Ben Hart
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Up here it is pretty standard for frame repair to be at a little higher rate than body. Depending on the insurance company we get about 75-90
Are the insurance companies down there setting material rates? Do any of them put a max cap for materials?
[quote=”pierceg” post=25113]I don’t understand why you want it stripped but you should look on Kijiji for painter’s ads. I’ve seen a few people doing paint jobs for under 700 dollars. I know there’s highschools and colleges that take in cars to paint for free or really cheap.[/quote]
What??? :unsure: …trade school, may be a good idea. But trusting some unlicenced hick you don’t know to touch your property and “repair” it in his buddys shed is not cool at all.
[quote]You really shouldn’t be investing more than 1000 dollars into a car from ’91, who knows what could happen to it.[/quote]
That may be true, but if he likes it enough why not…
Charging for paint materials is being charged as paint material rate X refinish hours. Typical material rates seemed to have increased in the last 2-3 years, about the time waterbourne was becoming mainstream. Around here, typical paint material rate is charged at about $30-35 per refinish hour (which, as Jaysone mentioned, is close to half your labour rate).
In Mitchell and Audatex you can set each of your profiles up with the appropriate rates for your insurance companies.
But that is for billing. The % of income…I have no idea. I do know, however, that at $30-35 per hour, we are maybe breaking even.
Well, if it were me, I’d get rid of CCC and just use Audatex and/or Mitchell. CCC isn’t available up here, but I am familiar with their estimates through General Motors, and they make me 😡
Mitchell has a tracking program. There is also AutoFocus (avaliable through Audatex). It is some fancy software for management/tracking and is compatible with all estimating software. I have not used it, but know a local dealer group that is using it in their bodyshops. I have heard good things about it and they are having success using it with Mitchell and Audatex.
Ding is absolutely right. For the average tech, those numbers should be straight forward. Some guys can do better, but 150-200% is pretty standard.
One area to make note of, is weather you are getting everything you should on the estimates, that can affect your numbers pretty good…but not likely to the point where your guys are only 60% efficient.
Can you encourage your guys with a bonus or payment system based on productivity (I am assuming switching everyone to flat rate is out of the question?).
What are you using for your glass repair? Fiberglass or SMC resin, or the 2 part repair adhesive like from the 3M Automix line?
Welcome to the site.
Search the forums and you will find a lot of good info, otherwise fire away
figure out how many hours they are doing each week (based on mitchell time, or what ever system you use) vs the hours worked. You can get a general idea over several weeks what their effeciency is
If you want to be cheap, you could set something up in MS Excel and manually enter the jobs as they arrive then track them that way…or a very large dry erase board
Otherwise there are some software programs that can work with your estimating software. What are you using for estimates?
It is expensive, but well worth the cost for your safety.
If you plan on using it at home, or in different locations where the booth may not have proper filtration for breathable air, this SAS unit may be your best bet. You can take it with you wherever you go:
[img]http://www.smartshoppersinc.com/respirators/9800-30SAS.jpg[/img]The SATA is a nicer hood, though
You definitely want to have a good filter system and should consider a carbon monoxide detector. There is a filter pack with the hood, but you need the air to be breathable quality and the 1 filter alone is not enough.
You can buy small compressors which are dedicated for breathable air, such as the ones SAS makes.
Keeping temp for storage or while using?
Solvents and solvent paint/primer seems pretty resistant to low temperatures and likely freezing. Waterborne paint and hardeners I would make sure to keep as close to room temp. as possible.
I thought you were already a great Grandfather :p
Congratulations! :cheers
[quote=”der2906″ post=24753]Like some of the replys before say there is so many variables when painting a car ,there is no one set way ever.No two painters ever spray the same, all have suttle differences in technique. Things like humidity, temperature of panels, paint viscosity, paint type, enviroment your working in , your spraying technique plus hundreds more all matter aswell.People give advice based on there own exprience theyve had over countless years of doing the job, take all the advice, get your gun and start spraying (its the only way) experiment and remember the advice given then do what works for you. practice practice practice is the only way you become efficient in anything in life.Enjoy![/quote]
Not only that, but the product too.
Just because 1 guy can get 1 particular clear to lay beautifully with a particular gun, doesn’t mean it will work the same for everyone and every product. Some clears spray best with a 1.4, others a 1.3 or 1.2. And a 1.2 in a SATA 3000RP may not mean a 1.2 would be best in a 3000HVLP, or an Iwata…or Devilbiss etc.
Thats like asking what is the best car and route to commute with to and from work…too many variables to have 1 perfect answer for all possible scenarios. The best answer you can get is that some are definitely better than others, but to pick what is best for you in your particular situation.
If you don’t like that answer, then too bad, its just the way it is. :lol1
If there were 1 perfect answer, we would all be working in identical shops, spraying the same brand of paint on only 1 model of car…