mobile welders

[Broccoli1]

$1,300.00

"Seems ridiculous to me"



I do agree that the idea proposed to charge more just because someone "has" money is pretty stupid. One charges what the market will bare but just because YOU as an Artist would only charge $35.00 for the repair does not make the cost real in a Welder's world and more so in a Mass. Welder's world

We get Photographers from out of town that are floored at what a Photog's assistant's day rate is: $300.00 in LA and about 125.00/150.00 in Atlanta.

[kiwi]

Photos

Thanks for the responses about pricing. If someone were to bring me this particular piece to fix the weld I would have charged them about $35 (and that includes $7 for the spray paint). I'm a metal artist who works out of my garage. I would never charge more for a piece just because I know someone has a lot of money but if someone really wants a piece and it is too expensive, I will figure out how I can do it less expensive for them-within reason.

The art piece sold for $1300 and was a combined metal/fused glass piece. This included metal, $800 for the glass part, 2 60-mile round trips to powder coat to deliver and pickup, the price for 2 different colors powder coat, welding supplies, a 25 mile trip to deliver it to the shipper and labor. The packer was the husband of my glass person who has worked in moving for, well, forever and knows about packing. He packs $4000 glass pieces to be shipped all over.

I'm guessing that the metal portion of the art piece was dropped from a decent height-it was bottom heavy with a 3/16" steel plate- by UPS. It probably weighed 40 pounds. We asked the client if the box was damaged and she said it was perfect (although admittedly the box had already been tossed). The clients could not assemble the piece with 2 screws and had to ask for help so we're not sure we believe her answer. With no carton, it's hard to go after UPS. My glass person and I were guessing about $50 max for the repair so we were very surprised when we received the bill for $155. At least we had made a profit on the art-if it had been $155 repair for a $400 piece, we would have had a loss.

I would have liked to go after UPS because we also paid extra for the insurance on the piece but my glass person (who does UPS shipping all the time) thought it would be too much of a hassle. So we just split the repair bill.

Thanks again for the info. cat

Hey Cat,
How about some pictures of the art work before the accident? I would love to see the piece.
Thanks,
Nick

[cat]

Thankyou for all you who responded to the original question of how much a mobile welder charges and I applaud those of you who charge for the job done and not what you feel the world owes you. Of course everyone deserves to make a living but an honest living. I am done with this thread because of those who must respond of how you overcharge rich clients or because you need extra money (hmmmm... ever wonder why our economy is in such a mess-all of those who think you are owed something and don't think you have to work to prove yourself or charge honestly) or think yourself so superior to others. Again I thank those who responded honestly and don't feel the need to promote themselves. cat

[fabricator]

"Thanks for the responses about pricing. If someone were to bring me this particular piece to fix the weld I would have charged them about $35 (and that includes $7 for the spray paint). "

And this is what they probably would have charged if they would have brought this to the welding shop ,instead of the welding shop coming to them.

[FusionKing]

Thankyou for all you who responded to the original question of how much a mobile welder charges and I applaud those of you who charge for the job done and not what you feel the world owes you. Of course everyone deserves to make a living but an honest living. I am done with this thread because of those who must respond of how you overcharge rich clients or because you need extra money (hmmmm... ever wonder why our economy is in such a mess-all of those who think you are owed something and don't think you have to work to prove yourself or charge honestly) or think yourself so superior to others. Again I thank those who responded honestly and don't feel the need to promote themselves. cat

I wouldn't even know how to categorize this, except say that you are living in a bubble or something.
If you think that being an independent welder, and charging what YOU consider is too much money is what is wrong with our economy... you are beyond reason IMO
Maybe the problem is you are charging too little for your work, and don't even realize when you are being took by someone, who is simply a smoothie at taking advantage of common folk's money on a regular basis....say someone like....A DOCTOR!!!!!!
And then maybe if we could see what you are selling for "art"... we just may think you are a rip-off "artist" () as well!!!
You might want to think about what you type a bit more before you go judging those whom you came to for advice in the first place.
Read your post again and think about who you are addressing here. You, a hobby art guy telling professionals how much to charge, is about like someone in a church choir telling a recording artist how to sing. And now YOU are going high and mighty yourself and ducking out with a final word?
I can't believe you made your shipper friend guy pay half the bill myself. It probably won't take him much of that before he sets you straight.

[SundownIII]

Cat,

Here's my assessment of the situation.

1. Doesn't sound like you're charging enough for your work based on all the time, effort, and travel you put into the original piece.

2. Point that seemed to be missed here was that the piece was repaired "mobile". Why. Dang UPS delivered it. Surely the owner could have put it in the trunk of the Mercedes or SUV and taken it to a weld shop.

3. Any time I leave the shop there's a two hour minimum. Don't care if it's across the street or 10 miles up the road. Just the cost of being mobile.

4. Had this piece been brought to my shop and dropped off for repair, where I could "work it in" between jobs, I probably wouldn't have charged much more than $50 or so for the repair. However, out of the shop, the owner is going to pay for me to sit there and wait for a weld to cool before I can paint. Just the way it works.

5. I think $155 was more than fair for a "mobile repair". To me you should be ticked at the owner for not taking it in, not at the welder for charging a fair price for his services.

[strictlycarved]

Cat,

Here's my assessment of the situation.

1. Doesn't sound like you're charging enough for your work based on all the time, effort, and travel you put into the original piece.

2. Point that seemed to be missed here was that the piece was repaired "mobile". Why. Dang UPS delivered it. Surely the owner could have put it in the trunk of the Mercedes or SUV and taken it to a weld shop.

3. Any time I leave the shop there's a two hour minimum. Don't care if it's across the street or 10 miles up the road. Just the cost of being mobile.

4. Had this piece been brought to my shop and dropped off for repair, where I could "work it in" between jobs, I probably wouldn't have charged much more than $50 or so for the repair. However, out of the shop, the owner is going to pay for me to sit there and wait for a weld to cool before I can paint. Just the way it works.

5. I think $155 was more than fair for a "mobile repair". To me you should be ticked at the owner for not taking it in, not at the welder for charging a fair price for his services.

Sundown, Well said Shop jobs are no prob i dont mind making a few bucks on something small, But mobile is valuable time away from other projects and running my gen and truck aint cheep. Once again coming from being a mobile welder myself that was very well said couldn't say it better my self.

[seattle smitty]

I applaud those of you who charge for the job done and not what you feel the world owes you. Of course everyone deserves to make a living but an honest living. I am done with this thread because of those who must respond of how you overcharge rich clients or because you need extra money . . . cat

Lawyers (just to name one professional group) charge clients hundreds of dollars an hour because they feel they must charge the rest of us for the years they spent in school, as if nobody else ever had to pay their dues in one way or another. They charge rich people a lot more, then do pro bono jobs for poor folk (incl. starving artists?). Why can't we do something similar? Why can't I continue to charge more for work done for a big outfit that will never notice what they pay me, but cannot afford to have their machinery idle? Then I can turn around and do jobs cheap or free for single moms, neighbors, pals, starving artists, etc..

Cat, if you're still following this, be aware that artist-welders have a very uneven reputation AS welders, among welders who are not artists. Some of you are first-rate (maybe the ones who consider themselves welders first?), but may of you seem to be guys who somehow bought a MIG machine and barely know how to use it, have no concept of getting proper penetration, etc.. That's why I asked why did your weld fail.

[Agcadmin1]

I am with FusionKing not really sure how you think this has anything to do with our current economy. Those who can not cut it or charge to much for their scope of work are probably not in business anymore to begin with. However, I own a Grading and utilities company not a welding company I may just have no clue. However, any bid that comes out of my office is high enough to cover the severe cost and numbers that we have in overhead whether or not a machine will be used on that job, also we do charge more to deal with jack legs. They make my life miserable I charge them more.

[davedarragh]

"Extra Money?"

Thankyou for all you who responded to the original question of how much a mobile welder charges and I applaud those of you who charge for the job done and not what you feel the world owes you. Of course everyone deserves to make a living but an honest living. I am done with this thread because of those who must respond of how you overcharge rich clients or because you need extra money (hmmmm... ever wonder why our economy is in such a mess-all of those who think you are owed something and don't think you have to work to prove yourself or charge honestly) or think yourself so superior to others. Again I thank those who responded honestly and don't feel the need to promote themselves. cat

Cat: You don't think $1300 is too much for a piece of "artwork?"

You need to study Economics 101 and the meaning of Capitalism.

Man, there's no hope for you. I suppose you're in Carefree or Scottsdale, uh, look around at the clientel.

Dave

[trevwelder]

if i get a call that one of my welds broke then I would repair it at no cost. If it was brought to me to fix then my normal rate would be 60$ hour.

[mattbrissey]

professionalism

Hey how bout this, all i heard the guy ask is a simple question. is that a high price? then all you welders who have the nice shops want to rip the guy a new one! dont get me wrong i am a pipe welder by profession and have not been in it for long. and i do understand about prices. gas,rods grinding discs, ect. and i dont believe in charging someone for equipment you dont use. it is like putting pipe in a trench but charging rent on a 50 ft jlg boom lift. all im saying if i found out that that one of the local welders talked like that about a novice welder i would not use him. not professional.. lets act like adults here. has turned into a circus.

[vin-man welding]

i had to ad the price of consumables to my jobs and now i find i still don't charge enough to really get ahead. i feel bad and want to help people out and most of the time a get a good tip when they see the quality of my work.
so I'm thinking if there tipping me i should have charged more to begin with but my customers come back and bring Friends. and if i tell them i'm slow they'll find me work. i didn't F them and they 'll help me out if i need it.

[cat]

who cat is

1. I am not a "guy"
2. I have been welding since 1987. I quit my engineering job to become an artist full time in 1992.
3. I'm on my second mig welder and 2nd and 3rd plasma cutters (am usually too busy to allow down time for repairs). I also have a band saw, pipe bender, drill press and a roller.
4. I do live in north Scottsdale in a private golf development where the average home price is over $2 million. Of the 600 lots in the development, I have done metal work for over 50 of them from fixing a broken weld on patio furniture to entry gates, f/p screens, lighting, and art pieces and more. Because I do not screw my "rich" clients, they keep introducing me to their neighbors. I have also made tee markers for the golf course for specific tournaments.
5. If anybody was curious enough, you could have looked in the Miller projects section to see some of my work.
6. I was a finalist in the Miller Challenge 2 years ago.
7. The glass person in the project that started this whole discussion is my "partner". We do a few joint projects with metal and fused glass. Her husband (a retired mover) packed the project and shipped it UPS. It was damaged in shipping. My partner offered to pay half the repair cost because she didn't want the hassle of going after UPS for damage. The piece had been made, handled thru powder coat, hauled around and packed. The weld was fine before it was shipped.
8. Thanks to the few who really did answer my question.
cat

[Broccoli1]

I did look- you don't charge enough for your work