Pricing

[Vettra]

Hello all-
Thanks in large part to the help from all of you, I have a new problem. That is pricing. Whenever I finish a test peice and show it to friends and collegues they always say, " I gotta have you do my (fill in the blank).

Until recently I didn't have the confidence to take on the job. After much practice and many test peices my confidence level has risen to the point that I can start taking on paying projects. My latest request is to do a helmet similar to the one pictured here. (The image shown was my first helmet- My technique has improved quite a bit since then.)

The question(s) is:
1. What would you charge for a project like this?
2. Should I request that the client provides a new helmet or just one that is in good shape?


Thanks

 

[hoss]

as long as the helmet is in good shape, you'd just sand and shoot.
i hate painting helmets so i tell them like 400 to paint it. that's still pretty cheap compaired to other custom painters, but 400 is way high here in kansas. i think people'd pay around 150 for full face and 100 for half around here, but that's for top notch stuff.

for you, i'd chalk it up to practice and i'd shoot the helmet for 50 bux. as long as you have the materials. if you have to buy colors for their liking, then charge them for the cost of getting the materials. this way you'll have more materials to play w/ and someone else bought them for you.

if you can get 50 bux a helmet or material cost, i'd say go for it.

 

[Vettra]

Thanks Hoss. I gave the prospective client a project cost before I got feedback. I told him $150. I figure that it is easier to come down on price as opposed to going up.I don't ever want to be known as the "discount" custom paint guy.

I will keep you posted.

 

[Kristoffersson]

Wow, 150?
I'm from sweden, and i know one guy that is a pro aibrush artist around here.. he charges about 7000 SEK ( 800+ US dollars) för a custom painted helmet..
Now that's wiuth a full theme, and extreme detail..

 

[Vettra]

Thanks for your feedback. The $150 price was based on the fact that I am new to this and just gaining experience in the process. After I have a few more of these under my belt, the price will reflect it.

THX,
Craig

 

[Kristoffersson]

Ofcourse! i think it looks great btw!

 

[TAZ]

I'd say $100 would be fair for something like you have pictured.
That would include the labor, materials. I would also include wetsand and buffing.