Start with the decision
Time is easy to overlook when materials are neatly itemized. Decide whether your labor input represents making, packing or both. Keep any additional event or order labor separate unless it has already been included.
Worked calculation
At an illustrative hourly value of 18, ten minutes per candle is 3 of labor. If an efficient batch takes 60 minutes for 20 accepted candles, the allocation is 0.90 each. Include setup and accepted yield where appropriate.
Convert batch time into labor per accepted unit
For a product plan, total cost is the sum of distinct materials, packaging and labor inputs. Add bundle or event costs only when they are incremental; avoid adding any component twice.
Time the whole repeatable process across a normal batch: setup, making, cleanup and quality checks. Divide by accepted units, not the number poured if some pieces are routinely unusable. Keep unusual product development or photography separate from repeat production labor unless you deliberately allocate those costs across the product line.
Check the changed-cost scenario
Choose a planning hourly value and review it against actual hours; this is a business assumption, not a wage recommendation. If the owner’s labor is already included in a product cost, do not add it a second time to an event budget. Clear labels make it possible to compare a faster process without pretending the labor disappeared.
| Input or result | Value |
|---|---|
| Hourly planning value | 18 |
| 10 minutes per candle | 3 per candle |
| 60-minute batch / 20 accepted units | 0.90 per unit |
| 60-minute batch / 15 accepted units | 1.20 per unit |
Record setup, cleanup and rejected output when they belong to repeat production. Do not mix customer-support or development time into making labor without labelling the allocation. The hourly figure is your assumption, not a wage recommendation.
Use the example with your own inputs
The tool does not tell you the right wage or account for employment taxes. Use your own planning convention and compare actual batch time with the assumption.
Calculate candle cost and contributionScope and source checks
These are planning examples, not actual seller results. Keep currency, tax basis and cost allocation consistent. Enter your own figures and reconcile with your records; tax, demand, refunds and unlisted business costs can change the outcome.
See more pricing examples and assumptions.