later, if you can follow directions, you have nutes in the system awaiting plants. there's no design work to be done, no hole saw to buy, and no late-night runs to home depot for another pvc fitting. everything you need is in the box, packaged extremely well, with instructions.

and it performs extremely well. consistently.

i love hot rodding as much as anyone . . . designing and tweeking systems . . . but for those who want to put together a great system with no hassle, it can't be beat. and on top of all that, you get fantastic customer service. dog chewed up a bulkhead? give cc a call and they get one out to you that day. have a question about nute levels? give cc a call and they'll have an answer for you based upon years of experience.

THIS. For all the ribbing I give the UC elsewhere on the forum, this is what you get when you pay for one. Customer service is worth what you pay for it, especially when you're growing 'Money trees'. And while we're on the subject, show me anything a farmer plants that ISN'T worth something?! Or, why would they plant it??

 

[fractal]

Im just curious..if a manufacturer has $400 in cost what do you think they should sell it for? I've been in manufacturing all my life and the formula commonly used in large durable goods is material cost x 2.53% or divide by .40 I think and bill labor at 3 x pay rate..otherwise you are pretty much goin to loose money and that doesn't include any engineering if required that strait manufacturing no prototyping cost.If you walked into a machine shop tomorrow 9 times out of 10 they will start with that formula and adjust on quantity material buys. So if you make something for $400 how much if fair to you? $425.00, 500.00, 600.00? if you apply the traditional formula 400 x 2.53, you would be at $1012.00 then add labor to prep and package..so if you look at it like that it is under priced...the cheapest you can do it using the exact same components, not DIY tubs, cheap pumps, and no plumbing, is still over $400 bucks and you have to track it all down, cut all the tubes, cut all the buckets and that was me buying buckets 45 at a time to get the cost those down..if you think $900 is to much then don't buy one and build one yourself but quit bitchin all the time about how much they are..

I said I didn't see more than $400, Retail price. I'm guessing the 4 bucket system costs around $80 to manufacture, + the air and water pump they probably get for $60 each. About $200 cost to manufacture the 4 bucket system that sells for $900. I've never looked at the UC systems and I'm not knocking their quality so it's not "bitching" it's asking a legitimate question. I was just really surprised how popular they are when the only thing you can't get off the shelf is their custom sized buckets which are made by the thousands in china for a couple bucks apiece.

 

[Texas Kid]

I guessed as well until I actually went out and sourced and bought exactly what is included in the UC kit complete,,except the lids which are proprietary so I bought those from UC, I used the cheaper uniseals and not the bulk heads...even to get the 13 gallon buckets in at under $10 bucks each I had to buy 45 of them and go pick them up local....

(4) 13 gallon buckets for plants
(1) 13 gallon bucket for epicenter
(4) lids
(1) cover
(1) Magdrive 500gph water pump
(1) AP-60 air pump
(9) 3" uniseal or bulkhead fittings
(4) 5" air dics for plants
(1) 9" air disc for epicenter
(1) filter backflow preventer combo
(2) 3" tee pvc
(4) 3" elbow pvc
(10') 3" pvc
(8') 3/4" water return line
(1) float valve assembly
(1) 3/4" tee and bung
(1) 3/4" drain and bung
(4) 8" netpots

tools you will need..3" hole saw, miter saw, cordless drill, pvc glue

Now go put the numbers to it, there might be a couple little fittings I missed but thats pretty much it but you would have to find it all and get and then cut everything yourself

 

[Amber]

Im just curious..if a manufacturer has $400 in cost what do you think they should sell it for? I've been in manufacturing all my life and the formula commonly used in large durable goods is material cost x 2.53% or divide by .40 I think and bill labor at 3 x pay rate..otherwise you are pretty much goin to loose money and that doesn't include any engineering if required that strait manufacturing no prototyping cost.If you walked into a machine shop tomorrow 9 times out of 10 they will start with that formula and adjust on quantity material buys. So if you make something for $400 how much if fair to you? $425.00, 500.00, 600.00? if you apply the traditional formula 400 x 2.53, you would be at $1012.00 then add labor to prep and package..so if you look at it like that it is under priced...the cheapest you can do it using the exact same components, not DIY tubs, cheap pumps, and no plumbing, is still over $400 bucks and you have to track it all down, cut all the tubes, cut all the buckets and that was me buying buckets 45 at a time to get the cost those down..if you think $900 is to much then don't buy one and build one yourself but quit bitchin all the time about how much they are..

My better half is a numbers guy and he looked into the cost of building the system before we bought ours and the difference for the same parts to make the system from plastic mart and all the cheapest places we could find for everything. In the end it was a couple hundred bucks that we would have saved if we made no mistakes and did it perfect the first time with no room for error and no instructions. No bulkheads attached to the pvc already no excellent customer service to consult. It pays for itself in less than six months. I kinda feel like I should tip em due to the fact that we have built a diy system and had to work out the bugs and run to the hardware store 40 minutes away when you live in the mountains sometimes 2 times in one day because you flooded your room with a couple hundred gallons of water. We spent way more trying to beat the sticker price and it was a lot of trial and error. I think its the best couple hundred bucks you will ever spend to have a system ready to rock all the trial and error done for you and no runs to the store for the right part. Its all in the boxes with instructions and I think there is even a youtube video now step by step assembly. You get what you pay for and its all put together for ya right here in Cali by people that have spent time with the system. Just look at this measuring cup that was sent with my last order.

Now it may not seem like much but its a heartfelt gift if you ask me coming from some peeps that really understand the kind of measuring cup you need.

 

[ttystikk]

Counterpoint to Amber's post above; I AM that guy who will build his own RDWC system; not to beat the cost but rather to end up with a better one. I used bulkhead fittings when CC was still using uniseals for everything. I use universal net pot bucket lids. I couldn't stand the idea of sawing up all that pvc and went with 1"hose- now, it's flexible and fittings cost a couple bucks each at the hardware store. This simplifies installation incredibly! Even the design of interior ports promotes mixing in the tubs.

And this week, after the fourth reconfiguration/uprade with the same parts I started with- without ever needing to cut more pieces, by the way- I've come up with an even more significant innovation; using a manifold of my own design, I've ELIMINATED AIR PUMPS AND STONES COMPLETELY.

Replacing air stones with waterfalls in RDWC

Current Culture has no monopoly on innovation, and the diligent and dedicated will find ways to make improvements. They have no advantage in cost, either- but the one thing that still makes it worth every dime to people is great customer service, and that's not a minor detail when you live in an apartment and your system is threatening to drain its life blood into your downstairs neighbor's bedroom!

 

[babyhughie586]

i built mine myself a few years ago... Same everything except my 8gal buckets are white, same buckets though ez-stor 8gal... I thought i was gonna save a fortune after all was said and done i saved about $250... I would without a doubt never build another one again... For saving 250 it just wasnt worth sourcing all the parts and building it... TIME IS MONEY....

I used to have a thread here that detailed the entire build and where to get all the parts but when the farm updated their servers a coupke years ago it was "lost".... Fuckin shit pissed me off and still does and is the reason i wont start another grow log here..

if i was to build another i totally agree with ttystik.. I would build it to improve on it, if your doing it just to save a few bucks its really not worth it

 

[babyhughie586]

I said I didn't see more than $400, Retail price. I'm guessing the 4 bucket system costs around $80 to manufacture, + the air and water pump they probably get for $60 each. About $200 cost to manufacture the 4 bucket system that sells for $900. I've never looked at the UC systems and I'm not knocking their quality so it's not "bitching" it's asking a legitimate question. I was just really surprised how popular they are when the only thing you can't get off the shelf is their custom sized buckets which are made by the thousands in china for a couple bucks apiece.

they are not "made in china" they are made right here in the usa... when i ordered mine they came from texas freight shipping is a bitch... look them up 8 or 13 gallon ez-stor square bucket

 

[Amber]

OK to be completely honest I have made changes to my system but that is because we are not trying to stop improving ever. The point I am trying to make is that I bought and set up the UC stock from Current Culture and this is what I got.

That is money well spent in my opinion since this was less than 6 months later.

 

[ttystikk]

Amber, you get no arguments from me. Pass the pipe!

 

[babyhughie586]

amber will you marry me???