How much does it cost to finish an RV?

[David Paule]

Doug had it right about it being more than you budgeted. The hard part is that his comment applies no matter what you budgeted.

Dave

[agent4573]

We're planning on right around 200k for our 7. The QB kit was 40k with shipping. The new io-375 engine is 41k before tax and shipping. Our panel estimate for dual g3x and full ifr nav was 50k. We've got 7k into tools so far. We're estimating 10k for paint, 5-10k for interior, 10k for misc components, etc. I think our numbers add up to 180 on estimates, but putting in a 10% buffer for unknowns brings us up to 200k.

[Nihon_Ni]

Maybe 10-12 years ago, there was an "Affordable Flying" display at AirVenture. One of the planes in it was an RV-8. The builder told me he had just under $40K all in. It was a revelation to me. He had a wood prop, mid-time O-320, used interior, etc. It made me realize there was more than one way to build an airplane. Granted, I didn't go that route with my build, but it did influence the choices I made.

[2of5]

Originally Posted by jcarne

I know a lot of people take this stance but I take a different one. I'm a numbers guy and it is part of the fascination for me. My -7A will have about 100k into it and when people get bug eyed at that number just ask them "Do you know anyone with a diesel truck and a 5th wheel, because it's about the same. Except mine doesn't depreciate." I don't know about you guys but people all around me own jet skiis, four wheelers, side by sides, campers, big trucks, etc. It's all in how you prioritize your toys.

That's how I've looked at it.

[fixnflyguy]

I fall into the category of low cost without compromise, "do it all myself because I like to build, and I don't have alot of money". I built my -4 before all the fancy panel stuff was out, so I'm all steam guages, rebuilt an old worn-out engine myself, refurbished a used wood prop, and painted it myself (1 color). Nothing fancy, flying now for 10 years and it meets my mission as I had imagined it. I have less than 30K into it,paid for as I built, and future upgrades to the panel will likely come at some point. To build at the low end of the $$ spectrum, you must be willing to do be patient ,scrounge for bargains and avoid paying others to do things that you can learn to do yourself. Even if I had a fat checkbook when I started, likely I would have done things the same..I wanted to build a plane, and that is what I did...AND its an RV!

[BillL]

Originally Posted by agent4573

We're planning on right around 200k for our 7. The QB kit was 40k with shipping. The new io-375 engine is 41k before tax and shipping. Our panel estimate for dual g3x and full ifr nav was 50k. We've got 7k into tools so far. We're estimating 10k for paint, 5-10k for interior, 10k for misc components, etc. I think our numbers add up to 180 on estimates, but putting in a 10% buffer for unknowns brings us up to 200k.

Pretty good numbers except paint. The way you are going, paint will easily be double + some extra from that budget. VOE

[Carl Froehlich]

It seems to me the panel cost listed above are high. I did a dual SkyView HDX high end IFR panel with GTN-650, Dynon Comm #2, dual axis autopilot, Dynon XPDR, ADS-B, PS Eng audio panel and such for less than $30K. This included all EMS modules and probes, heated pitot, ARINC module, ELT and all antennas.

Actually did two panels like this,

You can save a pile of money buying the components as a bundle from Stein, then wire it yourself. Modern EFIS systems are not at all hard to wire.

Carl

[airguy]

Originally Posted by findane

if you have to ask how much it's going to cost, don't build it. People ask me how much money I have into my 9A. I don't know and I don't want to know. Since it's the last aircraft I'll ever own, it doesn't matter.

Exactly correct. And it wasn't like I was going to get to some magic number in the budget one day and say "Nope, that's it, too expensive, I quit." Once I started, I was going to finish - might be sooner or later, but I was going to finish.

[meloosifah]

I am building on a budget and have frequently changed directions due to changing mission and changing budgets. I would recommend not making as many changes as I did!

Having said that, I would suggest that you can get it painted a single color for half or less what others are quoting or go with self-applied vinyl and reduce it even more.

You can get someone's last generation panel for $10-15k. I just sold my entire Dynon system with EVERY option including 2 screens for $10k because I am not going to be ready for it as soon as I hoped and didn't want to store avionics until they were obsolete.

There is archived evidence that you could buy a decent used engine and fixed pitch prop on this site for less than $20k EASY.

Finish kit is a must but you can buy the FWF piecemeal for half price - that's what I did - it just means more work for you. Take a picture of someone else's setup during their annual - it REALLY helps.

I would guess that I have AT LEAST $10k in all of the things that you don't really plan for, such as: seat cushions, harnesses, wiring, switches, lights, hardware, engine accessories, oil separator, decals, labels, throttle controls, stick grips, and on and on....

Summary: From your state to finish, I think you could scrounge and get by with another $40-45k and go up from there to another $150k. There is just no way to accurately predict. What I did was to plan for the next thing and start scouring the ads and airports WELL in advance of needing it. I also bought a great deal when it was available, whether I was ready for that part or not. That means that I ended up with extra stuff along the way as my plans changed but for the most part I have been able to sell the extras and get my money back.

I also bought an entire plane for the engine and sold the plane. An abandoned project for the tools and sold the project. Another abandoned project for the prop and sold the project. Traded my project for another project to get a finish kit. I have changed from a -6 (too much fabrication for me) to an -8 (wife not interested in flying) to a -7a (wife decided she likes flying when we are side by side) and now converting it to a -7 (to accommodate my preferred landing site).

Hope this helps!

[Jimbot]

Originally Posted by meloosifah

I also bought an entire plane for the engine and sold the plane. An abandoned project for the tools and sold the project. Another abandoned project for the prop and sold the project. Traded my project for another project to get a finish kit. I have changed from a -6 (too much fabrication for me) to an -8 (wife not interested in flying) to a -7a (wife decided she likes flying when we are side by side) and now converting it to a -7 (to accommodate my preferred landing site).

Hope this helps!

A few years ago, I was able to purchase a mid-time 160 hp Lycoming 0-320 with good compressions for only a few thousand dollars.

A guy was selling his RV-4, but the purchaser wanted to put a new 0-360 on it...so he told the seller he could just keep the old engine. The buyer paid asking price for the plane, the seller got to make a few extra bucks by selling the "old" engine...and I landed one HECK of a deal

Boy, I lucked out on that one!

Like Meloosifah says, good deals are out there if you can find them.