New Help Please.... Hours

[cinnamongirl56]

It has been a while since I have been able to post as i was diagnosed with cancer last yr and have been going through surgery and chemo treatments up until this month and it has been long and hard. During my illness I became a one person shop and lost some businesse but now the I see the light at the end of the long tunnel i am trying to get my business back. My problem is this I live in a very small place and so it is difficult to get work so when you do get a job it's great, What has happened is I have been asked by my Fire company to remove and restripe their big fire truck an I have never been asked to do such a big job but am excited about being asked, so what I need help with is I have NO idea on how long it "might" take to stripe off old reflective vinyl and how many hours it takes to replace it so I am really praying someone out there could at least get me started in the right direction on appox hours, I really need this job and the chemo treatments have take away my thoughts up to a point so it is hard to concentrate on numbers. I hope no one will be offended that I have asked but time is short an I didn't know who else to turn to...........thank you, brenda

 

[WrapperX]

Simple formula for any vinyl removal: A best guess is the best you can give them. BUT explain to them that vinyl removal is a fickle thing - one removal could take an hour and the exact same removal could take hours. Tell them that you charge by the hour for removal and it will be determined by the state of the vinyl when you get your hands on it.
There's no other way to do it. I've tried to give a price and stick to it but if you promise a 1 hour removal and then it takes you 4 hours then you just ate 3 hours of your time. And you won't be making any money on doing business like that.

 

[BobM]

Reflective vinyl removal is by far the hardest to remove. By the hour us the only way to go. You might suggest they watch you remove a few feetso they understand how difficult it is. Come prepared with a heat gun, wallpaper steamer, plastic razor blades, and Rapid Remove. Once they see how labor intensive and difficult it is, they will pay and you will have a sense of how long it will take.

 

[Jillbeans]

Bob has given some good advice.
I charge an hourly rate, (depends on your shop rate but at least $25/hr) plus the price of at least two bottles of Rapid Remover and Rapid Prep/Tac and a ton of paper towels, which you will easily go through.
Let them see what a PITA it is.
Of course there will be some bad-ass nozzle nose kid there at the station saying he can do it for free.
Back up your cost by saying your method is safer for the expensive vehicle and you will probably still have to remove all the glue he will leave on.
Sight unseen it's hard for me to know how long it will take you, and given your ordeal it may take you longer than someone who is in tip-top health.
Good for you for wanting to tackle such a big job, and I hope you keep on healing.
Love....Jill
PS
I use a hair dryer because I am afraid of heat guns, and a lil chizler for the first layer. The second layer, I line the floor with paper towels, hit an area at a time with rapid remover and wait till the adhesive/reflective sh!t gets snotty, then scrape that with a lil chizler.
I let the snot fall onto the paper towels so as to avoid a huge mess on the floor.
I have been told you can use duct tape or masking tape applied over the second layer (no rapid remover) burnish that down and it pulls up the adhesive, but have not tried that method.
Then keep on cleaning with rapid remover, then finally rapid prep, rapid tac, and regular alcohol. It's messy and tedious but it's not as bad as I assume chemo is. I know I'd rather remove reflective than get a root canal.

 

[cinnamongirl56]

You guys are awesome for helping me and what you says about doing it by the hourly rate makes total sense and Jillibeans you are so right about the "kid" at the fire house they always act like know it all and that they can do something better. I didn't realize it happens all over ot just locally and I was just discussing it with my husband when we were talking about the bid he said it wouldn't matter what you tell them they will say they can do it cheaper........lol funny it happens other places....................thank you guys so much....

 

[Gino]

We use something called MBX Zapper. It costs around $350 to $400.

For this one job, I'd approach it differently. Normally we charge by the hour, but everyone wants a number so they know what they're getting into. We charge the same to take off as put on. $85 an hour.

However, I'd tell them it will take between 4 to 6 hours minimum using normal procedures to remove, plus whatever your new graphics applying and materials will be. Perhaps a total of about $750. I don't know what's coming off or going back on. Only you can determine that unless you post up what it looks like now and the future look will be.

Get a deposit of half down and show up with the Zapper and you'll have that chit off in less than an hour..... glue and all. If you don't make a great profit, at least you now have a tool that is paid for and no future job will be too hard for you.


Sorry to hear of your problems, but bravo on meeting it head on and not letting it get you down. You sound like a tough one. Now, go beat it.