Depends on your area of the country and who you're targeting (for the sale). I know I'll never recoup cost on labor. However, bike building is my hobby. I love it, so the labor time is invested in myself.
I quit making commissions, and only make customs. That way, when someone stops in their tracks and admires my bike, I know they are 'my people'.
As for selling. I am willing to ship 90% of my bikes, so that opens up my market. I go to car meets and custom events. I also try and get my bikes in for display at events. One such event was a whiskey competition. Distilleries all over the country came to show their whiskey and signature chicken wings. I got my bikes in for display in the VIP area. The owner of Breckinridge Distillery loved one of my bikes, and his buddy bought it for him for his birthday.
All that to say, I don't build with the intention to sell, but when I sell, I don't target bike people. I go for people that either know what goes into custom work, and/or just love the aesthetic (more like art). I have mainly lived in major metropolitan areas for the past 2 decades, so I know that's a huge factor as well.