Hotside fabrication question

[Bullitt995]

How many hours (very rough average) would a normal shop put into fabrication of a hotside + downpipe for a modular car? I think I might have been ripped off and I want to compare numbers.

[SprayedSDime]

Depends on how often they do it. A first time job is going to take a lot longer than a shop that does a set a week.

[Bullitt995]

This was done by a very well known shop that builds lots of custom kits. Here's some more info...

It's a single turbo, one wastegate, retains A/C, stock k member. Here's some pics actually....

[10secgoal]

THat's the shitty part about this field honestly. When it's done, it looks simple as fuck. 3 bends to get there, how did it take 7 hrs ? took 2 of starring and placing bends to make sure the radius's would work, then if you have to merge it close enough to tig ? lol PITMFA
Then add time for stainless because everyhting is harder to do. Hard to cut, shape and weld because if he's doing it right, you have to back purge. Which takes twice the argon, time to set up the hose and block off for it,etc. If you told me you had he had 24 man hours in the build so far I wouldn't doubt it. Dunno who it is, but not defending it. It takes tons of time. They could stand to turn the heat down a little. The rod is getting a little too hot from what I can see though.

[Bullitt995]

According to them they have put nearly 49 hours into the hot side alone

[Stzang]

49 hours seems excessive. I've done quite a bit of exhaust work and I can tell you that it is extremely time consuming but from what I see in the pics I feel that it should have been about 18-22 hours. This is assuming they didn't make headers. It looks like they are using your stock manifolds. If that shop does custom exhaust often then they are way over but if they just don't do custom stuff that often then I could imagine it would take quite a bit more time.

[Bullitt995]

Yes it goes back to my stock manifolds. I'm definitely under the impression they have grossly overcharged me.

[99TTGT]

how much was the lavor part of it?

[10secgoal]

That's a little over a weeks worth of work, which honestly I could see. Again, not defending, but he had to place the turbo with a cherry picker, hold it up somehow until he made the bracket. Now if you can buy a turbo kit for about 4k, but a custom cost's 6-10k, what is all the extra money from ? Honestly until you actually do it, I don't think most can see the amount of time it takes. Maybe other fab guys will chime in.

[99TTGT]

When I get done with mine, I should have about $1500 on it give or take...

[Schraders]

When I get done with mine, I should have about $1500 on it give or take...

Yeah, but what's your time worth?

I do this stuff for a living  and have for a long time. These types of jobs always take longer than you or the customer think they will. I flat rate custom fab work becasue if I don't I end up with monstrous bills for what looks like not much work. Sometimes I end up on the real loser end of the deal but I have a lot of very loyal clients who will never take their shit anywhere else. These guys probably do have 49 hours in this so far but (in my humble opinion) billing you for every single one of them ensures that you'll never come back and that you'll tell all your friends how you got ripped off. Which apparently, you have already started to do.

[99TTGT]

Yeah, but what's your time worth?

I do this stuff for a living  and have for a long time. These types of jobs always take longer than you or the customer think they will. I flat rate custom fab work becasue if I don't I end up with monstrous bills for what looks like not much work. Sometimes I end up on the real loser end of the deal but I have a lot of very loyal clients who will never take their shit anywhere else. These guys probably do have 49 hours in this so far but (in my humble opinion) billing you for every single one of them ensures that you'll never come back and that you'll tell all your friends how you got ripped off. Which apparently, you have already started to do.

Since you ask , I am going to tell you:

There are many ways to SKING A CAT.!

Everyone do this different.

that said:

I charge $100 a hr. plus parts...
If you have the skills,It don't take that long..

That is just me....

[10secgoal]

These types of jobs always take longer than you or the customer think they will. I flat rate custom fab work becasue if I don't I end up with monstrous bills for what looks like not much work. Sometimes I end up on the real loser end of the deal....

Yuuuup. Reason I don't like custom.

I charge $100 a hr. plus parts...
If you have the skills,It don't take that long..

That is just me....

What does your average hotside take you ? Moving all the shit out of the way before you can start to build included.

[99TTGT]

Yuuuup. Reason I don't like custom.
What does your average hotside take you ? Moving all the shit out of the way before you can start to build included.

can't give away my secrets....
pm send

[fastester]

its a lot of work, and doing things RIGHT and nicely takes more time.   

[B&G CUSTOM TURBO]

I'm doing a single on a 05 right now his bill is 3800 installed. It's a one off.

[B&G CUSTOM TURBO]

Doing something like that I'd charge you a full day at 100 per hour. 8 hrs min.  But I would guess it would be somewhere around 14 hours fully welded.
plus materials. I'd say something in the neighbor hood of 1100.00-1800.00 if its a full 3.5 out the back.

[10secgoal]

For 3800, is that no headers, and in mild steel ? Turbo brace ? I see one in his also.

[Schraders]

For 3800, is that no headers, and in mild steel ? Turbo brace ? I see one in his also.

Brian's probably one of the best guys in the country to take a custom turbo job to, when you do them over and over and over for 146 years like him you kind of get some ideas (!). Plus his overhead is a lot friendlier than say, Los Angeles. Like me. For us mere mortals, taking 49 hours to do a job like that when you've only done a few is not out of line. Especially in stainless, like you said.

[99TTGT]

Brian's probably one of the best guys in the country to take a custom turbo job to, when you do them over and over and over for 146 years like him you kind of get some ideas (!). Plus his overhead is a lot friendlier than say, Los Angeles. Like me. For us mere mortals, taking 49 hours to do a job like that when you've only done a few is not out of line. Especially in stainless, like you said.

I agree, the 1st one it always takes longer.
You need to make a jig out of that one, so all the others will take less time..


ps# lol @ 146years

[10secgoal]

Plus his overhead is a lot friendlier than say, Los Angeles.

Yeah, my rent is more than 90% of the country's mortgage lol

[Bullitt995]

This was work from the now gone Modular Powerhouse btw

[B&G CUSTOM TURBO]

This was work from the now gone Modular Powerhouse btw

where did they go? and how much did they charge you?

[Schraders]

Yeah, my rent is more than 90% of the country's mortgage lol

No kidding. And got any employees? No wonder California has such high unemployment, I was paying 24% workman's comp. Then's there's the AQMD. And on and on. That's why I let all my guys go and I'm a one man show again. I don't know how someplace like MMR makes it.

[10secgoal]

No kidding. And got any employees? No wonder California has such high unemployment, I was paying 24% workman's comp. Then's there's the AQMD. And on and on. That's why I let all my guys go and I'm a one man show again. I don't know how someplace like MMR makes it.

No shit man. I only have one, but he's fairly cheap. But I do have to fix and re-buy somethings because of him. He's a good guy, and tries, just a green. He does my mechanical here. My buddy has a machine shop down the street, 3 employees. JUST to break even each month, company needs to profit 28k. Soon as I convince the wife, bye bye California.