ShawnSurridge
Forum Replies Created
- Posts
I have gotten out of the trade for short periods of time but always end up back. Something about the end product is satisfying in a way that is hard to explain. I still believe the day will come when there won’t be that many of us left and they will have to pay the piper.
DRP, a necessary evil I guess. It is good to have a bunch of companies sending you work but they can sometimes be a pain in the ass too. They say that getting on the list depends on certain criteria but I find ,and you probably do to,that there are shops out there who are drp and do sub par work and have less that adequate facilities. I still feel it all boils down to familiarity with the adjusters and appraisers and how you have dealt with them and being straight up with them.If you do quality work and turn around times are good you will have your share of the business anyhow.Educating the customers to the fact that they don’t have to got to shop A or B and that it is their choice is the hard part as most don’t want to piss off their insurance brokers for fear of higher rates. Somedays its like having sharp objects stuck in your eyes but thats how the game is played.
Just a thought, I have found that if i want to get a really good finish with black,I spray the vehicle last thing,de nib any spots and reapply final coat of base and let sit overnight.Most products have a window where you can leave base un topcoated for a period of time. I then spray clear the next morning and bake. This seems to give the best results and hold out is much better and the finish doesn’t seem to pinch off. I have even used two step bake, 15 minute bake,cool down,15 minute bake. Activating base is ok but I have found that if you have dirt problem or other,it is harder to scuff base without it plugging paper and cutting the base.
Having worked in both types of shops,flat rate all the way providing repair times and estimates done properly. I have worked with good quality flat rate and straight time bodymen and painters and my take is that if you are good enough the quality does not suffer in flat rate shops. It comes down to pride in workmanship.If you are a hack,it doesn’t matter whether you are straight time or flat rate. I like to know that when you see the estimate you know exactly how much time you get and you can either speed up or coast. I would rather make gains than to see all the time I have made go to the house.