Shop contacted me for work, help?

**Ghostknife** · 07-10-2021, 05:51 PM

I had a shop get ahold of me through the IDA website, wanting me to work with/for them. My normal customer is the day to day daily driven car. This place is all classics and rare vehicles, so I won’t be pulling fries and gum from under seats. I normally get $40-75 hour with my normal details but the customers are only summer time for the most part. This shop that is wanting me to come on board will supply all the Rupes polishers, meguires and consumables. They are also an hour drive from my current location. We really didn’t agree on pricing but told him I would let them know my answer.

My question is what is a decent rate for doing cars of this caliber (hummer h1, ‘56 nomad, ‘38 packard, ‘68 GTO wagon, ect) ?

Mike Phillips · 07-14-2021, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by Ghostknife

I had a shop get ahold of me through the IDA website, wanting me to work with/for them. My normal customer is the day to day daily driven car. This place is all classics and rare vehicles, so I won’t be pulling fries and gum from under seats.

I normally get $40-75 hour with my normal details but the customers are only summer time for the most part. This shop that is wanting me to come on board will supply all the Rupes polishers, meguires and consumables.

They are also an hour drive from my current location. We really didn’t agree on pricing but told him I would let them know my answer.

My question is what is a decent rate for doing cars of this caliber (hummer h1, ‘56 nomad, ‘38 packard, ‘68 GTO wagon, ect) ?

Gosh... that's a tough question.

Are you happy with the clientele and business you have now?

Taking on specialty cars like you describe is just as much work as doing daily drivers, sometimes more, depends on what you have to do. These are also LARGE cars. I've never detailed a Hummer H1 mostly because I have no desire to detail a Hummer H1. I have detailed Chevy Nomads, classic Packards, GTOs, etc. - These "can" be easy because they tend to have easy to buff panels and metal trim. You don't have to tape-off metal trim you just run your buffer over it. New cars you tend to tape plastic trim off so you don't stain it.

Even though they are willing to provide the polishers and products - you will still likely have to provide some of your own supplies. Just depends. Do they have towels and pads?

I would say $75.00 would be a low offer.

**AeroCleanse** · 07-14-2021, 08:46 PM

Depends on what they want done to them.

I washed a Hummer H1 once and it's hard to reach the middle of the hood no matter how you try.

**Ghostknife** · 07-15-2021, 12:00 PM

Thanks for the reply! He was looking for the standard paint correction and detailing of the vehicles but then he also went down the path of wet sanding and airbrushing which is all fine and dandy if you’re going to pay for it but when I was hit with the around $20 an hour I thought that was very low for the expected work. I understand that he has overhead in the process.

**AeroCleanse** · 07-15-2021, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by Ghostknife

Thanks for the reply! He was looking for the standard paint correction and detailing of the vehicles but then he also went down the path of wet sanding and airbrushing which is all fine and dandy if you’re going to pay for it but when I was hit with the around $20 an hour I thought that was very low for the expected work. I understand that he has overhead in the process.

Wet sanding and airbrushing takes time and even more skill. $100 an hour would be the minimum I would charge.

**Rsurfer** · 07-15-2021, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by Ghostknife

Thanks for the reply! He was looking for the standard paint correction and detailing of the vehicles but then he also went down the path of wet sanding and airbrushing which is all fine and dandy if you’re going to pay for it but when I was hit with the around $20 an hour I thought that was very low for the expected work. I understand that he has overhead in the process.

You guy's are so far apart unless your willing to work for $20-25 an hour. He's giving you a low ball price and will probably go up to $25..are you willing to work for $25 bucks an hour? If not give him a non-negotiable number and get on with your life.

**ducksfan** · 07-15-2021, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by Ghostknife

Thanks for the reply! He was looking for the standard paint correction and detailing of the vehicles but then he also went down the path of wet sanding and airbrushing which is all fine and dandy if you’re going to pay for it but when I was hit with the around $20 an hour I thought that was very low for the expected work. I understand that he has overhead in the process.

Wow, $20/hr. That's what the lead guy at a car wash probably makes around here.

What are his prices like? That should give you a good idea what he is using as a shop rate.