19 replies to this topic

[panelbeaterpeter]

If you take it to a professional body shop it will cost about what I stated. There are of course people who will do it for cheaper, if I was to do a private job on the side, I'd charge about £800. Anyone charging less has mental problems. To do the job properly, materials alone will cost no less than £400. Then add skilled labour, at approx £30 an hour. A respray takes a good few days.

It's very easy for people who haven't done it before to say "oh I'll just do it myself" but it costs a lot of money and takes a lot of skill to get a good finish, let alone one to the quality of a good body shop. And whatever anyone may say, spraying is definitely not easy. It's easy to get a gun, put some paint in it squirt it over your car until it changes colour, but getting a professional finish requires time and experience. Some people are never able to do it, even WITH training!

[jack_marshall]

Agreed its all well and good having a go yourself and learning abit about bodywork and prep. I find that most people who have a go learn very quickly, the fact it isnt as easy as it looks. It only looks easy when somebody skilled is doing it.

Ive just quoted £900-£1000 to repaint a Mk2 Golf with minor welding. Bare in mind I have no overheads apart from paint and some materials.

£1500-£2000 should get you a very nice job that will last and will be guaranteed

Its easy to see why a decent bodyshop will quote £1500-£2000 when they have rent, rates, insurance, materials etc etc to pay. In fact, its hard to see how we earn a wage at all sometimes.

[nomis]

I did all my own panel work and prep, then Hi-build priming and flatting.

Delivered the mini as a rolling shell, did all the de-greasing and tack ragging, masked her up and hung all the panels.

Car was then painted inside and out in 2K solid.

Painters supplied all the paint and materials for the painting its self.

I gave them 2 boxes of tack rags and 25 litres of gun wash and £530 cash for the job.

I thought this was cheap and im happy with the job.

Car arrived @ 9am and i had car back 6pm next day.

Edited by nomis, 15 July 2010 - 07:46 PM.

[delboyeire]

i done all my own bodywork and painted the car my self using 2 pack polyurethene and im fairly happy with the finish
but it shows in a couple of places where i didn spend enough time on the bodywork but the painting itself turned out very well
with tack clothes and panel wipe and the paint it came to about 100 euro+a hell of a lot of labour
this is after 1st coat


and this is the finish

[Jordan Loughlin]

I've got no experience in bodywork except for repainting with a spray can from halfords, my old clio sill like 4 years ago. But I'm willing to try on my mini. Its about 40% rubbed down. Who cares if the finish isn't 100%. It will still seal the metal and if you read the books, watch on youtube and listen to the DIY people on here, i recon it will be pretty close.

Only pro painters will say not to do it yourself. Should Consider it.

But thats my opinion,

Jordan