There is a lady on our local Facebook page with a 61 Buick.
She just wants a basic tune up. I haven’t heard back yet but she is interested. I’m presuming it’s just plugs, wires, distributor and rotor. Maybe an oil change.
What would your time estimate be? I’d like to get $40 an hour.
Thanks
Ed
I’d say the estimate is $40 an hour then. One broken one bolt or screw can add an hour or more. You have to be foolish to quote any kind of estimate that isn’t plus or minus 100%
Thanks Bill. That is something to consider as well.
I’ve always had a thing about not working on other people’s cars.
I did a radiator for a college student who is a server at local restaurant. She was happy and paid me more than what asked for but less than half of what a shop wanted. She supplied radiator and coolant.
So far so good 8 months later.
I used to do side work all the time but my time is very valuable these days so I take on very little work anymore. I typically charge about half of what a typical shop rate is and also mark up any parts I supply. Typically I charge 60-75 an hr. Sometimes I can figure out a set priced based on the job as well but it’s important to keep it open for unforeseen issues or your set price is high enough to accommodate for issues.
For me something always seems to go sideways and turns an easy job into a hard one then I don’t have all my tools at home I would need to fix it so it takes way longer then it should. Those situations are not abnormal for this type of work but when your trying to do it at home without all the equipment of a shop it can quickly turn into a headache.
If you were working on a new car where you are basically unbolting pats and bolting on new parts, you can fairly well predict how long things will take.
With old cars you are more often than not battling with rust, corrosion, and poorly performed previous repairs. And it seems that inevitably you find something else that needs to be addressed. (Wile I am at it I might as well, and since you have it apart, whey not do X,Y,Z). My rule is that the shop rate is $X per hour. You are welcome to watch or even help if you want. But there is no time limit, and no deadline. And all work is settled with cash. And any and all expletives are provided at no charge.
The most successful happy guy I know doing classic car customization and restoration is Kip Kuiper. He is pretty well retired now but his rules were:
He works on one car at a time.
The shop rate is $XX.00 per hour.
You put a cash deposit down when you drop off the car.
He keeps very specific time sheets for everything he does.
If a problem develops that is his fault, he doesn’t charge for the time to fix it.
Any time the deposit is depleted you have to bring more cash.
All parts are plus minimum 10%
No deadlines.
You can pick up the car anytime you want if you are not happy.
He will work on it until you are happy.
His shop is very well organized and always clean and uncluttered. He is happy in his work and it shows.
This process lets him focus on the work and nothing else. He is very methodical in how he works and takes great care to tape off things so they don’t get scratched and to make everything look very tidy when he is done. He also writes very nice instruction sheets and notes about what parts are used (building hotrods demands this). His customers love him.