Material cost/charge

Dave C 5

Dave C 5

Member
Painting is a side job to me so keep that in mind. I’m trying to charge and get paid correctly. I give my customers a hard number- it’s just the way it is here - I estimate my hours x $35/hr then I estimate my material which is usually a standard $2700. I use all SPI stuff except paint . Around here and from what I read , bodyshops charge about $40/hr material. my jobber paints at home and charges straight $40/hr for material- does this sound like a lot? Say I have a car that takes 200 hours- that’s $8000 in material ! I clarified with him about metal work and finishing hrs and he said all hrs ! Wow ! I also read where bodyshops should get %25 mark up on material ? Does a paint job where I fix a little rust- disassemble- paint - 4coats clear- sand/buff- re-assemble actually cost that much in material? I average about $400/paint . Don’t want to lose on material but also don’t want to over charge - materials do not include replacement panels when I charge - what’s a typical material cost for something I described ? Am I missing something in my figures when I say $2,500-$2,700 ?
 
most resto shop i know of here charge their cost on materials + atleast 50%. that is pretty much the norm for any retail item you buy. markup is usually 50-100%. something you typically buy off the shelf thats $3.99 is usually $2 or so dealer cost. also, hrs are hrs and its billed like that. NEVER a hard # to do the job. people will alwys want a round about figure and you can estimate but thats all it is....an estimate of the time you think you'll have. at $35hr and you giving the customer a hard # your going to get burnt. everything in this business always takes way longer than expected. at 35 you going to end up working for $10 a hr in the end. its no good for anybody because your going to get frustrated because your working for nothing when things take longer then shortcut are going to be taken to save time. it will show in the work, customer is pissed and your going through all these headaches all to make 10 bucks an hour. estimate a time but tell the customer is hourly + materials and dont tell them your markup on materials. its none of their business what you paid for the stuff.
 
I am mainly a hobbyist that everyone wants to restore and paint their cars for them.
What I do is contract with them for time and materials. They must agree to a monthly invoice being sent and paid in full. That way at any given time in the project, if they run out of money or decide to take it to someone else, they pay the last invoice and everything is squared.
Since I don't work 40 hours a week on cars and sometimes its more like 40 hours a month, they also agree to allow me to work at my pace.
Most don't mind since the local custom shop is $9k for a basic paint job without any body work. And their labor rate is $95 an hour.
 
All sandpaper, tape, filler, etc. are included in our hourly restoration rate of $65/hr. All liquids (primer, paint) are charged at actual usage multiplied by 1.33 (33% markup). That makes epoxy $1.01/oz, for example.

P.S. Your hourly rate ought to be in line with local body shops, otherwise you will attract too many bottom feeders.
 
Thanks everyone ! Jim- your right - I find myself working for 10-15/hr a lot ! My local jobber painted for a long time - he said I should be at $50 /hr + $40/hr material but it seems like such a huge jump from where I’m at now so I’ll work on it - not bragging but last 3 cars I painted earned 15 trophies ( local shows of a couple hundred cars) last year so maybe I’m there already - and Crash - yes - I get a lot of guys wanting me to paint and I’m sure it’s cause I’m less expensive than most
 
The other problem with hourly rate to low is like said, you will get some bottom feeders and i hear from shops all the time, they are the ones that think a paint job should cost $800 and for the $10,000 price you charged them their car should be a Riddler entry.
They will tell you this type of a customer is always the biggest headache and will never be happy.
 
I understand fully - I do have to pass on those occasionally if I get a gut feeling there will be no pleasing him - i’m Afraid I have one of those now - I can tell I’ll be all over that thing with a flashlight before he gets it back- prices are gonna have to go up to weed some of them out
 
Ha! Can’t tell you how many I painted cheap cause “I’ll be taking it to car shows and getting you a lot of business “ - never saw them at a car show
 
Barry said:
I would like to add to my post.
I over the years have talked to 100s of shops that did a car for super cheap, to get its name out there and more business.
No one ever told this worked out for them.
Click to expand...

I for one can 100% agree. Didn't work out for me. I've done several like that before I finally wised up. (I'm not that bright:rolleyes:) Guys that give you that line are absolutely bottom feeders.
 
I've just got done doing that this past summer with two trucks... they actually did go to shows and won trophies as well...but the business ive gotten since had no connection to them. No more "freebies" this year...and im learning how to estimate better and charge accordingly.
 
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Barry said:
I would like to add to my post.
I over the years have talked to 100s of shops that did a car for super cheap, to get its name out there and more business.
No one ever told this worked out for them.
Click to expand...

It's been many years ago for me, but I did it and all it did was attract more bottom feeders looking for something for nothing.
 
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Reactions: Dub
NEVER , EVER do work for an attorney . PERIOD ! they will screw you over , not pay or sue your ass in court. cost them nothing to do it. i make it a point to get numbers so i can call back. they answer such and such law office i throw the number away .
 
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