Why so expensive?

There may be a thread on this controversy already. But why are plastic racks so expensive? I mean it's plastic come on haha.


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Supply and demand is my only guess. The margin is probably pretty nice. I'd like to know the margins on UVB bulbs more than a rack though.

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Originally Posted by alan12013

Supply and demand is my only guess. The margin is probably pretty nice. I'd like to know the margins on UVB bulbs more than a rack though.

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Probably the same reason I would imagine. A lot of people NEED lights to keep there reptiles healthy. So they don't really have to many choices. Just my opinion haha


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All plastics are not created equal. Cages are usually made of XPVC or PVC, not plastic.

If you were to price out the cost of the xpvc sheets, the cost of the equipment to cut and mill them and the time it takes I think you would find that the profit margins are fairly reasonable. If you were to undertake building your own cages or racks I think you would discover that fairly quickly.

EPVC AND XPVC are affordable but the CNC machine it takes to get them exact and the same are not. :D

ITs not even the machine, a simple Dremel can make it, but as other said its not "plastic" its PVC/XPVC which is expensive go look to buy a single 2x2 sheet your looking at 20+$

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Originally Posted by Kalua

There may be a thread on this controversy already. But why are plastic racks so expensive? I mean it's plastic come on haha.


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Have you ever priced expended pvc to build your own rack? I have and basically it would save me about $50/$100 per rack, considering I value my time, it's not a big enough saving for me to justify building my own rack.

Have you ever own and operated your own business? By the sound of it I would say no :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Have you ever priced expended pvc to build your own rack? I have and basically it would save me about $50/$100 per rack, considering I value my time, it's not a big enough saving for me to justify building my own rack.

Have you ever own and operated your own business? By the sound of it I would say no :rolleyes:

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Well technically speaking I have. I have my own business in window tinting haha. Which isn't really the same concept but I had to share since you gave me the smirk face. I did look into plastic myself and you're right on it being not much cheaper. It just surprised me that plastic would be that expensive! And if I did turn this hobby Insta a small business hobby I would only need one rack I wouldn't want to get much bigger unless I profit haha. So 50 bucks isn't a really worth it unless you're doing bulk


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Originally Posted by CORBIN911

ITs not even the machine, a simple Dremel can make it, but as other said its not "plastic" its PVC/XPVC which is expensive go look to buy a single 2x2 sheet your looking at 20+$

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A dremel will not give you perfectly straight cuts like a machine will, and when building a rack or cage you want your cuts to be nice and straight so your seams will line up.

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Originally Posted by MarkS

If you were to price out the cost of the xpvc sheets, the cost of the equipment to cut and mill them and the time it takes I think you would find that the profit margins are fairly reasonable. If you were to undertake building your own cages or racks I think you would discover that fairly quickly.

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This is where I am at now. I am building lizard cages that allow for a deep substrate layer because there aren't any off the shelf cages like this. I bought 1 4x8 foot sheet of 1/4in XPVC and had it cut and it cost me around 138 bucks, turns out that it is way too flimsy and now I need to brace it with metal framing to get the structure to be sound, luckly I have a machine shop at my disposal, but because of needing the framing I am looking at about 300 bucks all said and done for a 4x2x2ft cage. That is only for materials that is not counting labor.

That's understandable depending on their buying power... My father owns a hobby business that does about 350k per year in sales from very similar items and he has to use similar equipment. The cost of repairs on the equipment is pretty steep as well especially the lasers. I'm a business owner as well so I know how hard it is to run a business. My margin is 10-40% of cost depending on the item.

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Originally Posted by jclaiborne

A dremel will not give you perfectly straight cuts like a machine will, and when building a rack or cage you want your cuts to be nice and straight so your seams will line up.




This is where I am at now. I am building lizard cages that allow for a deep substrate layer because there aren't any off the shelf cages like this. I bought 1 4x8 foot sheet of 1/4in XPVC and had it cut and it cost me around 138 bucks, turns out that it is way too flimsy and now I need to brace it with metal framing to get the structure to be sound, luckly I have a machine shop at my disposal, but because of needing the framing I am looking at about 300 bucks all said and done for a 4x2x2ft cage. That is only for materials that is not counting labor.

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To build a rack you can use a basic table saw/skill saw, PVC cages are different specially with chemical welds.

But to say you cant without "Special machines" Someone doesnt seem very Mcguvery!

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Originally Posted by CORBIN911

To build a rack you can use a basic table saw/skill saw, PVC cages are different specially with chemical welds.

But to say you cant without "Special machines" Someone doesnt seem very Mcguvery!

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Table Saw-yes, skill saw maybe, but I wouldn't use it for a cage for the reason you stated above welding seams. Everytime I cut something with a skill saw there is at least one small wave in it and it drives me insane. I'm all about Mcguver style fixes when its necessary but when I have access to the proper tools and am making display cages there is no reason to do it any other way than the correct way. Plus back to the OP if I paid a company hundreds for a cage/rack the last thing I would want it compared to is MCguvery haha.