Painting Estimate

[True Grit]

Folks,

I recently got an estiamte to paint my entir boat hull ply topsides at about $1k per foot. I have a davit and cradle and assumed that this would be covered in the estimate and it turns out that they wish to charge me extra for this. Does this sound right to you? Appreciate your input. Many thanks

TG

[SKYCHENEY]

I would assume that would be part of the quote. Maybe they don't really want your business that bad. I'd tell them that if they want the job, they'll have to include those items. If not, you're going to shop around. In today's economy, I'll bet they take the job under your terms.

[Pete]

In all my years of boating, the request "paint my boat" is the most vague of all possible subjects, and yields the most useless set of responses. I have learned this as I researched having my boat painted and was amazed at the variance in quotes. You have to decide what a paint job is to you for starters. Is it a mask/scratch/shoot job. Or it is a remove all hardware/mask/sand/re mask/several coats of primer/sand/fill all imperfections/wash/re mask/spray topcoat/reinstall hardware. Or somewhere in between. Then, what do you want painted? Hull/superstructure/inside all external cabinets/tender/chocks/crane/mast/windlass/radar/window frames/both sides of all hatches/hatch recesses/etc/etc. Without dragging on, you have to put together an extremely detailed description of what you are requesting and reach agreement with the yard. Only then will it likely be a pleasant experience. I know I have not yet answered your question. Not knowing the details of your discussion, I would think the crane and chocks mounted on the boat would be included, but not the tender itself. Just one opinion.

Pete

[ThirdHatt]

The $1k/ft is a number that I have heard alot for boats in our size range in Florida. I ended up paying around $800/ft at a top yard here in Louisiana and that included removing and re-installing all hardware with new SS fasteners and everything that was not varnished, chrome or stainless was to be repainted. This included the davit and dinghy chocks, both bow deck boxes, the cockpit deck box and the Original teak aft deck bench. My chocks were aluminum and pitted, so they suggested that I have them powder-coated.

I did have to pay extra when I asked to have the entire tower and radar arch painted because after 20+ yrs the anodizing had become pitted and deteriorated. I decided to add a Seatel Coastal TV dome and new mast to mount it during the paint job and they told me to get those and any other items to the paint prep booth ASAP. They even painted the old VHF antennas which were rough to the touch with fibers.

Just make sure that you have a clear understanding of the work to be done and put it in writing. Put a reasonable completion date in the contract as well.

[Bugsy]

In 2003, Owl Creek in Florida (a reputed yard) wanted $23,000. for the topsides only on our 43C.

No question--no matter where you go, make exactly sure what is included and be precise on what you require.