What do you charge for product?

mitch_04

Learnin'
I'm curious what everyone charges per ounce (or whatever quantity) for their products? I understand base is variable, but I'm mainly looking for the things I use the most. I have never worked in a body shop or auto body store and I have no idea what to charge for product, and I have a habit of under charging. Either total price or percentage of markup would help.

Epoxy
Slick Sand or similar
Universal Clear

Also, do you charge for things like filler/adhesives/seam sealers/nvh foam or is that worked into hourly?

I understand if you don't want to answer in this thread but I'd appreciate the help in a private message if you are able.
 
The going materials rate here is $34 per hour of paint labor. Body supplies have typically not been charged for, but we do get 0.1 hours of "prime and block" paint labor for every body repair (not replace) hour, this helps defray the cost of filler, etc and gives a bit of blocking time.

We do charge for materials on resto jobs, but the liquids are measured and charged for directly, and sandpaper, etc. is rolled into the restoration hourly rate.
 
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I have been charging $35/hour for labor, regardless if it's metal work, filling and sanding, or painting. All restorations or custom stuff, I'm not doing collision as this is purely for my love of fixing up classics and I have a day job that pays the normal bills. My side business is just to pay for itself and tools I would not have otherwise been able to justify (nice spray guns, specialty tools, etc)

I have been charging labor and adding materials only for paint/primer/clear or more expensive items like specialty adhesives and such.

Does this seem reasonable or am I way off?
 
i charge 85 an hour straight across. i don't work on an open end job. once stripped i give a locked in price .
the busiest shop in town is the cheapest and is the first to fail.
 
At least twice a year I do a materials audit to check on how much was used and what it cost. Yes it's more work, however I'm confident in knowing we aren't loosing money on materials. The traditional way of calculating materials (paint hours times an amount for materials) seems to average out ok. but some customers will pay more and some less for actual materials used. the amount in crashtech's post above ($34) for materials per paint hour is close to what I charge. ~BOB
 
i charge 85 an hour straight across. i don't work on an open end job. once stripped i give a locked in price .
the busiest shop in town is the cheapest and is the first to fail.

I just can not estimate in the beginning, I don't have the experience to know how much time it is going to take to do everything. I always underestimate and by quite a bit.

I'm in a small town, and doing only custom/restoration work so I'm far from the busiest! My price is more related to my inexperience taking me longer to do something than it is an attempt to gain more business. What would take more experienced body men 2 hours might take me 3 or 4. Once I get more experienced and confident in my abilities, I will probably adjust my cost. I don't want more than 1 restoration at a time with some smaller custom work (LS swap, lowering, etc) done here and there as well.
 
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