Topic: How much to pay guy for painting my bike

[prsman23@hotmail.c]

Hey i've got a friend who is currently painting my bike (should be able to pick it up today). My question is what should I pay him? He is taking a paint class at the local community college (not his first painting class, and he's about to graduate this semester for auto body repair). I paid for the paint and supplies that go with it, which came to 83 or so dollars, and he prepped and painted the side covers, tank and fiberglass seat. What do you all think? 50 bucks? 75? More? Less? A combination of 50 bucks and a case of beer is what I was thinking, is this cheap of me?

[Gordon]

Granted he's not a professional painter yet, but paying a shop to do the same amount of work would probably run you in the $600 range (labor and supplies).  If he's happy with 50 bucks and a case of beer, then go for it, but if he does good work and doesn't seem too happy with that compensation, then give him a little more.  It's good to have, and keep, a freind who does bike paint for cheap!

[750goes]

If he does a really good job, then reward him with the milk of human kindness, two cases of beer, drink them all with him in one sitting, then recommend him to all your friends, and then tell him that he owes you big time for all the free advertising you are going to give him.

should keep you in free paint jobs for a few years....

but if the paint job sucks then gently persuade him that you thought it may have turned out better or shinier or something, then get him to do it again..hopefully for free or cheaper.... maybe just one case of beer which you try and drink by yourself...

[74cb750]

My experience with having friends whom claim to be painters is not good.
You don't feel right saying "Ugh! OMG it looks like cr$ap!" but if he did
a nice job then $50 and a case of beer doesn't sound like enough.

Ask him how long it took, then multiply the number of hours times $35.
That would be fair, and hopefully you don't lose a friend.
good luck.

[Tim.]

Did he do this as part of the course as a project, or was it on his own time just as a favour to you?  Is this guy your best friend from childhood, or an acquaintance?

Ask him what he'd like in return for his time.  I wouldn't make an offer without asking him first.

[StevieMac]

If he does a good job you'll want to keep him happy as you'll surely have another project for him one day.

I'd ask him what HE thinks is fair.  Perhaps after he's had a few of your free beers....

[prsman23@hotmail.c]

I think the asking him what he thinks is fair isn't a bad idea, I really don't want to be a cheap ass on this one because like you guys have said, this would have cost me much more $$$ in the end. I've seen some other stuff he has done, and it has always been really nice. The '80 650 I used to have was painted by him with some ghost flames and looked killer. So it looks like I'll be asking him what he wants.

[cafehonda]

Remember, it may be $600 from a pro shop but they have all sorts of overhead. Presumably this guy doesn't have these costs to contend with, so $50 and a case seems fair, maybe $100 if its multi stage paint like a candy- metalflake job. Most paint jobs for a bike might be 4 hours of bodywork and 1 or 2 hours of booth time at the most. Tell him you'll send him work from others you know. Most shop painters I know make a good deal of CA$H from side jobs.

[sparty]

I have a similar situation, I plan to pay for all of the materials plus I am giving the chap $10 bucks an hour for labor.  I am looking at a toatl cost of about $170.  The paint includes all body work and painting of the tank, side covers, and fenders with a few coats of primer/sealer, base coat, and then two coats of clear.  The guy has painted bikes and cars before and his work is very good.  My local big time painter quoted me at $580 and that is with a $100 discount because I live next to his parents.  So, in your case $50 sounds like a fair tip.

Sparty

[el kabong]

i asked about a half dozen shops by email for quotes to do my tank, side covers and tail.  they all came back about 600-800, depending on the shop and how much prep (rust, dents,etc) was involved.

i was surprised to learn that ghost flames/ghost logo were only $150 more.  if they're already doing the prep and base colour, the zoomy extras aren't that much more.

[techy5025]

I agree with the quotes from commercial places in the $600 price range for painting
all the painted parts.  That amounts to about 8 hours labor at local shop rates...and is
what I paid to paint each of my bikes parts.  Probably 7 hours of this is prep work and
one hour painting.  Decals add time, removing old paint adds time, dents add time.

If he does a quality job, he will spend the same amount of time.  So at the dollar
amounts you are offering, he is working for less then ten bucks an hour.  I think I
would ask him how much time it took and figure labor based on what you think he
is worth at his skill level.....plus add in material costs.  Ten bucks/hour seems a little
low to me.

Do you have a skill that he can use...maybe swap labor.  He probably needs a roof
put on ... right! 

Jim

[mrbreeze]

Yeah,yeah..........the barter system......it's been around since the beginning of time and is actually still popular these days as well.