Why does auto body repair cost so much?
Posted by admin on February 6, 2010I have a simple dent on my Civic – paint isn’t scratched – and the local shop wants to charge $600 to repair, match paint, etc… Is this normal?
If you know where autobody techs get $80 per labor hour, please let me know so that I can move my shop there. $600.00 seems a bit high for one small dent. The price should probably be about half of that if paint can be kept on one panel. Prices vary depending on the area that you live in. For instance, my shop is in southwest Texas, about 60 miles from Mexico. My labor rates are $40 per labor hour, but Insurance companies will only pay $36 per labor hour. Often times I have to succumb to their price. 160 miles north east of me in Austin, labor rates are at $48 per labor hour and that is what the insurance companies pay. So, labor price depends on your area.
The other factor that goes into this is the price of materials for paint. Though most paints cost the same (with the exception of pearl color paints and tri-stage paints) some shops charge more for red than they do for white. My cost on materials in the last 6 months has jumped up 30%. It would not suprise me if the shop in question jumped their materials price up as well.
If a shop really wants your job, there are things that they can do and that insurance companies insist on. They can only charge you for partial panel paint and only clearcoat the entire panel. That brings materials and labor price down considerably.
If it is a quality shop, they may just be a little bit higher than people in your area. I know that we are.
Good luck.
because the parts are expensive.
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600 is a good price…Tedious skilled labor is a wallet killer…Labor hour $$ at most body shops is about $80 per hour…that little scratch you got requires at least 4 hours labor..plus supply…like I said: Good price
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experience
because people will pay it because they want there car to look nice
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if small dent then they wont money
if big dent then they have a right
to charge so much i guess
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blame the insurance companies. Insurance drives the cost of everything up. And I mean everything.
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If you know where autobody techs get $80 per labor hour, please let me know so that I can move my shop there. $600.00 seems a bit high for one small dent. The price should probably be about half of that if paint can be kept on one panel. Prices vary depending on the area that you live in. For instance, my shop is in southwest Texas, about 60 miles from Mexico. My labor rates are $40 per labor hour, but Insurance companies will only pay $36 per labor hour. Often times I have to succumb to their price. 160 miles north east of me in Austin, labor rates are at $48 per labor hour and that is what the insurance companies pay. So, labor price depends on your area.
The other factor that goes into this is the price of materials for paint. Though most paints cost the same (with the exception of pearl color paints and tri-stage paints) some shops charge more for red than they do for white. My cost on materials in the last 6 months has jumped up 30%. It would not suprise me if the shop in question jumped their materials price up as well.
If a shop really wants your job, there are things that they can do and that insurance companies insist on. They can only charge you for partial panel paint and only clearcoat the entire panel. That brings materials and labor price down considerably.
If it is a quality shop, they may just be a little bit higher than people in your area. I know that we are.
Good luck.
References :
The mind of a superhero
http://www.harrisonbodyandradiatorshop.com
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