I want to repaint my 92 Chevy 1500 shortbed with a solid fiberglass tonneau cover. I want to do it all black with a clear coat. What kind of dollar range should I expect to pay for a high quality job?

Do-it-yourself materials will be in the $350-$400 range. Auto body shop will be in the $600-$1000 range plus body work costs. Easiest way to find out is go price materials at your paint store if you are doing the job or get a body shop estimate. They are free.

I would love to find a shop in my area that qould do a quality paint job for that price. I think they will vary in price depending on your area. Best to get several estimates from local shops. Check on the quality of the shops. Don't just count on the price. Remember, "You get what you pay for". You can save a few bucks by having your oil changed at Jiffy Lube and no one will be able to tell as you drive past. If you save a few bucks by getting a cheap paint job, people will know for sure. Specially when you go to sell it.
Most shops that are going to do a quality job will require removal of all of the trim, including the door handles. This helps prevent problems with peeling later on. That increases the cost of the paint job. In my area the shops will either have a standard price for "overall repaint" or figure it by the labor hour. Basically by the hour here, it works out to about $1200 minimum, for the average vehicle. That's about $850 labor and $500 materials, without any body repair.

Good Luck.

By the time you get all the material for a "high quality job" you`ll spend around $700.00. Thats not counting all the things the shop already has thats required .

Just the paint.activators,thinners,catalyst.sealer.clears non metallic red to do a 66 Elcamino is $900.00 using top of the line PPG.Hope this Helps.

Troy,

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Troy is right on the money with the costs. The days of purchasing materials for a complete paint in the 200.00 to 300.00 range are LONG GONE. While Black is cheaper than say Red or Blue, you will still spend 800.00 to 1100.00 for ALL materials (top line like PPG or Dupont). A gallon of good quality Clear and catalyzer will cost you 230.00 to 260.00 alone!

Rob

Shows you how long it has been since I painted a car!!

I'm shocked weekly when my supplier refills my stock.

Rob

I run Grasshoppper Custom Paint (shameless plug: www.grasshoppercustompaint.com). I HATE full paint jobs, but when I'm hungry I take them. I charge $1000 labor for a re-spray (same color as the car used to be). I double it for a different color than original (where I have to spray the jams, underhood, fenderwells...etc). That's LABOR. Then add on the $600-$800 for PPG or Doupont products. Add 20% for House of Kolor or Spies-Hecker. That is not including any bodywork you want done...I charge $30/hr for that (on the cheap side in my midwest area). And I don't do metalwork...so if you've got welding that needs done, figure on the welding costs plus shipping the vehicle back and forth.

$3000 is not out of line for a nice "daily-driver" paintjob for a street rod or a mucle car that isn't completely rusted out. Figure upwards of $5000-$10000 for a show quality job or a complete rebuild of floorpans, quarters, trunk floor....

You get the idea. Most people who see that 70 Chevelle Malibu for $1500 think they can get it "nice and driveable" for another Grand...it can't happen unless you do the work yourself. You get what you pay for.

The 'hopper

To save youself quite a bit, do a lot of the prep work yourself. Remove the bumpers, trim, doorhandles, etc. Anything that would be in the way of paint. One of the things people hate is having to tape up a lot of stuff. Also the less you have to tape the better the paint will turn out. If you are going for a color change, gut the interior yourself then all you have to do is reinstall the seat to get it there. Whoever does it ask them to show you how to sand it out prior to arriving. They may even let you hang at the shop and give you a lesson on sanding the proper way. Any work you can do yourself will save.

Kevin

Kevin is right. Prep work is very labor intensive and costly. Any chrome that you can take off will save you money. It will also give you a chance to really clean it up. Door handles should come off. even if they are the same color as the vehicle, they usually have rubber seals around them that you don't want painted. Also, anything that has paint going right up to it that has to be mask increases the chance of paint peeling later. Where I work, we remove all moldings, emblems, door handles, mirrors that are on the painted surface, and lights. It makes it easier for the painter and makes it a higher quality job.