Is this reasonable?

[MikeW]

I've found someone to do a proper paint job and his estimate of $4-$4.5K seems in line with what others have said a good job will cost. I still need to check out some references but so far it looks good. I actually got his name from the local store that sells auto paints so I figure they probably know a lot of people in the business.

I do however have one question for you guys. He says he would want 1/2 the money up front to cover supplies and the initial labor. Is this a reasonable request? He does all of the work at home so he doesn't have the bankroll of a large paint and body shop.

[2ManyZs]

Hmm, does it at home and wants the same price that a professional shop charges? Does he have the equipment a pro shop would have such as a paint booth? If not, his prices are way out of line..... he's trying to charge for a professional job with the possibility of only a so-so paint job....

Best bet is to ask for referrences and talk to th owners and view some of his work before you decide. One of your priorities should be to see how well his work has stood the test of time. Almost any new paint job will look OK, the biggest test is how they look 3-5 years down the road.

IMO, anyone can charge 4K or more for a paint job, but, can they deliver the results.....

I know for certain I couldn't, yet, somewhere there's probably someone who might give me that kind of money to do one.....:devious:

And yes, sometimes those "backyard" paint jobs can and do look as good as a high dollar job, but, the people that can deliver those are a tough to find.

[26th-Z]

Go check out his gig, Mike. If you like what you see, go for it. You might consider paying for his supplies as he requests them or paying him weekly for work completed as an alternative to investing up front. Asking for money down is common, but reputation needs to back up the trust involved with someone who is going to do this "after hours". I agree with 2ManyZs in that $4 - $5 grand usually covers overhead expenses like insurance, equipment, and taxes involved in a business. However, many businesses are started at home and if the guy is good, you will become his next reference. Good luck!

[ZmeFly]

If Im paying top dollar for a paint job thats going to take place at someone garage, no I dont think so.

I know a guy down the street from me that works in a top shop, he also does work on the side, Ive seen both works that he does.

Hes only charging me 1800 to do my job. Excellent paint even at your cost including primer sealer wouldnt or shouldnt cost depending on color more then 6-800 max depending on what your going for.

Of course the more extravagent colors can cost much more. Id say go with your gut, but for someone painting out of his garage, I wouldnt pay that much.

[MikeW]

Thanks for the advice, guys.

It may not be as questionable as it might sound from my initial description. While he does the work at home he does appear to be set up for it and has been doing it for years. I took a look around at his work areas as well as the two jobs he currently has going and my gut says it looks reasonable. This isn't just an on the side thing but rather his full time business that he just happens to run out of his house.

He said he would take all of the glass out, take the doors off, and basically get all of the places where the original paint was. He pointed out all of the small defects in the body work that I already knew about and some that I didn't. He said the first step would be to hit it with a flat board sander and find all of the problem areas. He prefers to weld small patch panels as needed as opposed to replacing entire body parts. He only uses PPG paints if that makes any difference. He said he would take off the cowl panel and really clean up all of the slots that were neglected during previous paint jobs. The job would probably take 4 weeks if that's all he's working on and I'd be welcome to stop by and watch the progress.

Really, everything seemed reasonable other than asking for money up front. Does this extra information change anything? Does anyone here know anyone else they can recommend in the Atlanta area?

[2ManyZs]

Well, asking for a "deposit" up front doesn't sound all that unreasonable, since the consumables like sandpaper and such are getting a bit expensive. Although, I'd try to get him to accept less than 1/2 the total, sounds a bit on the excessive side to me.

[MikeW]

Originally posted by 2ManyZs

Although, I'd try to get him to accept less than 1/2 the total, sounds a bit on the excessive side to me.

Thanks. That's what I was thinking. Perhaps I could pay some up front and more as needed to cover things.