So, i’m brand new to this whole composites stuff. I’ve only made stuff for myself thus far. However, I was “contracted” to overlay some Toyota Scion TC interior panels in texallium.
I have NO idea what to charge. I’m new, so i’m slow, so i don’t think it’s fair to bill by hour as i’m using these parts as my own “free” school to learn.
What would be the average anyone here would charge to overlay 9 interior pieces (they are rather complex)?
Thanks,
Matt
I don’t want to discourage you but unless they are relatively flat pieces texalium wouldn’t be my fabric of choice. It’s rather stiff, the aluminum coating breaks up. Especially if you’ve never worked with it before I would run as far away as you could from doing that as an overlay.
If you can pull the pieces off and make a mold from them. That is if they are easy to pull off. You could make more and resell them.
Texilium is cool looking stuff. Should look hot on a Scion. Some people don’t mind working with it, others don’t like it. Maybe buy a small square of it and lay it over your part to see how it conforms? Just an idea. Maybe have to make some cuts to make go around tight radius’. Keep in mind I myself have not used texilium.
I’ve also heard of colored e-glass. Would that be the same thing as texilium? or would it be a lighter material?
well, it’s a little late for all that as i’m about 80% through the job, and it hasn’t been fun. Definitely won’t be using the aluminum coated stuff again, at least not for anything with remotely sharp curves.
but any estimate on what you’d charge a customer?
Not trying to come off as a douche, but if you have to ask what to charge for your own work, you probably aren’t ready to be selling your work to someone.
You know the size of the panels, we don’t. You know what your material and equipment costs are, we don’t.
That being said, this is how I’d figure it out…in your position.
Take the material costs, based upon how much raw fabric goes into it (including waste material. Figure out resin, hardware, and the rest of the supply costs. I’d add 20% onto that.
Then, the labor costs…I’d charge 20-30 for small pieces, 50-60 for medium ones, and big ones 80-90, as far as interior stuff would go.
Mind you, this is all ball parking on my part…
You’re absolutely right. I’m not ready to be selling my work; however, this is more a favor for a friend, I saw a chance to pick up some knowledge at someone else’s expense (he was warned I was new, and the result might not be as pretty as if he paid someone else).
That being said: your post was exactly what I was looking for, and thank you.
If you are just starting and its part for a friend, why not just charge for materials?
i was thinking about it, but it’s taking a lot more time then I had originally anticipated and it’s not a close friend.
i’m not going to charge him much for labor, just enough to heal my emotional scars :rolleyes:
Think about how many times you have exploded and stormed out of the garage, then how many times you had to hit up the first aid kit due to bleeding or other injuries. The figure out a $ figure for each instance!
If your’ dealing with friends, it’s cool to charge for materials, 'cause that cost you something.
But the official rule, otherwise…
“Beer or Barter”
He can bring you a case of brews, or trade you something for your trouble.
with his taste in material objects (ahem overlayed interior pieces and hideous body kits with no function), i’ll stick to the beer and a meal.
exactly!!! I charge materials and of course this is my other payment lol
Figure out what its going to cost you. Then multiply by 2 and charge them that.
This is how I factor part costs.
ALL MATERIALS INVOLVED X’s 4
example… if my cloth, resin, hardener, peelply, flow media, bagging film, tape and resin lines, t’s and cups cost me a total of 36 dollars…I automaticaly call it 144.00
Then I add in about 20 bucks an hour for time. So if my total time for shooting gelcoat and laying up THAT PARTICULAR MOLD and Im tight with time so I only charge the minutes used…is 1.5 hours (I round to nearest 1/4 hour either way) I add 30 bucks.
For a grand total of 174 or call it 175 for the nice easy number.
youll find that this way you will actually be paying yourself for your time that youre eating WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE EQUATION!
Too often people dont spend the time or have the balls to get compensated for their work or they think little of it.
Look, if you make 15 bucks an hour at work and youre working at home too…you should at least make what you make at work if not a bit more.
The material charges I use to keep my inventory levels up high in the garage. That way Im never coming out of pocket for some job or having to wait on materials to come in.
Texallium is a bastard to work with and I know…I bought a few rolls of it site unseen cause I thought it would be awesome to have…now I cringe when I have to work with it. ESPECIALLY DOING ANY OVERLAYS.
Perfeng will tell you the same thing, I gave him 10-12 yards of it for helping me out and he hated it too.
Friends is a tough one. I think i’d charge double the materials cost like Hybridracers said. If it’s a large job and it’s going to consume a lot of time… i would charge full going price, minus 15% from labor. You gotta pay the bills 