Approximate Building Costs

[Wingedsig]

Just getting started in the process of gathing information and inspiration for building my oven. I was wondering if anyone has kept records of material costs of building their ovens and if so approximately how much has been invested?

Thanks.

[Marcel]

(M) Before you get frightened away by the large TOTAL expense, you need to know that several expenses I included may not apply to you. For example, I included the cost of the angle grinder, the small tile saw, some labor costs such as a machine leveling of the ground in preparation for an extra large (10' x 10') slab, the extra cost of having the concrete delivered, the extra cost of a super strong mixture, a custom built chimney cap, etc.

(M) Also, I am in the process of building a modest outdoor kitchen on the same slab which has electrical outlets and a cheap but attractive used sink.

(M) My TOTAL cost to date is about $1,900 but if you were to construct just the oven on a 6' x 7' slab, I'm sure you could do it for $1,500. Also, note that I have the following left over materials: 40+ bricks at about $1.10 each, and 2 bags of fire clay (I really over estimated there). But, I will still need to add a metal roof for about $150, some hand made tools for perhaps $50, and I hope to add some decorative tile such as a Listello trim.

(M) I'm not surprised at the cost; I made many mistakes, but I am still having fun with the process and I haven't even baked a pizza yet, though I've had 3 modest test firings.

(M) Go for it!

Ciao,

Marcel

[woolbay1]

Hi

I live in Adelaide, South Australia, and have just partly finished building a RADO Masterly Tail using second hand materials.

In Adelaide, the MT would have cost me AUD$2,500 to buy the materials new.
I have built it for AUD$800. I could have saved more money by mixing the
concrete from sand/gravel/cement instead of buying the premixed bags. The
concrete, cement, lime and reinforcing steel are the only things I have paid
retail for. The firebricks came from a Kiln that was pulled down 25 years
ago and stored in the demolishers back yard (AUD$0.70 v AUD$4.00), the
bricks for the outside from EBAY (700 for AUD$40 vs. AUD$1.00 each), the
wood for form work and arch templates was collected from scrap at no cost.

I have still to construct the roof and chimney and I will have to buy some more bricks to complete this section