Cost of a complete paint job?

[solidaxel]

I am just looking for some justification of the cost of a single color BC/CC paint job.
No rust, a few scrapes and dings, NO welding and all the parts in peices and sand blasted. NO assembly
I know the cost is all over the board and I have seen some jobs on here that were home completed, which says a lot for the owner, and even enough to make the cover of a mag.(WOW)
I am talking about a shop that has to make a profit to stay in business and the cost of materials (700.00 to 1000.00)
A good paint job cut and buffed that will last 10+ years, garaged and no snow!

[Daniel U]

I had my IROC shot for $3500 and I disassembled/reassembled it myself. It's not garaged as the Harley and '54 are in there, but I drive the Camaro daily. I think I bought a Dupont paint with a Chromaclear(not sure). IMO, Nothing beats a good factory paint job. I'm happy with my IROC, but it chips from road debris easier than the factory paint did.

[Arkansas50's]

This may not be what you're looking for, but for $50 its worth reading.

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/...Number=2331682


http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showt...t=roller+paint

[sgtusmc]

I stumbled across this page when I first bought my truck. I had my doubts but thought I'd try it. I wanted the patina look. After putting down a few coats of rustoluim with very very little orange peel I could see how easy it would be to wet sand and buff it to a very nice finish. I'm doing my truck this way. After I sand down the O/P I hit it with red primer. I can tell you without a doubt it works nice. Just my 2 cents.

[50adrod]

do you have it all apart? fenders and doors removed?

[mbgmike]

The best way to see why it costs so much is to open your own shop.
Look at the price of gasoline lately. It has gone down some. paint costs have down the same thing . We were seeing anywhere from 3 to 5% increases in paint prices per quarter and in November they told us its going up by 8% .

Its also kind of hard to find bodymen that like working for $3.50 per hour.

Insurance,business property tax, sales tax, trade association fees, lease payments, customers not paying or picking up there vehicles, bldg rent,salaries, customers who want a low rock bottom price and then expect it to be a perfect job like its a show car and we have to go back and try and make them happy.I can go on and on.
What do you think is a fair price? What kind of quality do you want?

Oh yeah our phone book listings just for a little tiny add runs us $1500 or more per year to be in the Houston phone books.

[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by mbgmike

The best way to see why it costs so much is to open your own shop.
Look at the price of gasoline lately. It has gone down some. paint costs have down the same thing . We were seeing anywhere from 3 to 5% increases in paint prices per quarter and in November they told us its going up by 8% .

Its also kind of hard to find bodymen that like working for $3.50 per hour.

Insurance,business property tax, sales tax, trade association fees, lease payments, customers not paying or picking up there vehicles, bldg rent,salaries, customers who want a low rock bottom price and then expect it to be a perfect job like its a show car and we have to go back and try and make them happy.I can go on and on.
What do you think is a fair price? What kind of quality do you want?

Oh yeah our phone book listings just for a little tiny add runs us $1500 or more per year to be in the Houston phone books.

........... and how much do you pay your body man a hour or are they weekly, $3.50 was good wages in '65

[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by 50adrod

do you have it all apart? fenders and doors removed?

Yes, and blasted bare metal!

[50adrod]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

Yes, and blasted bare metal!

if it is basicly ready to prime and paint then buff out I would think 2K plus materials, now if it needs prep and minor body work you have to start paying hourly for however long it takes. there is just as much if not more time in the sanding and buffing.

[robin58]

I am not quite sure what your question is solidaxel. Are you asking why bodyshops charge so much or are you looking for ideas to get a cheaper paintjob?

Pros charge a bunch because they have to keep up with new EPA requirements, paintbooths, growing fees for disposal of products, salaries, cost of materials etc. Plus I know we'd all like to do what we can and then drop our trucks off and have someone shoot it for us, but realistically how many other businesses would chose to put their warranty on prep work an amateur at home has done?

Now as for doing it cheap. I've found around here that there are a bunch of younger employees at repairshops who simply like to paint. Lots of these guys are perfectly capable but have bigger plans for themselves and want to eventually open up their own custom shop and don't mind doing the painting part providing you provide the materials and the obvious beverages. It adds something to their portfolio if you're doing a custom paintjob.

[solidaxel]

Thanks, I know you get what you pay for (sometimes) The value of a complete paint job is in the finished product and what it took to get it there, but the charges are all over the board, $3K to 20K. Are you saying that a 20K job shines more than a 3K job, or it will last 6 times longer, or the shop owner has a 18K overhead.
Lets use the same materials in both shops, so now it is down to the overhead and labor rate and profit, am I on the same page.

[robin58]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

Thanks, I know you get what you pay for (sometimes) The value of a complete paint job is in the finished product and what it took to get it there, but the charges are all over the board, $3K to 20K. Are you saying that a 20K job shines more than a 3K job, or it will last 6 times longer, or the shop owner has a 18K overhead.
Lets use the same materials in both shops, so now it is down to the overhead and labor rate and profit, am I on the same page.

I've always just made the assumption (maybe wrongly) that when a bodyshop quotes me a price that's ridiculously out of line that they are just plain not interested in doing the job. Most shops I would assume would rather knock out insurance jobs and get the high turnover rate rather than have one of our trucks that needs some prep work sit there taking up space for weeks/months.

[cdowns]

what most people see as blasted ready to paint is in fact to a quality painter a rough start with much work ahead to make it ready for paint

[mr48chev]

As the pro guys said above there are a lot of variables and overhead is a big contributor.

There is a guy here locally who will shoot your car or truck for 500 if you supply the materials.

There are usually "painters" in most areas who take on side jobs who will shoot the car something like that if you supply all the materials and the location to paint it. I'm talking guys who work in dealership body shops or production shops during the day but want a bit of extra cash.

One of the slickest little AD trucks in this area cost 10K to paint at one of the top quality shops in the area seven or 8 years ago so that paint job would probably be 15K now. That paint has held up well and the truck has won a passel of trophies over the years. Single color metallic job that never goes out of style.

I think the biggest key to the cost is what you give them to work with and what you expect the end results to be.
Having all the body work finished off to perfection, the proper primers and fillers on and block sanded properly and perfect and ready for a sealer and top coat would cut the cost of having the topcoat done.

My truck has been in various shades of primer for the past 19 years because I haven't had it to the state that I thought it was worth putting a finish paint job on it. This time around I will do just as I did in Texas in 1973 and get the body as close to perfect as I can and prime and block sand until it is to the stage that it can go to the painter.

[56fleetside]

We recently went to an hourly system for restoration and custom work after many years of working a ton of hours for no pay. We are charging 50 an hour plus parts and materials which in my opinion is very fair to both parties.

[toomanytoyz]

More Info on Roller Paint Job's can be Found Here..............

http://www.rolledon.com/forum.htm

Rick

[solidaxel]

Thanks for all of your help and suggestions, I am still intervuing painters.