I always tell them panel painting probably wont match. Especially on older cars. Example I have a hood for a 68 camaro I need to paint. I told the customer 3 times now panel painting probably wont match. They dont even know the color code, if the car is original paint or it has been reshot. I had it scanned on a paint scanner and its an 80% match to a dupont color so thats what I am shooting. The front of that car should be blended no way around that… Just one example. And by free, you pay for materials only or money off the top… on jobs this small add up the labor spent its 100% probably going to be for free, if not money out of my pocket.
Exactly. Constantly undercutting your own work, just to put work on the bench is like drilling holes in the bottom of your boat at sea.
That being said, this is why I refuse to paint “all the body works already done” cars. Those are even WORSE than panel painting on a budget. I could put $10K of the best paint and my best work ever over some shitty ass body work and the moment that car rolls up to a show and someone asks who painted it they say CRC. Which is true, but do you really think they will claim the shrinkage, waves, pin holes, and poor body work as their own when its pointed out? Hell no! “I already did the body work” cars get charged body labor to block them out. Actually we shoot a quick rattle can guide coat down and take a long block and 600 grit to the side of the car with the customer standing there. The waves in their body work jump right out then they understand.
As a business, or a person in society… you will only get better if you constantly raise the bar.