What's a paint job go for these days?

The truck is OT, but the principle remains. Got a guy wanting me to shoot him a price on respraying his 95 F250. Regular cab, long bed. It was a nearly perfect truck, just had the clear coat peeling. It's already down to the factory primer, ready for a fresh coat of sealer, then paint. No body work involved. The trim is already removed, the bed is off, and the inside of the bed has a spray in liner, so no painting there. He is supplying the materials.

Most of the painting I've done has been on motorcycles and helmets, and even then most of that has been trade work for parts or vehicles. All the vehicles I've painted have been either mine or family's, so I don't know how to price this. Like I said, it will basically be just primer/sealer, basecoat, clearcoat, cut and buff. He's going to reassemble it.

His own uncle has an actual body shop, opposed to me working out of my garage, and priced him $3500. I feel that is too steep, especially for family.

Anybody got a ballpark what I should be charging to do this?

Evan

 

charge by the hour for what you think your time is worth. or find out what the ins. labor rate is in ky, and maybe knock 10 an hour off of that. fwiw, 3500 ain't a bad price to do that job, especially when you carry an overhead.

 

sounds close to what i was quoted for simular work

 

If his own uncle is charging $3500, why is your work worth any less? Unless you're doing him a favor.

 

Friend of the family, his uncle is a dick too. And I wouldn't let him paint my truck for free.

 

We painted a Lamborghini. Just some minor dent repair, prime, wet sand, paint, wet sand and buff - 35,000. Looks great and straight. 140 hours start to finish.

 

I'll tell him about that, then tell him what better of a deal he's getting!

 

Honestly, I have people asking me to paint there cars all the time and I work out of my garage too... However, me personally if this is a good friend of yours I would have him buy all product and since its just shooting charge half what the uncle is charging... I think thats fair...

Figure prime, then sand, then shoot color and clear then sand and buff... A weekend and its done and you made almost 2g for really not that much work...

This is just my opinion though... what the hell do I know...

 

You charge $250.00 an hour for prep and paint work?

 

Just remember if you using good paint the supply bill can be $3500.

 

3500 is cheap. One of you will be pissed in the end, I can see that already.............

 

Look at the brand of car....My budd used to paint those high end exoctics and there is a premium paid for working on those...just like John Deere Green automatically makes a tractor worth a couple grand more....not my opinion, just how it seems to go.

 

Charge by the hour. Plus materials.
Invariably, there will be materials furnished by th shop, in addition to your time, and utilities.
figure in an amount to cover the inevitable do over,
I bet there will be other things overlooked by both you and the owner on an estimate.
Are you going to guarantee your work, or risk bad feelings by an ungrateful and unsatisfied person?

 

I'd always charged $30 an hour! But once again, no overhead. Working out of my home garage to defray the cost of my projects.

Not to mention, If I'm getting paid anything to work on somebody else's stuff, I'm not spending money on my own!

 

Its a lambo.

Back in the '70s a friend decided not to work on any car worth less than 80K. His reasoning was that an oil change on a Chebby was about 7.50 and an oil change on a lambo was about 250.00. No extra work or talent required.

Price is relative to the subject.

Here in town Maco will shoot one sealer, color coat, clear coat no body work for 299.99. The charge more for trucks because they have tt paint the back of the cab shich involves sliding the bed back and the inside of the bed but that is already done. So he could negotiate that down I'm sure. Anyway if you want cheap Maco is the way to go.

Ohterwise paint and upholstery is right on up there. You can charge just about whatever you want if you are any good at what you do. No being a dick about it.

 

I've tried to get out of that. I had guys dropping off hoods, doors, etc. for repair. Makes a huge mess, and is never worth what you can charge a buddy. They'd drop off their "supplies to paint", but have no clue how much reducers, tape, hardners, primers, sandpaper cost to actually do the work. I tell them now that I'm really having a hard time making any time to work on my own two projects because I have home improvements I can't get finished.
I know they think I'm a dick, but I'm not going to bury myself with other people's crap constantly like I have done in the past. It really ended up being a lot of work with deadlines for me to do on what little free time I have.

 

WAIT!!! You have a freind? I guess you said A Freind, so not necessarily yours.

 

holy balls some of you paint guys are really proud of yourselves!....have you read the post ?

-bed is off
-no painting inside of bed
-paint is stripped
-truck is straight with no rust
-owner is supplying all the paint materials
-owner is going to re-assemble

you guys are saying 3,500 is a good deal??? ...its a 95 truck....., my guess is the guy doesnt want it laser straight...he just wants his paint not peeling off.....i would think the only buffing needed was where a few big dirt particles are and whatever runs show up...the guy is saying no body work.....i'm sure there are dings here and there but if you cant handle that kinda prep in a weekend , think about a different job...i would say do go over what the owner wants.....write it down on paper ...both of you sign it ..... just incase someone forgets...do it for that 1,500 to 2k mark if you think you can get it done in a reasonable time frame (like no more than two weekends time)....or if your worried about it just charge him your 30.00 an hour

this post reminds me of the guy saying its impossible to build a 32 for less than 100k

 

Charge by the hour and supplies he will probably overlook. Nice and simple and will still be a deal for him. I'm not trying to take money from your pocket, but maaco is crazy cheap if its just daily driver quality paint he is after. If you think there will be some friction between you two after, I would send

 

Just a thought, if you don't know what to charge you shouldn't do the job. Too low, you eat it, too high and he's pissed if it's not to his satisfaction. You could always use the time tested method of farming it out. Take it to the local blow and go, get a price and tack on a few bucks for your time. Sometimes in business it's best to know your limits even though you hate to miss a chance to make a buck.

 

had being the operative word here.

I was going to say friend being a relative term but I'm the black sheep in the family so that brings us right back to had being the operative term.

This brings us right back to Maco for paint. If all you want is a quick 50 footer that is really the only way to go. Unless of course there is still an Earl Schieb in your area.

Hell for 3500 bucks he could bolt the bed on and drive it down here to get a maco job drive it home and still be bucks ahead.

 

I don't see any reason why two friends can't get together and figure out something equaitable in a time and materials type situation. In the end you just show him the material receipts and the hours, and total up the bill. If he's a friend he'll be tickled to death with that type of deal.
Every job I've done for a friend who was willing to pay always ended up with them giving me more than I told them. I don't get rich on friends, I cover materials and a very small amount per hour, and most figure I'm charging too little and round it up.
Welded up some patch panels in a friend's late 60's Chevy truck the other day, and when I gave him the total he handed me twice that in cash. Tried to give it back, but he wouldn't take it.

 

let's see... a day to prep, a day to tape and spray, a day to touch up/ nub and buff plus some extra= $1300- 1500. just a ballpark.

 

That's the scenario I'm dealing with.

What would you charge a family friend ( not a really close friend, but a friend nonetheless) to put some color on his truck. Not a 55 Chevy, not a custom. Just a big ol redneck monster truck F250 with some 38 inch tires!

Another friend that works in a body shop says KY's insurance labor rate for body labor is $45. I'm thinkin that I'll shoot him $35/hr and give him an estimate of how many hours it'll take and go from there. I'm not tryin to make a livin at this, just tryin to fund my hobby, pay for my trip to Beatersville, and help this dude out. Not to mention, I love doin it too.

 

OT question that has no answer.

 

I had my '72 Chevy 2500 truck painted at 1 Day Paint and Body for $500 and there was some rust repair too. It was my D/D so it was fine with me.

 

I know a guy who will do it for 28.00 if you bring him a new broom.

 

$20 bucks for a gallon of ceiling white and a couple of rollers

 

Price just went up. I don't paint well on ladders.

 

hahaah
, does the price include scaffolding and fall protection?