Ask questions before engaging a restoration shop, think about the product: what you want your car to be and how you plan to use it. Are you looking for a 100-point, concours-perfect automobile, or a nice street restoration? Whichever you choose, you must decide how you want your vehicle restored before your search for a classic car restorer begins. There are many distinct kinds of shops, each providing a different level of work.
It is important to choose a shop that values clear and accurate communication with its clients and is aware of the many unique problems involved in restoration work. Doing so will help you avoid conflict later, or at least keep it to a minimum.
Visit at least three or four different shops during working hours. This will give you a promising idea of how a restoration shop operates and the skill level of its work force. Soon you will be able to separate the good from the bad.
Questions to Ask:
What is your shop’s specialty? Some shops specialize in certain brands or nationalities.
Can I see examples of your work? Reputable shop owners will gladly provide you with contact information for several of their customers. Spend time not just looking at the car, but also asking about how the process went. It is also important to inspect a couple of vehicles that the restorer has completed. Ask for at least three references from former customers. Call them and ask about their dealings with the shop. By knowing as much about the restorer as possible, you will know what to expect, which will let you negotiate the contract accordingly.
Can I tour the shop? A good shop owner will be proud to show you around and explain the various stages of restoration.
What work do you send out? Not every shop can handle every facet of restoration. Some act more as general contractors. There is nothing wrong with that if it is understood up front.
What can I expect in an estimate? An experienced restorer should be able to spend time with you to determine what a restoration will cost. Plan on that figure being low by about 25 percent to include unforeseen circumstances.
How long will it take? Depending upon how much work your shop has in-house and the time of year, the shop should be able to give you a close estimate of when it will be finished.
Does your shop charge an hourly rate, or a flat fee for a restoration? If your car is common, it will be easier for a shop to know how much work to expect; if your car is outside the mainstream, expect that it will be an hourly job.
How much do I need for a deposit, and when will I be invoiced? Restoration shops vary on how much they need to get started. Some ask for a third up front, a third halfway through and a third at the end. Others will invoice you monthly.
Will regular updates include photographs? A restoration without photographs of the process becomes an unsubstantiated claim. Make sure that your restorer can provide decent quality digital photos of the process.
Can I stop in from time to time? Call ahead, but shop owners’ welcome regular trips to the shop. It lets them know that you have not disappeared and that you are interested in seeing the job finished.
Is the shop a body or repairs shop, or is a full-service car restoration shop? Avoid going to a local garage or body shop, even if they advertise a restoration service; they are geared to do collision work. These types of shops usually are not set up to handle such lengthy projects.
Like any business that relies solely on a skilled work force to produce a finished product (as opposed to a manufacturer or retailer), a restoration company is difficult to run due to the extensive amount of handcraftsmanship required to build and restore a car, which always limits the cash flow.
Does the shop specialize in my type of vintage car or another type of classic car? To get the best job for your money, it is important to deal with a shop that specializes in your car make and/or model. No one knows everything there is to know about every type of car and all its individual characteristics.
How does the restoration shop invoice for work? After both parties have agreed to terms, you must provide a deposit so the restorer can begin working. This not only shows your genuine interest, but it lets the shop start ordering the parts and supplies they will need during the next few weeks. The better-run shops will invoice you on either a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis, depending on what you have agreed to. Each invoice statement should include detailed labor descriptions, a listing of all purchased parts and a brief outline of the progress that is being made.
Assuming the cost of a continuous restoration is beyond your means, you should set a budget with the shop owner prior to the start of the project. The restorer will then work against advanced installments until all the money is used up. Should you take more than 30 days to furnish additional money, a nominal monthly fee for storage and interest charges may be incurred. This is only fair, as space costs money.
Does the shop have proper insurance, and will the shop provide a copy of an insurance certificate evidencing proper insurance coverage? One often-overlooked item is insurance. Although the law states that all shops must be insured, you really do not know how much coverage they carry. It is therefore wise, especially if your vehicle is rare and highly valuable, to carry full coverage on the car while it is being restored at the shop and while it is being transported.
Other Questions and Shop Owner Conversation:
When you think you have found the right facility to restore your car, do not be afraid to ask the shop owner questions about his experience and the techniques he uses. Ask him about his background and how long he has been in the restoration business. Ask about his employees and their individual experience in the field. Take the time to inspect the workshop and take a detailed look at the work being performed on the cars under restoration.
The ideal restoration facility will have all the necessary tools and equipment needed to carry out its work in the most efficient manner for the best results. Besides standard hand tools, a bead-blast cabinet, lathe, half-ton press, metal brake, and a full complement of both gas and MIG and TIG welding equipment are essential items that every good shop should have.
Specialized restorers who have extensive experience with a particular model car or truck generally know how many hours of labor it will take them to strip and paint that vehicle, restore its frame and rebuild the suspension. This will allow them to charge a flat rate for each job because the work really does not vary much from car to car. If extra repair work on the body or frame is necessary due to a car’s below-average condition, the customer will be charged for the additional work.
Finally
Asking questions before engaging a restoration shop is just the beginning of your project as you should continue to ask questions during the process as well as I was always told there is no such thing as a dumb question; only a dumb answer so trust your instincts.
Since restoration is a labor-intensive craft, cars and trucks can take more than a year to restore. A vehicle with a solid, rust-free body will take less time, of course, but it all depends on whether you want perfection or if you can tolerate minor flaws. It is also impossible to avoid delays waiting for parts that may be on back order.
When your vehicle is complete, it should be handed over to you after the restorer has given it an extensive road test to see if everything performs as it should. The car must be satisfying to drive and provide the same level of responsiveness that it did when it was new, or even better. Only then will you know if the restoration was a success. Remember, a fine restoration is more than just cosmetics.
Thank you for this nice information.
I’m on my first restoration project. Prior to reading ‘Before Engaging a Restoration Shop’, I was headed in a different direction with my project. Your advice was both timely and critical to my success. Thank you!
Your information was very educational and useful.