As I practice more and more it has become evident that people will pay to have less than perfect work done. I don't want to charge anyone till I feel good about my work but I would like to know what should a fair price be for work done on a ride. I don't have any idea what its worth. I'll do anyones ride for free just to get the experience but eventually I'll need to make a bit to buy supplies with. Tell me what you think.
Great question, Jester! One I continually strugggle with, why I don't know, 'cause I should know better. But, I will say this. 1. Once you take your first Peso for your work, that makes you a professional. There are many responsibities with that. Doing the best work you can. Always strive to do the very best. Do what you say your gonna do, be there when you say your gonna be there. 2. Never do anything for free. Never let a customer tell you how They want your business to run. Always charge something to at least cover exspenses. 3. Charge your friends too. If ya don't you'll have more friends than customers. A true friend will not take money out of your mouth. Trading is ok. If your friends need your help, then by all means help them paint their house, cut their grass, ect. It's ok to gift your friends, true friends with your work. I gotta go pick up my 'Ol Lady from work, I'll finish when I get back. Joel
I started off trading, and still do alot too...haha one word of advice....and UnklIan can confirm... DONT DO ANYTHING FOR FREE!! hehhehe let see some of your work!!!!!!!!
3. Charge your friends too. If ya don't you'll have more friends than customers. A true friend will not take money out of your mouth. Trading is ok. If your friends need your help, then by all means help them paint their house, cut their grass, ect. It's ok to gift your friends, true friends with your work. very true.....but hard for me to stick to.......i always feek like a dick charging them . but it IS key......also it actually helps the real friendships if you do charge em. as there isn't any ill feelings towards the guy you are working for becuase you are busting your ass for free......just make sure you do a good job and he will appreciate it..........and wont mind paying you for your work......i just wish i practiced more of what i preach.........
i always feel bad charging my friends,so i'll trade them something....or make them bring a case of beer and a couple of pizzas
Both lownslow,peter pan have the right Idea Ed Roth would allways tell me take A can of one shot pour some out and tell your self thats money sittin there it coast you so why wouldn`t you charge someone.And isn`t your time worth anything.As far as charging some one the way I do it is ask the person what can they afford most of the time it`s more than I was gonna charge.hope this helps. Endsville.Von Franco...............
[ QUOTE ] very true.....but hard for me to stick to.......i always feek like a dick charging them [/ QUOTE ] Saaay, Ol' buddy....I was thinkin' about getting the van re-painted! What time you want you me drop it off for the "Freebies For Friends" discount! Seriously...it's hard as hell to charge friends...even when they're completely willing to pay! At the very least, I usually do a "Friends and Family Discount" and cut the price by about 25%-50% (depending on whether or not rent has been paid yet). It's hard to give you an exact amount to charge...it depends on what your local going rate is, how much striping you did on the car (or whatever), how many colors, etc. Maybe you could go to the cruise nights and ask people what they paid for the striping on their car? Good Luck. Donnie...don't forget to call me about that candy and 'flake paint job for my van.
[ QUOTE ] [ Maybe you could go to the cruise nights and ask people what they paid for the striping on their car? Good Luck. [/ QUOTE ] maybe you could go to cruise nights...and charge people for you to stripe their car too!! thats always a good idea as long as your not stepping on anyones toes. around here...no stripers go to any cruise nights.
Thank you all for the advice, Two more questions. At what point did you feel comfortable taking money for paint and does it mean I should start charging when people start offering money for work? I worked on a stroller last night and have been up off and on all night thinking of lines. I close my eyes and see designs. I want to be the best I can be but I'm affraid that if I start showing work too soon...if I charge too soon I'll ruin any chance I have to build a good reputation. I've only been at this for 4 months and my progress has been steady but I feel it would insult the true professionals to accept money until I reach a level that I feel I could compare to those who already charge. I have been offered paying gigs but I am reluctant to accept them....why would someone offer to let me paint their ride (free or paid) if I'm not any good at all......but why do I feel I'm not good enough even though they think I am?
I just told people...hey I have only been at it for x months, here is what my work looks like now, if you still want me to do something for you, I would be happy too, then give them a price. what i found is it insults the true professionals when you DONT take money heheh also think about this, (and i never did) you are you worst critic....and I quote "if it looks good it IS good"....if someone says they like it..its good. it may look like shit to you because you fudged a line or 2...but in their eyes it looks great. just the way it is... i stripe things and i think they look like crap, other people like them. what kicked me in my ass was going to detroit autorama and striping in the charity panel jam there...and then watching my stuff go up for auction some panels at like 50+ at that point i was only striping for like 3 months.
Jester, a good place to get good, constructive critisism,is on this board. I can't tell you how much the tips and support here have helped my atrwork. But you have to show it to them. Post a couple on Friday in the art show and ask for honest feedback. George
I'm not trying to get out of showing my stuff but I only get on here at work I have not digital camera and the pictures on CD are too much for the HAMB to swollow. Fact of the matter is I don't even have any pictures of my stuff. If someone would be willing to let me e-mail them some pictures I would go around and take a few pics. Then if they are willing they could post'm for me. Thats alot to ask someone to do so I haven't ask. If someone would be willing I would e-mail them once I can get some pictures. George where you in the parking lot of the host motel Saturday @ the sk500.
Jester, I use a program called Square Image which you can download free. I makes sizing pics for the HAMB really easy. See if you can find it. No, I was only able to come to the show on Saturday and had to leave about 5:30. Our bunch was parked on mainstreet, mine was the primered '63 Grand Prix. If you can't get your pics sized you can e-mail them to me and I'll post them for you.
I noticed once i started charging people liked my work that much more.I use to have to look for work now Im gettin calls at work at home and on my cell people always say thay got my no. from someone i dont know. Its weird but start charging and see what happens
Not to change the subject, but I know exactly what you are talking about with trying to charge friends for something. The company I work for pays me to be a network administrator ( computer geek ) and it always seems that when people have some troubles with thier pc's that they seem to migrate to me. I really don't have a problem helping friends, and have acutally gone way overboard to completley rebuild a few of them... But for some reason I can't seem to get myself to charge them for it. I have developed many websites and gotten paid good money to do so, but the friend thing has always been kind of a thorn in my side... All in all, unless you want to do a lot of striping for friends out of the goodness of your heart,, you will probably want to charge atleast for the paint.. Otherwise you will find that you have a lot more friends than you thought you did!!! Either way, you will have a ton of moving advertising for yourself!!! Which paid or unpaid is a good thing
Well considering how much work alot of my friends have done for me on my ride, I consider it trade out. Their are some people I could never and will never ever charge. Free striping for life for Grant Clark and Mike Walters. I'd never be able to strip enough shit for them to pay off that free chop job I got out of them.
Hey All, Jester the gist of what I was trying to say yesterday is to by all means "charge for what your doing" no matter what you think your skill level is. It's good to actually stripe a car or truck. Although I always instruct newbies to the craft to practice on glass when their starting out, striping a ride will help to put in prospective your style and help you navigate where your going with what you like to do and be a great confidence builder. Just charge so at least you cover exspenses and have some left over for profit. It always feels real good to get paid for what ya love to do. That's where to confidence comes from, not just the pride of excecuting the job. As far as skill level goes, just jump in and Do it . The more you stripe the better you'll become. I started striping in 1972. Really started doing it as a business and charging in 1974. In 1977, I really took off in my area. It was not till 1986 did I feel I really, really was doing the kind of work, and atained the skill level that made me feel comfortable and felt I made the "Big Time". Pinstriping is like many things in life, It and you will constantly evolve. Getting better. What you do now will improve and only get better ten years from now. Just stick to it. Let me know if you ever need anything. Joel
PPOC are you comming to billet proof? and was that pic one you took of autorama?if so do you have more I only have a couple
Hey Jester, I definitely agree with the guy who says there are some people who will never have to pay. I've got friends that have helped me so much with my cars that I owe them big time and I'm more than happy to do a ton of work for them gratis. On the matter of charging people, I look at it this way. It's definitely a business. You've got to charge for your time, effort skill etc etc. But for friends and people who I like and even just cars I like, I'll always give them more than they expected. You might agree on say a $50 job or whatever, but you go to town and give them a whole bunch more. When it's a good job and the people are nice the whole things a pleasure beyond just the money you make. Make sense?? Hope so. Simon
this is about the quality of yer stripes, Ive found that 90 percent of the time the only people to notice if your lines aren't exactly symmetrical or dont have perfectly konsistent thickness are other stripers. most people kant see the little mistakes. keep that in mind so that yer not too hard on yerself. but dont get karried away and stop trying. I guess it's a personal opinion type of subject. good luck from one new guy to another rjb
[ QUOTE ] I'll always give them more than they expected. You might agree on say a $50 job or whatever, but you go to town and give them a whole bunch more. Simon [/ QUOTE ] Like you did when you striped my bike! Started with a design on top of the tank & the tail, then added more under the lettering, and on the front fender... Damm, I wish I had some pictures of it.... Like everyone else has said, do it for costs at 1st, and then when you get more confident, charge a little more. After all, you have to pay for materials and brushes at the very least. Good luck. Dave
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