[214Chevy]

I know stuff adds up guys, but I beg to differ. I think $5500 is a bit too much. I agree, you get what you pay for, but at the same time just because a shop charges you $5500 doesn't mean "you are getting what you pay for" if you get my drift in the same retrospect. This is what's wrong with the industry now. There are too many shops out there charging way too much money and don't know what they are doing. I'm sure many of us have experienced this and had to get work done over because it wasn't done right, but we were charged top notch money. Not saying that your chosen shop is not reputable and isn't going to do the work correctly. I would think a job of this caliber would be about $3500. Before I decided to get my custom frame, I was gonna do this same job, mini-tubs and shorten my axles...I was quoted an average of $2500 from two trust worthy and reputable shops in my area that I know beyond a reasonable doubt I can trust and does this type of work all the time.


Allow me to explain my rationale way of thinking...

**50 hours x presumed $65/hour=$3250; subtracted from $5500=$2250
**$2250 left over...a few other charges may be needed, but the whole $2250 worth? I don't think so!!
**I presumed 50 hours from 25 hours per week x 2 weeks. There's only 50 hrs in a work week (10 hr days, Monday-Friday)
**At a presumed $65/hour your shop is assuming it will take almost 85 hours to do that job....Nope in my opinion.
**Assuming a car is not rotted to hell, you can get a decent driver paint job for $6000. I know this job isn't as involved as a paint job, c'mon guys.

Lastly, keep in mind I only based this thinking off of tubbing and cutting/shortening the axles only. Che70velle is correct, a 12" wide wheel will include notching the frame. Now, factor that in the equation and you may be nearing the $5500 or more. Frankenstang, you just gave the customer an honest price. I would consider a $600 labor profit a nice profit. Even if you charged a little bit more, your price wasn't still close to $5500. Many shops that charge way more than $65/hour is because they have a 12,000 sq ft shop and lots of employees to pay. They may charge $80-$100/hour so I've been told. Those are also the top builders who build $300k builds as well. But most small shops, which most of us average working people can afford, charge about $65/hour on an average