Is This a Normal Price?

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kygaca

Apprentice
Jul 3, 2018
52
24
8
Annapolis, MD
So I bought passenger front and rear panels. Don't know how to weld so I took them to a friend of a friend, and he told me that in order to replace those and do a little patchwork on the drivers side that it would put me back $800 and a turnaround time of 3 days. I do not care about the 3 days, but damn... 800 dollars! I had called a company previously and they told me that they have a standard rate of $75 an hour, however I have never done any welding and don't know anything about an approximate time. I was gonna do all the prep work, grinding it to bare metal...
Was wondering if anyone has input or have also had their floors replaced and could share how much they paid.
Thanks y'all, -Kyle
 

85442/86buick

G-Body Guru
Feb 12, 2013
746
1,118
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Perth Country , Ontario
Not knowing how good of a friend they are , location , they're cost on materials , and a few other details ,like the driver's side work required....................so we are talking about 10 hours labour .
Maybe it's time for you learn to weld , after can you teach me ?
 
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fleming442

Captain Tenneal
Dec 26, 2013
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You could use that same money to buy a welder...... :whistle: It's actually pretty fun, but I had good teachers- one buddy from work actually taught welding at a local community college and my neighbor's soon-to-be-ex-BIL is a steamfitter.
 
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pontiacgp

blank
Mar 31, 2006
29,270
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Kitchener, Ontario
buy a used welder and a couple of pieces of 1/4" metal and learn to weld with the help of some youtube videos. It's not that hard to weld and while your learning you'll become an expert grinder
 
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bracketchev1221

Royal Smart Person
Jan 18, 2018
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It's not that hard to weld and while your learning you'll become an expert grinder

Anybody can weld to some extent. Its the amount of grinding you have to do later that determines who is a good welder!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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pontiacgp

blank
Mar 31, 2006
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the advantage of learning new skills to work on your car is you can do the work yourself and do it properly. I have been reminded too many times why I do not bring my car in to a shop to have it worked on, overcharged and the work isn't done properly.
 
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Kennybill

Master Mechanic
Mar 17, 2010
286
401
63
Braceville, Ohio
Before you run out and buy a welder, take a class at your local adult education schools. Usually the progarms are fairly priced. You'll have better knowledge of what type machine you want afterwards.
One never knows, soon you might be able to pass a 6g pipe welding test. I passed the 4g but I failed the 6g. The root pass is the key. My Union paid for schooling/training. I have CDL, doubles, triples, tankers, I let the hazmat go after 9/11, to pricey to renew every year. Bus driver license. HVAC, small engine repair, Carpentry, plumbing, electrical, finance courses, even College courses. I call them my useless Certificates. The welding course was the one I got the most use out of, electrical second. Good luck.
 
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kygaca

Apprentice
Jul 3, 2018
52
24
8
Annapolis, MD
I don't mean to be rude, but I really don't have the time to learn how to weld at this point in my life. I go back to school in less than a week. I was just asking if anyone has had any experience with this kind of work and its pricing.
 

ck80

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Feb 18, 2014
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To your original question - not enough info.

1) geographic location plays a big difference, you'll pay more in cities or in the more expensive states than elsewhere

2) amount of work/time/prep makes a difference. Shop rate to spend 2 hours stripping an interior, and another 2 putting it back makes a difference.

3) degree of workmanship. Weve all seen patch jobs that are hack jobs with lap welds that are sloppily done... but it works. On the other end is time spent trimming panels to exact fit, clean professional welds ground down, underside sealed afterwards, etc. Same goes for the unspecified "patches" on the driver side - how many hours are spent cutting holes, shaping patches to size, then welding? Does the damaged areas extend to the seat belt mounts? Will the reinforcing bolt areas need to be cut and reattached to new pans for mounts to attach to - either for belts or seats?

Look at other work the guy is doing, and compare to your expectations for the car. If you're restoring and want high end work, it'll cost you. If you want good enough so water doesn't come in, and you don't wind up going through the floor, that's different and maybe could be done cheaper.
 
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