Why don't I just give it all away

ummm...folks are stupid? tell em to do it themselves if its so fuckin easy!! then charge em double, or triple to fix the mess when they come back cryin.

where they at lou? we got your back!!

So I was told today that my Labor rate was to high. People want to give my work away. I charge $75 an hour and these people want to bitch about it. I know shops that charge $150 an hour. I just don't get it.

No matter how reasonable you are, some people will want it even cheaper. Considering you do one offs, $75 is fairly cheap. Dealerships run more than that and then you pay for parts. I know a fellow who is a prototype engineer for small companies. He pulls in a good $150-250,000 per annum after office and shop expenses.

I've seen your work. I've also seen restoration shops that run a lot more and all they do is replace reproduction parts. I ran a salvage yard back in the early 80's and was the cheapest in town on most stuff. I still had people want parts cheaper. They usually got prices bumped up after they annoyed me enough. I considered it a piss off tax.

I know I'm in line with the standard. I also know that is the bottom of the scale. I've told people before when they bring the car, after some other shop has fucked it up it more money. I look at it this way FUCK them. I don't need the headache.

Damn right! I also charge 70.00 for my services. They're fuckin stupid. If they find someone less than 70.00, tell em to use them, but you'll charge them double when they come back. And they'll also need to keep they're mouth shut next time!!

Thats just crazy. But everyone has that happen to them sooner or later one way or the other.
People just seem to forget what it costs to buy welders, plasma cutters, Air compressors, Lifts, hand tools, air tools. Then theres no consideration for the years you spend learning and honing your skills to be the best at what you do.
People suck sometimes.

Tell them to move on down the road Lou!!

Dude same problem here. We are at $75 an hour also. There is a guy in town that charges $90 an hour and his work looks like shit, but he still seems to get work ( not much but he gets some) Then there is another guy that started out media blasting then decided that he could do the metal work too and he's charging $45 an hour. I've been told his guys don't know what the hell they are doing. I've been doing this since I was 15, I'm 41 now my brother is 39 and has been doing this since 13. My brother totally rebuilt his 66 Mustang conv. ( we are talking major basket case,this was a resurrection) and has won first in just about every show it had been in. Also best paint and best interior. The resto is 12 yrs old and still looks like new. We can't get hardly any work but these other guys who just decided it was a good idea to start a body shop and have next to no experience get work in the door.What the hell! Sorry I will get off my soapbox now. PG

do $74.99 it's sound like they are getting a better deal. Walmart does it !!!!!!!!!!

I see more and more resto jobs at Sprayglow. They are like 2 steps above Maaco.

It's just stupid what people think is too expensive. I stopped doing guitar setups because of that. "But it's just a setup." Yeah! It is! And it still costs money!

My wife bitches about the cost of meals when we go out. "I can buy that for $5.00." Not cooked, you can't. Then, you have to cook it and do the dishes afterward. You're not paying for the steak, you're paying for someone to take care of the work.

I should have been a hermit...

Other people who charge less know the value of their products and service! Keep charging what you do, Hell I thought you'd charge a lot more than that, you're Lou!! I felt if you don't charge enough people thought they wern't getting quality.

Craftsmanship is more that not getting wrinkles in your duct tape!

One reason that customers whine about the labor charges is because it is a hobby for them. While we are trying to make a living. Recently, I did some block work for a guy, small Chev. 400. Have to put a sleeve in it and set the deck, bore & hone w/plate, fill the block, etc., etc.. Supplied most of the parts. The labor was about a grand, but because he had been around a long time I charged him $500. When I told him, he looked as if I had drank his last beer. He said, Man you just worked on the block! Go figure!?!
I have a lot of expensive equipment and I will be damned if I will give my work away! But I charge a very fair price for the work I provide.
Away, don't give you labor away.

Lou, call me when you can.

Rod
Rod's& Hot Rods

Lou I am a fan of if they have to ask how much they should not be buiding a custom car regaurdless of what it is.

Resto or custom work is highly specialized. Not a lot of shops can or want to do it. Anyone charging less than $70 an hour isn't doing it right or doesn't have a clue how to do it right. Part of the problem with customers is that they have no idea whats involved and it really doesn't help to explain it to them. They just know that they want it shiny.

I get where our Guest is going. I think he just doesn't do this for a living. Or he is a line mechanic in a dealership. Longbox55 you hit the nail on the head. I have been a line mechanic the dealership. Labor was $60.00 an hour and that was 15 years ago, everything has gone up. I have to keep the lights on.

If he is talking about making $45 an hr that means the shop is probably at $100 per hr if he is on 45% commission.

its all about the loaded number. And longbox is right on.