Hourly rate for restoration shops

[60FlatTop]

Go to all the car shows and cruise nights you can get to. When you see a nicely done car that looks like the quality you want ask "Who did that and how long did it take?" And follow up.

 

Look to your own marketable skills and the possibility of a part time job to cover the cost. My nephew is a mechanic and bought an older home that was kind of a fixer upper. When he started working on the house I asked why he didn't hire a carpenter. There are $15 per hour carpenters all over the place. He can easily make $50 an hour on small repair jobs. Work one hour and hire a carpenter for 3 hours, that's good math. Use the same approach to hiring car work.

Some of the rates quoted seem like they would be from home shops that don't pay taxes, have insurance, or are compliant to any codes or regulations (see the recommendation to the nephew). They might not be a bargain in the end. One story I have heard over and over again is about the body shop guy who's wife got sick just after stripping someone's car. Always ask about the wife's health condition!

Bernie

 

 

[Restorer32]

Don't forget to add into your equation the $300+ check we write every 8 weeks to Safty-Kleen to dispose of our hazardous paint waste.

[padgett]

OTOH remember John Glenn's remark "I felt about as good as anybody would, sitting in a capsule on top of a rocket that were both built by the lowest bidder.". As I seaid, do my own mechanical work because I don't trust anyone else. Paint and body will go to a professional.

[John348]

I have to get a car painted, and I was given a price $75 an hour and that was today from a restoration shop in the NYC metro area, I felt was a pretty good price, After paying the skilled labor there really is not a lot of meat on the bone after you pay the rent and utilities. Most new car dealerships are between that I have seen on the east coast (from Fl to NY) have ranged form $80 to $110 per hour, 

While the cost per hour is important, the amount of hours estimated to perform the task is more important.

Remember long after the price is paid and forgotten the quality must remain

[Durant Mike]

Thanks for all your replies and great food for thought.  Just wanted an idea what everyone else was paying to judge where and who was giving me the best price. Quality of work at either shop is award winning. I've seen some of their work in person and looked over some restorations they've done.  As I said in my first and 2nd post I only want them to do the body work and paint not the full restoration. I want to get the parts painted and me install them myself. One shop will let me do that, the other said he would not take the job unless I gave him the running chassis and let him do the mounting. I just don't agree necessarily with him that I cannot install the parts and line them up myself.  I'll keep conducting my research and see who I get the best feeling with I guess.

[Amphicar BUYER]

^^^^

33 minutes ago, Durant Mike said:

...... One shop will let me do that, the other said he would not take the job unless I gave him the running chassis and let him do the mounting. I just don't agree necessarily with him that I cannot install the parts and line them up myself.  I'll keep conducting my research and see who I get the best feeling with I guess.

 

That is his way of making sure his jobs pay the most. I don't feel it's his place to tell you what skills you have. If you scratch the paint during assy, he'll get the job of repairing it so it's a win for him. I did everything on my restos except upholstery and paint/body. That's not my expertise and I don't have the place for it so I pay those that can do the job to do it while I'm doing the rest.

 

I'd disassemble the car and get it into paint, take the upholstery to my other guy so they can be ready by the time I am ready for them. Then it all comes together nicely. 

 

Find a place that works with you, not against you. Don't let them tell you how to do the job. They should do as you ask and be thankful, not try to take over the job.

[Restorer32]

Some people don't take their doctor's advice either.

[John_S_in_Penna]

10 minutes ago, Restorer32 said:

Some people don't take their doctor's advice either.

 

Thankfully, bodywork and restoration are more of an

exact science than medicine!

[Guest]

 

That is why Doctors have a license to "Practice Medicine" and why I have a job burying their mistakes.  :-}  :-}

Edited June 18, 2016 by Guest
more info (see edit history)

[Guest]

49 minutes ago, Tinindian said:

 

That is why Doctors have a license to "Practice Medicine" and why I have a job burying their mistakes.  :-}  :-}

 

So....you're the last guy to  "let them down" .

Edited June 18, 2016 by Guest (see edit history)

[Guest]

I can make any of you car nuts look "natural".  :-}   :-}  :-}.  but I have no idea on how to post coloured smileys.

[Bleach]

[padgett]

"There's nothing like that old car smell."

Particularly if used to carry dogs and fish.

[R Walling]

On 6/14/2016 at 9:30 AM, Amphicar BUYER said:

Watch to see how they inventory parts. If they don't have a good system, it's almost certain they will loose the small rare $$$ parts. I have a big box of ziplock bags and a sharpie. Keep everything in that bag for that part (even if it is no good, so you have an example), say like left vent window hardware, or right door glass hardware etc.Then those bags go into a box pertaining to specific assemblies.(complete right door or dash etc) Sometimes there may be but a couple bolts in the bag, but I'll know where they came from. I took 1000s of photos during my restorations (digital film is cheap!). Before during and after. invaluable for reassembly and the customer as well. These details are why I could get the $100/hr for concourse quality.

 

Around here, you can't get your oil changed for $37/hr.

 

 

 I once sent out some parts to be chromed and I gave them a photo of the parts.

 It came in handy as they had everyone there  searching the whole shop for the parts when finished

[Amphicar BUYER]

There used to be a chromer in Denver (Ajax) that when you brought anything to him he would lay them out and take a picture. That went with a check-in sheet that he used to follow the parts thru the process and finally upon pickup he would check them off as you inspected them. I never lost a single screw with them, not even a single vent window button (1/8" x 1/4" in size). Time and effort well invested. Thanks to the EPA, they as well as every other one here is now out of business. Closest one is Utah.

[Trulyvintage]

Last Chance Garage in Unionville, PA just outside Philadelphia ...

 

Louis " Louie " Mandich does quality restorations at affordable prices.

 

An AACA Member for many years and an award winner ....

 

http://lastchancegarage.net/

 

Jim

[Murray Bowen]

I'm in the restoration business, I'm looking at raising my rates. From 50.00 to 85.00 simple because of man power. I am a shop that I guy does it all. And it's easy to get buried fast. Insurance work is going up to. 65.00. Restorations should be 30.00 higher and go up as high as 125.00.  honestly if your Shop is making $50 an hour.  the only way you're going to make money is with a production Body Shop. the only way I restoration shop can work is to be at a higher labor rate because you have more Personnel working on each particular job you have to be able to pay that person well to do their job thus for having to raise your shop rates to accommodate. It usually turns out a lot of work at little pay.. We are the person's  resurrected relics, for the laypersons.. Find a shop that works! Not a shop where every one is standing around. If it asshole and elbows, it's legit. And pay what ever they ask..... Cause they are working. And it's for you. Ain't nothing suck any worse than a shop dead line.