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Old 06-04-2015, 05:35 AM   #4
Grumpy old man
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Gods country East,Tn
Posts: 8,545
Re: It's getting thick now

You have entered the "Body shop time zone " Oh ! The Horror !

I'm sure you've done your due diligence on your "spare time body man" BUT be very careful when placing your baby into someones hands and telling them your ok with 2-3 years time period for completion the energy expressed will wane as fast as the deposit is spent .

Here are a few things to consider before hiring a part time body man to build your truck and save yourself from what might possibly be your worst nightmare !

Have you seen actual finished / completed "perfect" work done by them ?

Have you talked to recent past customers who have "perfect" completed work ? That are happy with it ?

Do they have an actual adequate building for your project ? Working out of a 2 car garage at a rental house won't work .

Do they have the correct equipment ? A 25 gallon harbor freight air compressor and 80 amp baby mig can't do the job nor the $29.99 set of body hammers, Do they own a shrinking hammer ? A masking cart ?

Are there half finished other projects covered in months worth of bondo dust waiting to be worked on ?

Do you have a written contract with whats expected and when and the agreed upon price ? also when are partial payments to be made ? (their not going to work on your project for months let alone years waiting to get paid .

What quality supplies are being purchased ? who's supplying them ? and when ?

I could go on for hours about the horror stories of hiring "after hours workers " and not just body men .You know after working a full daytime shift at their real job and "bobby " has ball practice on Tuesdays and Saturdays and "sally" has gymnastics 3 nights a week and Mom wants everyone to go to the lake for the weekend , Well you get the picture .

I'm sure everything will be fine with your project these are just some things to consider for those who are looking for a "cheaper " way to get their project done without hiring a real shop to do the work in a timely fashion . I've had More than a few DOZEN of these after hour shops "projects" show up at my shop on a flatbed with the owner holding a police report and most where with lost/stolen parts and supplies and shoddy work where the owner ended up paying 2-3 times what it would have cost if they had considered having it done by a reputable shop in the first place .

You have very little recourse hiring anyone without a business license /stable location /or written signed contract .The days of a handshake are gone !

Last edited by Grumpy old man; 06-04-2015 at 05:42 AM.
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