$$ to stripe?

[kustomkoupe]

ive never striped a whole car before...like down the body lines on an antique...but i wana try...im going to do it for free for someone just to see if i can...but i was just wondering...what do you guys charge for a job like this...also how do you charge for a design...like on a trunk or something...is it by the hour?...ive been just charging 30 an hour to this bicycle shop i do work for and thats good for me....but i want a better way if i start doing cars and stuff more i mean i can do a design on a trunk in 20 minutes...i sure donlt want only 10 bucks for it

any and all advice welcome

thanks alot
zach

[Unkl Ian]

Doing straight lines down the side of a car is tougher than it looks.


The job should cost what the local market will bear for work of that quality.
A single line down both sides in Northern 'Jersey is $100,double line $200.
Else where it might be $60,or somewhere in between.

Also depends on what it is.
A job on a car that's going in the Pebble Beach Concours might be $600 or more.
An econo box at a dealer in Dallas,almost free.

You should be able to make $100/hr.
And after you develop a "name" you can charge more.
I know a guy who plans his time at $250/hr.

The customer doesn't pay based on how long it takes for you to actually do the job,
they pay based on how difficult it is for them to try and do it properly themselves.

And they WILL try to beat you up on your prices. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
Find out what other people local are charging.
You should be in that neighborhood,if your work is comparable.

[kustomkoupe]

thanks, my work isn't perfect so i want to charge half of what others might get for now...not to undercut them at all..but just to spread my name and get better..but wow 100 i was just thinking up upping my price to 50?...i'll just have to see what people will pay

thanks alot
zach

[Unkl Ian]

Isn't Dewayne Cannott down your way somewhere ?
Kick ass striper and artist.

If your going to get into straight lines,I would recommend you get a DC Flatliner from Mack.
It will make your life easier.

And practice on everything you can,before trying to do customer work.

[Peter Pan of Chicago]

Kustomkoupe, Unkl Ian is on the money on this. Sharp guy he is! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I would also consider the costs incurred in traveling to a job( gas, insurance, wear/tear on vehicle) and conditions your working under. I charge a little more if the clients shop or garage is dirty, cold and under lit.

If you have your own shop, figure out a "shop rate" to cover your heat, electric, insurance, ect.

Ya gotta make a profit if you want to grow your business and maintain a nice business and life.

There is two emotions you should feel after doing a nice striping job.
1. The feeling of accomplishment of doing a nice, creative job. Knowing you did your best.
2. The sense of worth at getting paid for what you've worked hard to master. Knowing you can crack the "nut' this month and have some to save and some to spend on the Hot Rod.

We do this work for the "love of the craft", you must also treat it as a business too. You can easily get burned out and be taken advantage of by people, believe it or not. It's no fun not being able to afford admission to a carshow or keep from buying a T-shirt on account ya didn't charge enough for the striping on the hotrods and customs in the show.

Sorry to rant but I want you to learn, to be creative and successful.

As far as your original question, $200.00 is not unreasonable for a double line down both sides. You got to figure that a Insurance co. will pay a bodyshop about $60-$65.00 to have someone replace one fender or door striping on a car or truck today. Add up a entire vehicle and you can see where this is heading.

Personally, I don't get my brushes out of bed for less than $150.00. anything less in todays market and the costs we ALL have to endure to survive doesn't seem worth it.

More than 2 cents worth. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Joel http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[kustomkoupe]

thanks joel and unkl ian...the money side is what i need to learn...yes i need to get alot better at striping...but i have people beating down my door for stuff right now so i want to figure a way to have it work out profitably..and hopefully work it in with other odds and ends i can do and try to not have this "real" job much longer..anyways thanks again...i got a manican(dummy) to do now...he said..."go wild!" so we'll see

zach

[Unkl Ian]

Have you tried "Finesse" pinstrping stencil tape ?

Excellent for straight lines.
This stuff actually works.You lay it on,paint,peel it off.
Add some freehand details on the ends.Done.

Comes in different sizes,double,single,tripple lines.

Cheating ? No. Consider it an aid to production. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Flexicoker]

I usually charge $200 an hour to strip. extra if a lap dance is involved.



oh, you mean stripe http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif damn dislexia

[whodaky]

Interesting stuff, the pricing thing! As one gains a reputation, people tend to demand one's work. And there in can lie a problem, well for me anyhow. I stripe for the love of it and don't necessarily want to make money from it. So as I said in a post on the Friday Art last week, I don't charge. But this lets me do the stuff I want to do. I believe a belt line on a car needs to be perfect, so I don't do them. I have not committed myself to become good at those long straight lines. Maybe with this attitude I am stifling my abilities, but that's the way it is. The more I look and think about my stripng and the way I approach it I think I tend to treat it more like an artist paints a painting. That is painting the pinting to create a piece of art, not a product. Just my thoughts and probably of no help here; but sometimes I believe views like this need to be aired.
I must state that I have been given monies and things for some striping I have done. Geoff aka Whodaky

[safariknut]

I hesitate to jump into this discussion because there are WAY TOO MANY variables involved.I have found that location is probably the most variable part.
As Ian said,in Jersey and New York where there are a proliferation of GREAT stripers(some of whom do nothing else but dealer work)the prices are seemingly very high and everyone seems to be making money.
Other sections of the country it seems that stripers will charge as little as $20 for a hand painted stripe.WHY?
A good question and one that is not readily answerable.
I normally charge $125 for a double stripe on a new car($100 for a single-the setup time is identical).It takes me roughly ten minutes to wash the vehicle with wax and grease remover and lay on the magnetic guide and another ten minutes to lay a double stripe and fancy up either end.I charge a flat $25 a panel for re-touching in body shops plus a $25 charge to travel to a shop further than 15 miles away.I should probably charge extra for custom-mixed colors that need re-touching but that sort of balances out.
Stripers in the metro Detroit area charge more but I rarely go there so that is not a concern of mine.
As far as designs go I figure $25 for an average size trunk/hood design and up for additional colors and/or complexity.The average flame outlining starts at $125 and goes up.Graphics I figure a minimum of $200 and usually go drastically up.
One thing I will NOT do is barter with a customer.I charge what I think is fair to both of us and if he isn't happy with that,I don't want to work for him.It's not a matter of ego,it's a simple matter:no matter what you do for him,he will NEVER be satisfied!
I usually make it very clear to a customer what I am going to do in advance and if he starts asking for additional work,I let him know EXACTLY how much MORE it's going to cost before I even lay down the brush.That way there are no surprises and everyone goes away with a smile on their face.
You may not make many friends that way but I'm not in the friend-making business.I work to put food on the table and gas in my car as we all do.
Enough ranting;now back to our regularly scheduled program..........

[kustomkoupe]

thanks everyone who replied...its all helping me in one way or another...

zach

[scrapmetalart]

I have been striping everything in sight lately. What would you "pros" out there sell a piece like this for? Sorry about the quality!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[scrapmetalart]

2

[scrapmetalart]

3

[scrapmetalart]

4

[Jester]

Some day I hope to charge something, anything for my lines. I've done 6 cars and countless panels, bowling balls, helmets,pistons,and canvases in under a year. I don't belive my work is worth money so I've just given it all away.......however I'M REALLY STUPID, and now I'm broke to boot. You have to charge something just to replenish your materials. I have two more pieces promised to people after that its something or nothing.......oh but I will always trade art for art I just recieved some stuff from GV that knocked my socks off.

[00 MACK]

Id get 200 for that quantity of striping. While on the subject I think 2 straight lines should be about 175 and a world class hood deck head and taillights should go for 450-500 depending on variables

[scrapmetalart]

Here is 1 more I did. You might of seen it on the friday art show.

[scrapmetalart]

2..

[scrapmetalart]

3..

[00 MACK]

Why do shit for free unless you are very close friends with the recipient??? My daddy always told me that "Your real friends want you to make $$$ Dont let anyone try to tell you that theyre doing you a favor by letting you stripe for them and dont give anyone deals cause they tell you that theyre gonna get you a million more jobs.Youre gettin you the jobs!!

[Unkl Ian]

[ QUOTE ]
and dont give anyone deals cause they tell you that theyre gonna get you a million more jobs.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah,they will tell all their Fucking Cheap Ass friends what a killer deal they got
by blowing smoke up your skirt. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Just what I need,more Fucking Cheap Ass customers who want a killer deal. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif



Money now,is worth more,than Money later.

[00 MACK]

It feels good spewing this shit about big prices and not getting fucked but a few short years ago Iwas guilty of the same shit http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[CruZer]

OK, I don't do striping but I had this done at the Nats East by a well known striper for $250. Hood

[CruZer]

Trunk

[CruZer]

One stripe down the side and the dash.

[00 MACK]

Those guys at York get slammed just to be able to work there.I know Alan Johnson works there but that dont look like his work. At 200-250 you done good Id say!

[00 MACK]

The peice on the hood has killer flow .Who was it??

[CruZer]

Jake from Las Vegas. http://www.jakespinstriping.com/homepage.html

[Kevin Lee]

Everyone is interested in work - few want to actually pay for it. I'm good at what I do and I developed some good relationships but I put away my brushes so I didn't have to listen to a few people berate my work and prices. I'll trade for work, parts, or charge a BARE minimum for friends and I don't paint for people I'm not friends with anymore. I'm just tired of fighting for money.

[00 MACK]

Solid pro!

[MikeO]

I striped a counter made out of a 68 chevy c-60 front clip on saturday for $70 it wasnt much stripin and shouldnt have taken more than 1/2 hour but I was hung over so it took 3 hours http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Ill never do that again http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Unkl Ian]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm just tired of fighting for money.

[/ QUOTE ]

AMEN. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Make sure you tell them upfront what the price is.
If they don't like it,go no further.

If they complain when it's done,wipe it off. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Don Edwards was telling us about a customer who brought in a bike helmet to be airbrushed.
The guy wanted a sunset,with a big eagle,blablabla.No problem,this much money,come back in 2 weeks.
So the guy comes in 2 weeks later,the helmet is done,clear coated,and buffed.
Nice big eagle on the back,landscape,sunset,clouds,blablabla.
The customer doesn't like the eagle on the back,he wants it moved to the side!
Don explains why it's on the back:scale,proportion,positive and negitive space.
Besides,it's buried under 4 coats of clear.
Customer wants the eagle moved.
"Just move it" he insists. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
OK,come back in 2 days.
Customer comes back in 2 days."Is my helmet ready?"
Don reaches under the counter and hands him his helmet.
The customer is shocked."WHAT"S THIS ?"
"You gave me a scuffed white helmet.
HERE is your scuffed white helmet.
Now GET OUT !" http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[tredboy]

the guy at the dealership i work at gets $35 per car, but then again he does 250+ cars a month for us.



tred.

[G V Gordon]

This is a very interesting post for me. I just laid lines on my first real vehicle yesterday,(I will post on Friday).
It was mini chopper that Jay, Twisted Okies son built. No charge, but they are friends and have cut me a deal or two in the past. Came out pretty well. I have a guy who has offered me a paying job and I am considering it. If I do it I'll post pics. This gives me a few guidelines to figure out what to charge.
Thanks,
George

[00 MACK]

While I hope you make as much as possible I dont know how much less a new guy should charge but on the other side of the coin youll be surprised that even long time respected car builders cant tell the difference between an average guy or a seasoned knife grade pro

[Jester]

George,

Take the job and make the money. If someone offers you money for your work they belive in it. I personally think that your work is excellent. Just remember the little guys when your famous http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[caffeine]

never do ANYTHING for free...a very wise man once told me...RIGHT IAN? hehe.

at least trade, or something.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif thats my advice.

I do lots of bikes, and charge about 65$ for a whole top of a sporty tank, 2 colors.

20-40 for a helmet

then again, i suck. and i just started.

[Jester]

[ QUOTE ]

then again, i suck. and i just started.

[/ QUOTE ]

Damn it man if you suck there is no hope for me http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif