Opinions on Painting Cost, Please
Hawgflst
Got an estimate to paint my fenders and tanks today, $650.00. Now, here's the
question. I'm taking them off the bike and removing all pieces and parts, is
this a reasonable price for a single color black paint job? I live in VA near
DC, for cost of living info.
Had my truck painted in Idaho 3 years ago, black, and it only cost me
$1,000.00.
Thanks and here's another round on me.
Brian
88 FLST
Keep the rubber side down
JMark
>
> Inn Keeper, a round for the house if you would.
>
> Got an estimate to paint my fenders and tanks today, $650.00. Now, here's the
> question. I'm taking them off the bike and removing all pieces and parts, is
> this a reasonable price for a single color black paint job? I live in VA near
> DC, for cost of living info.
I've been paint pricing here in FL. The best I've found who is
reasonable, i.e. not busy as hell, would do it top notch for around $450
to $500....as you describe.
--
JMark
88FLHS
SENS4,BS83
JMark
>
> >I've been paint pricing here in FL.
>
I know John, I've seen a bike he's done, but I'm not familiar with his
pricing. He'll probably check in soon.
--
JMark
88FLHS
SENS4,BS83
Hawgflst
JMark, thanks. Have you talked to Painter John? He's in FL.
Andrzej
> Got an estimate to paint my fenders and tanks today, $650.00. Now, here's the
> question. I'm taking them off the bike and removing all pieces and parts, is
> this a reasonable price for a single color black paint job? I live in VA near
> DC, for cost of living info.
Up here it will run about $2K Cdn (about $1300 US) to do a decent paint
job on Big Twin sheet metal. For a fancy custom job with lots of work,
you can easily pay more.
--
Andrzej Jan Taramina
Chaeron Consulting Corporation
Chaeron: http://www.chaeron.com
Sightings: http://www.chaeron.com/sightings/
NOTE: Remove Spamicide (tm) before replying!!!
Painter John
typed:
>Inn Keeper, a round for the house if you would.
>
>Got an estimate to paint my fenders and tanks today, $650.00. Now, here's the
>question. I'm taking them off the bike and removing all pieces and parts, is
>this a reasonable price for a single color black paint job? I live in VA near
>DC, for cost of living info.
>
>Had my truck painted in Idaho 3 years ago, black, and it only cost me
>$1,000.00.
>
>Thanks and here's another round on me.
>
>
>Brian
>88 FLST
>Keep the rubber side down
Hey Brian, here's a couple responses to post I made a while back when
asked similar questions:
re-post:
Custom paint jobs can vary greatly in price... depending on the artist
and painter... their experience and their popularity. Most paint jobs
you find for under $1000.00 are going to be amateurs at best.
An average for a decent custom paint job is going to run between
$2500.00 and $3500.00. While searching for your painter, you should ask
what the guarantees are and what type materials they use.
There are many good artists out there painting bikes and you can pay as
much as six, seven or even ten or more thousand dollars for these paint
jobs! For that kind of money, they should be durable as well as
beautiful. Now you may find an up and coming bike painter, who's still
paying his dues, willing to work cheap... You just have to look around
and ask a lot of questions.. If the painter is busy, with a two or three
month backlog.... that's usually a pretty good sign. If he's spends more
time at the bar than in the shop.... welll...
I would also recommend buying new, OEM sheet metal, providing that you
have a late model bike with the paint still in good condition. Why? The
main reason is that your down time is kept to a minimum and you can
recover the cost of your purchase when you sell your stock paint job!
I would stay away from aftermarket metal unless you going to change the
design... i.e. stretched tanks or custom design fenders.... The factory
sheet metal is tops in quality compared to the aftermarket... <IMHO>
re=post:
A poster asked why does it cost so much to paint a bike bike, which is
relativeley small compared to a car. This is a good question. A good
custom paint job on a bike is going to take the painter many hours.
There's quite a bit of sanding little nooks and crannies like around
brackets and the undersides of the tanks and fenders.. etc.. etc.. A
good paint job has got to be tough!... tougher than on a car... it's
going to get gas spilled on it, your ol' ladies boots dragged across it
etc..It also should be smooth to the touch.. which means it will have to
be wet sanded and cleared two or three times... meaning more and more
hours.. It's not uncommom to put in 100 or even 200 hours on a high
dollar custom... do the math... how much do you think that painter's
time is worth? Remember... you don't have to take a car apart to paint
it.. just sand and mask... if you have to re-paint your bike... well it
means another tear down... you'd better get it done right the first
time!
If you don't want to spend the money and have the time and are will to
put in some hard work... why you can paint it your self...
re-post:
So you want to paint your Harley...
I suggest you go out and purchase Jon Kosmosli's 'Kustom Painting
Secrets' video. He also has this
in a book format. He is extremely knowledgeable and his instructional
tapes are very informative...
dealing with setting up a shop, equipment, thru preparation and custom
spray techniques. Another,
less extensive avenue to take is to go down to your local body shop
supplier (or jobber to us in the business), and ask for any technical
info booklets they have, which are usually free. PPG has an excellent
one and a separate book on custom painting. Much cheaper and also very
informative. Another tip is to look at the can of paint. Most have a
very condense but complete list of steps needed to take to prepare and
then to spray the product your about to use.
Here's a link to House of Kolor's instructional video's.... I think the
tapes are $49.95... There's
a wealth of information on these tapes... well worth the investment!
http://www.houseofkolor.com/productset.html
Ride Free,
Painter John
SENS
Millenium Chopper Project
Read da FAQ's <http://home.earthlink.net/~mildness/yo/frames/faqv2frm.html>
e-mail to pntrjohn at mediaone dot net (iow's remove the vowels from painter)
<http://www.painterjohn.com>
Tidman
> Up here it will run about $2K Cdn (about $1300 US) to do a decent paint
> job on Big Twin sheet metal. For a fancy custom job with lots of work,
> you can easily pay more.
>
<snip>
Jeezus! Where are you "up here"? I'm in Fredericton, NB and 2 years ago
had my bonnie fuel and oil tanks, as well as the side cover and air filter
covers done in metallic blue over silver with 3 clear coats, pinstriping
and a couple of brit flag decals applied to the air covers by one of our
more expensive body shops for under $700 cdn taxes in. The same guys have
told me I'd be looking at a grand for my chief tanks, fenders, toolbox,
chainguard and alternator cover all in two tone (Black and Red over gold
metallic with gold pinstripes... someday!). This was before I got to know
any of the independant guys that usually do as good a job for less.
Tidman
'46 Chief
'56 TRW
'68 Bonnie
Rog
>Got an estimate to paint my fenders and tanks today, $650.00. Now, here's
>the
>question. I'm taking them off the bike and removing all pieces and parts, is
>this a reasonable price for a single color black paint job?
I live in NC and three years ago I had my fxdl fenders and tank painted two
tone with dual pinstripes and clearcoat for $550. It still looks like new.
Rog
" Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most."
Remove "junk" to reply.