I had no idea, it was a wild ass guess. Were you charged by the hour or set window price to build it?

I know - but I had to give you some crap.

Brizio works by the hour. But they know what it costs to build this stuff. I was much closer to the higher price range of the quote... but I knew that. I added stuff and did little things here and there and it all adds up.

Thanks Greg for putting things in perspective from a clients point of view whos been there, I have so many things to say about this subject, BUT I have a shop to run. Gotta go!

I worked as a mold maker for 10 years. We built class 101 plastic injection molds for OEM's. It was a small shop with 5-7 employees, including the owner. All of the issues mentioned( project management, ordering parts, dealing with customers, bookkeeping, etc.), were handled by the owner.

I would say the two biggest issues were maintaining a profit margin and hiring and retaining skilled employees. As a highly skilled employee, there was and is easier ways to make a living. Ultimately, the business closed when our work( I had all ready left) was being outsourced to China. There are many similarities between building molds and hot rods.

I do side machining jobs for my Dad's small custom wiring shop and others. I've been involved in the car hobby since I learned to ride a bike( long time...). While it sounds romantic to strike out and just build hot rods, I know the reality of how hard it is. I am always intrigued how guys make it.

This is a fascinating read!

Tim

That's lower than I thought but it's still 25% higher than what Blake charges in St. George. Of course, you have the CA tax which probably eats up a nice chunk.

How many Greg Weld's do you have funding projects and at what consistency? It seems to me that hourly rate is important, just not as relevant as the quality and consistency of clientele.

It seems you need to find the balance that fits your skills, clientele, and bottom line. Good luck! ha

After building a custom car, I have to say that I learned a few lessons. One, there are many terrible businesses associated. Two, you are better off spending the money on quality parts, first. Third, you are better off hiring a reputable shop than bargain shopping. You end up with quality work and a bill that doesn't hurt as bad as you thought. Plus, you don't have a do over.

I can see why so many projects end in ruin. If you don't possess the skills or time to manage and work on your project, it's a serious challenge. If I ever build another car, it would be Weld style. Either you can afford to build it right or you can't.

I said for YEARS that people that had their cars built were IDIOTS... Hot rodding was about building your own sh!T..... But I've gotten so busy doing other stuff -- that it's been kinda fun building one where all I have to do is point my finger and say - let's do this or that. The experience with Steve's Auto Restoration not being one of the better experiences... but I still got a very nice hot rod out of it. It just took some extra effort. Brizio - Sutton - Pinkee's have been some of the best experiences EVER. A real pleasure!

When you pick the right builders -- it's really a fun deal to do. However... I'm working on the shed daily -- a little more gets done each day -- and that's in an effort so I can crank another one out on my own again. I love every aspect of this hobby.

I hear you buddy.. The time I had when I built my car is long gone. ha It's been replaced with great things. I think it would be fun to have one built and just use it, tweak it, and maintain it. For now, I'm focused on diapers and financial independence. :G-Dub:

Was wondering if you had it in you! Good to hear! I'll bet Kelli is on the moon about that!

Haven't read all the posts yet!! but this one struck me as all to true- Nail on the head

Sad, and makes me cry.

Chris, I'd love to get into what makes your business click and how you got there. Its a tough market but at least I have spenders around me. What is your secret.
I have on the average 6-7 simultaneous projects and getting the right quote and deposit is the hardest part since most builds take 7-8 mo to complete. Some even longer.