How much to Charge for Paint Job.

[hemi-hampton]

The other day I had a guy e-mail me out of the blue asking me if I still work on or restore Mopar's. I say yes, What do you need or looking for, He sez he needs a paint job & not happy with the Ametuer paint job on his Charger now. I ask what kind of budget does he have & he seems to get very upset that I would ask such a inappropriate Question. And he wont reply back now. I thought this was a fair question. what's everybody else opinion. Should I not ask what kind of budget they have to work with? Let me know. THANKS, LEON.

[69bronzeT5]

I don't see anything wrong with asking what kind of budget he is on 

[JB400]

I don't see anything wrong with it either.  Different quality of materials, different costs.

[cdr]

In this world I think it was a VERY appropriate question !!!! if he can't handle a simple question just think how bad it would be doing a paint job for him.

[Ryan.C]

How else can you quote the guy the for the job?

When I was shopping around for paint work years ago that was always the first question.

[ACUDANUT]

 Well, I see both sides. If he says 35K, he might think you will charge that.  It's best imo, to see the car and give a estimate. 

[Gold Rush]

Having been in similar shoes I have to agree with ACUDANUT.

I answered that "what is your budget" question and got quotes pretty close to that number.  I finally started asking the shops to do estimates of a couple price ranges and options.  Got way better results and was able to make a deal.  Still haven't gotten that far but at least I know who will be doing my final body and paint work.

[c00nhunterjoe]

His attitude is probably landed him the current paint job. Nothing wrong with asking how much money you are willing to spend when it comes to bodywork, especially after the conversation is about fixing someone elses mistakes.... if the paint job is shit, what do you think the work under it looks like?

[b5blue]

It's not you Leon. I still can't find a body guy to just do what I want regardless of pricing. 

[Mike DC]

  
I don't blame the guy for refusing to give a number right out of the gate.  He's probably afraid you were testing his wallet.  Like you will adjust your asking price as high as he will admit that he can afford, and he doesn't want to show the cards in his hand too early.  (Bear in mind that the last shop may have screwed him.)


But he shouldn't get butthurt about the question either.  It's reasonable from your end because of how cheap some people expect to get work done.  

Asking for a "paintjob" is almost as broad as "restoration."  It's not specific enough to be useful.  Does this mean you just prime & block & respray the outer skin?  Does this mean you start by taking the whole car apart and installing $8000 worth of repro sheetmetal?  It's probably not worthwhile to talk numbers unless you've seen the car.  



I would email him and say this:

"I normally ask that kind of question because people have wildly different expectations in this business.  You can pay somebody $3000 to paint a car and get a good value for the dollar.  Or you can pay somebody $20,000 for a job, and they might still be giving you a good value.  It all depends on how much work a car needs and how much perfection you want to buy.  I'm trying to figure out what ballpark we are in.  We're not discussing any final price here.  I haven't even seen the car yet."      

If he won't be sensible after that, forget about him.  He's not ready to stop being ripped off yet.  He still wants somebody to give him a low number and deliver another shitty job.      

[XH29N0G]

Like the other's said.  I don't think people appreciate how much goes into a good paint job and what the different cost levels will look like.  I was floored when I first learned and glad in the end (not at the time) to have had that lesson and chosen the route that I did.  I was also asked, and then realized it was going to be multiples more than I originally thought it would.

I would reach out to him again as a courtesy.  The ball is really in his court.   

[Bronzedodge]

Maybe he's a millennial that communicates through his phone constantly and can't have a normal conversation, gets offended at everything, etc.

[fizz]

I am capable of doing a street rod quality paint job, I have always done my own over 45 years of building them. When I was working on my charger I had all the new sheetmetal on, floors, quarters, one apron, taillight panel and rear valance. I had a new front valence. Everything was finish ground and fitted on the work I did. Hood and trunk lid were in final coat of primer. car was completely disassembled except doors were hung and was on a rotisserie. I was so busy with work it would have taken me a year or 2 to finish body and paint. My wife suggested I hire it out to get it done. One local shop that does it on the side said $20,000 to $25,000 to finish, paint, and hang the sheetmetal. A hot rod shop in the Minneapolis area quoted $75/hr plus materials and expect around 30 grand. Seemed like a lot. I did want a totally uncompromising paint job, top and bottom, inside and out. I never seem to quite get that level myself (I really pick apart my own work) Sprung for the $75/hr shop, about labor day. He delivered it to me at thanksgiving the same year, he reinstalled the already restored and painted K frame and rear suspension so he could properly fit the sheetmetal. I did not have him go so far as to weld up edges of doors, etc. that guys do to correct factory gaps, as think this is silly. Cars remaining sheetmetal had minor bodywork and rust repair. He sandblasted the car, did the bodywork, fit the sheetmetal, and painted and buffed the car to perfection. Bottom of car and engine compartment were awesome (body color). Cost just over $30 grand. Paid him every month for work completed and had invitation to visit shop anytime except between paint and buff(I get it). I think I paid a fair price, although I will never do this quality of car again. I would recommend these guys, Straight Line Customs, if you want a high level car.

[tan top]

The other day I had a guy e-mail me out of the blue asking me if I still work on or restore Mopar's. I say yes, What do you need or looking for, He sez he needs a paint job & not happy with the Ametuer paint job on his Charger now. I ask what kind of budget does he have & he seems to get very upset that I would ask such a inappropriate Question. And he wont reply back now. I thought this was a fair question. what's everybody else opinion. Should I not ask what kind of budget they have to work with? Let me know. THANKS, LEON.

don't think you said anything wrong  ,  although  he could read it  the wrong way ,

His attitude is probably landed him the current paint job. Nothing wrong with asking how much money you are willing to spend when it comes to bodywork, especially after the conversation is about fixing someone elses mistakes.... if the paint job is shit, what do you think the work under it looks like?

yes that's true  , just what I was thinking ,  need to know his budget &  see the car & see what it needs ...  cant ask for a quote  on a paint job via email only ,  this guy must know this surly ... unless he is just randomly getting on line quotes then going from there 

[hemi-hampton]

Well, I see both sides. If he says 35K, he might think you will charge that.  It's best imo, to see the car and give a estimate. 

If he say's his budget is $35k I give him a $35k job. If he say's his budget is only $3,500 I give him a $3,500 job, SO, Doesn't really matter what he say's his budget is. You get what you pay for. LEON.

[hemi-hampton]

Like the other's said.  I don't think people appreciate how much goes into a good paint job and what the different cost levels will look like.  I was floored when I first learned and glad in the end (not at the time) to have had that lesson and chosen the route that I did.  I was also asked, and then realized it was going to be multiples more than I originally thought it would.

I would reach out to him again as a courtesy.  The ball is really in his court.   

Yes, That's always one of the biggest problems, most people don't know how much time & money it takes to do a quality job. LEON.

[hemi-hampton]

I am capable of doing a street rod quality paint job, I have always done my own over 45 years of building them. When I was working on my charger I had all the new sheetmetal on, floors, quarters, one apron, taillight panel and rear valance. I had a new front valence. Everything was finish ground and fitted on the work I did. Hood and trunk lid were in final coat of primer. car was completely disassembled except doors were hung and was on a rotisserie. I was so busy with work it would have taken me a year or 2 to finish body and paint. My wife suggested I hire it out to get it done. One local shop that does it on the side said $20,000 to $25,000 to finish, paint, and hang the sheetmetal. A hot rod shop in the Minneapolis area quoted $75/hr plus materials and expect around 30 grand. Seemed like a lot. I did want a totally uncompromising paint job, top and bottom, inside and out. I never seem to quite get that level myself (I really pick apart my own work) Sprung for the $75/hr shop, about labor day. He delivered it to me at thanksgiving the same year, he reinstalled the already restored and painted K frame and rear suspension so he could properly fit the sheetmetal. I did not have him go so far as to weld up edges of doors, etc. that guys do to correct factory gaps, as think this is silly. Cars remaining sheetmetal had minor bodywork and rust repair. He sandblasted the car, did the bodywork, fit the sheetmetal, and painted and buffed the car to perfection. Bottom of car and engine compartment were awesome (body color). Cost just over $30 grand. Paid him every month for work completed and had invitation to visit shop anytime except between paint and buff(I get it). I think I paid a fair price, although I will never do this quality of car again. I would recommend these guys, Straight Line Customs, if you want a high level car.

That is the way I usually do my work (hourly) & the way I prefer to do it. But most people/Customers don't want to do it that way. LEON.

[hemi-hampton]

Here's one of my main Concern because I've been through all this many times before in past 30 years. Gotta be careful what I say & choose my words carefully because people are so sensitive. For Example, A guy calls wanting a Restoration on his Mopar. Of course he can not drive it to my shop or house to look it over because it doesn't run or drive or no motor or no plates or insurance, ect, ect.. SO, I gotta fill up my gas tank, take a Saturday off to drive 60 miles to his house. Spend 2 hours looking over the rust bucket basket case. then another 2 hours chit chatting Mopar stories. I tell him this thing is pretty rough & going to cost at least $20k to restore, Paint & body work only & they say WOW, Really, that much. And I say how much were you thinking? And they say I figured 5k at most & thats my budget. I say Sorry, Cant do all that work for only $5k. And off I go & never hear from him again. Couple weeks later I go threw the same thing & a few weeks later the same thing, ect, ect. SO, Now with this last guy I say what's your budget because if he tells me $1,000.00 or something like $1k I'm going to say not Interested & think to myself not going to bother wasting my time looking at it. If the guy say's $5k or $10k+ I'll go take a look at it. LEON.

[RallyeMike]

I think you answered you question here in the last replies. More conversation is needed to explain to a non-body guy that there is huge range and that they will get what they pay for. Frankly if he got pissy so quick, he is a customer best avoided anyway.

[XH29N0G]

HH, Maybe there are good reasons for not doing this, but if it is the same type of question over and over again, could you head it off by having something already written out that could be past in future emails that gives the people an idea right off the bat about what the ballpark is for the 'typical' restoration or paint job.  Then you could add that you are willing to discuss other options, but that the costs for doing specific things don't change so what is done will change and so will the quality of the end result.  If you consider different levels of work, you could always have an amount listed that makes up the difference between what typical is and what great is.  That last bit could cause trouble though.

The first person I went to ran through something like this for me and it was eye opening.  They were willing to only do the top of the car (not inside, and thought the bottom was strong enough) and I was surprised by how much it would be.  I then went to a second place and they would only do the whole car (it was more) and made an estimate based on their assessment which also had the underside being OK.  I went with them after seeing their work, but it was close.  In the end, when the bottom was stripped of paint it was full of little holes and they had to replace it.  They did at the same cost but let me know it was not making them money.   All was paid as work proceeded and I could visit any time.  From a customer standpoint having the information presented is appreciated.  Knowing someone is flexible also is appreciated. 

[ACUDANUT]

 All I am saying is, if they say 35-40k, People (not you) might take advantage of his "purse" and say, yeah " that what I was thinking" when it was really 1/4  of that.

[hemi-hampton]

All I am saying is, if they say 35-40k, People (not you) might take advantage of his "purse" and say, yeah " that what I was thinking" when it was really 1/4  of that.

If he did say $35-$40k then I know he is serious, knows what he is talking about possibly & not totally wasting my time. I'd then look it over. SO, I would not be thinking a 1/4 of that without actually seeing it yet. BUT, I know what you mean, I know people like that & have worked for people like that. They get a bad reputation fast, always getting sued, There Business is out of Business or it keeps changing names & relocating elswhere. LEON.

[PA Dodger]

I'm not an expert body guy. The last time I painted a car was back in the early 90's. It was lacquer and it didn't cost an arm and a leg. This time I wanted it done perfect and came up with what I felt was a "serious" amount I'd pay based off of my past experience. I was really off the mark for what it costs now. The guy I went with wasn't offended when I told him what my budget was because he figured out I was basing my budget on outdated knowledge and I wasn't offended when he told me what materials cost now and told me his labor charge was. Yes I paid a LOT more than I budgeted but that was due to my inexperienced knowledge. We were both able to get a feel for each other being legit because we were face to face working towards the final outcome. I know it wouldn't have been the same outcome if he asked me what I was willing to pay over a phone call.
But, I'm sure you have a lot of time wasted following dead ends that you'll never get a dime for. I guess it comes down to calling it "time spent for potential business" vs "time wasted going to look at something that didn't end in a job."

[hemi-hampton]

I'm not an expert body guy. The last time I painted a car was back in the early 90's. It was lacquer and it didn't cost an arm and a leg. This time I wanted it done perfect and came up with what I felt was a "serious" amount I'd pay based off of my past experience. I was really off the mark for what it costs now. The guy I went with wasn't offended when I told him what my budget was because he figured out I was basing my budget on outdated knowledge and I wasn't offended when he told me what materials cost now and told me his labor charge was. Yes I paid a LOT more than I budgeted but that was due to my inexperienced knowledge. We were both able to get a feel for each other being legit because we were face to face working towards the final outcome. I know it wouldn't have been the same outcome if he asked me what I was willing to pay over a phone call.
But, I'm sure you have a lot of time wasted following dead ends that you'll never get a dime for. I guess it comes down to calling it "time spent for potential business" vs "time wasted going to look at something that didn't end in a job."

For many years, many years ago when I restored old Musclecars & had my own Mopar Restoration business I did call it "time spent for potential business". Now that I got a different full time job & mostly retired from old car Restorations but may do it as a side job if I want I may call it as your words say "time wasted going to look at something that didn't end in a job". In a nutshell if this situation ever comes up again I guess I'll do it all different. Note to myself, Don't ever ask what budget is. LEON.

[darbgnik]

You could ask what his expectations are? Maaco splash n dash? Better than original? Good panel gaps, better-than-factory good, or micrometer perfect? Good enough straight panels, or laser straight? The rabbit hole goes deep........