Paint Quote - What is Reasonable?

[tutone]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

I don’t .

Back in the 80s I made 400 a week working in a shop . Today they have to pay a real body man who paints at least 1200 a week . My buddy charges 175 an hour labor at his shop. And I’m sure I’m understating it. I painted my Chevelle for about 1500 total in 1994. Today the base coat of PPG DBU would be that much .

Point taken, and I understand overhead, shop costs, and labor.
I've been in business for myself off and on for years. But you and I both know that the paint/ insurance gimmick is a scam.
Who suffers? You and I if we have to farm this out because we cannot do the job. I hear horror stories, as noted of people waiting on a classic for years because it got put on the back burner.
I have a good friend who just sold his 15000 sq ft shop.
If I needed a panel buff, I better catch him in the summer before the deer move. The inflated cost, coupled with the lack of interested shops who estimate with a book, is why the patina/black hot rod look is popular.
I guess I will be humbled myself soon. I will be painting my 1968 Camaro.
And I will keep up with the hours/ materials cost/ and dig this thread up and post it here. It is solid like th OPs truck, and in epoxy primer.
May have to eat my words, but they taste alright. I've done it before.