Why Hiding Pricing From Your Team Might Be Costing You

The Short Version

Most fabricators keep job pricing private - but that might be holding your team back. Sharing price context builds ownership, accountability, and better decisions.

Most fabricators keep pricing close to their chest.

The fear is understandable: “If they see what we charge, they’ll want more money.” Or, “They don’t need to know. That’s not their job.”

But here’s the problem: your team is the one actually delivering the job. If they don’t understand what’s at stake, they can’t protect your margins, your timelines, or your reputation.

What Happens When the Team Doesn’t Know the Price

You quote a job for $12,000. It includes tight lead times, slim margins, and a lot of moving parts.

But the team on the floor doesn’t see any of that. To them, it’s just another job. So:

A day’s delay doesn’t seem like a big deal
A rework might not raise a red flag
They don’t see the difference between a high-value rush job and a filler

And when those little things stack up, that $12,000 job becomes a $10,000 job or worse.

Transparency Doesn’t Mean Handing Over the Books

This isn’t about sharing your profit and loss or opening up the full company ledger.
But your team should know what the job is worth.

When you share the quoted price, and what’s been allowed for time, materials, and delivery, you give your team a clearer sense of what success looks like. It’s not just "get it done." It’s "get it done right, on time, and on budget."

And when people understand the target, they’re far more likely to hit it.

Sharing job pricing:

Builds ownership. People make sharper decisions when they understand the stakes
Encourages problem solving. A team that knows the margin is thin will look for ways to stay efficient
Shows respect. It says, “We trust you with the numbers because you’re a key part of making them work”
Drives pride. Delivering a $20K job cleanly becomes something to stand behind, not just another order

You don’t need to over explain. Just tell them what the job’s worth, what’s been allowed, and why it matters.

The best people will take that and run with it because now, they feel like they’re part of the result, not just the process.

The Benefits Add Up

Done right, a little transparency builds:

Awareness. The team knows which jobs need extra care, and which ones are flexible
Trust. It shows you see them as part of the business, not just button-pushers
Efficiency. People avoid unnecessary rework and flag issues early
Better decisions on the floor. Because they know what’s at risk

How to Introduce It (Without Backlash)

Worried your team will use pricing info as leverage for pay? You’re not alone.

But here’s the truth: the best people already know what the business is charging. They want to help, not exploit. When you treat them like part of the machine, they act like it. When you treat them like partners, they step up.

Start small. Talk about goals, expectations, or job-level context during daily meetings or when assigning work. Make it part of how you communicate, not a one-time reveal.