The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop body work pricing

would like to get some responses on the ordeal im having trying to get a cab together for a 51 chevy.Cab was rusty, needed corners, floor pans, etc. took all parts(I had already paid for) and cab to shop, was quoted $1800 to get ready for paint, in prime.phone call 2 months later, saying cab was done,$3742.22. no phone calls in between, and now have had to take cab to another body shop to complete. Work that was done was good, only didnt fix any dents and left three big holes in the dash, and a three inch hole at the steering mount.thoughts???

Phil, I hate to say it, but they've got you over a barrel. If you don't pay, they can keep the cab.

Unless you have a contract that specifically said that they had to notify you of any additional charges, you're stuck with the bill. I think I'd definitely let them know you're not happy getting stuck for almost twice the original quote without any notifications, and you won't be recommending them to anyone else in the future. I would also ask them to discount the price, since they gave you no warning of the extreme overage.

When contracting for work like this, you should have a clear understanding of what the contractor will and won't do, both in regard to the work and in regard to keeping you updated on the work and pricing. If the job goes one dollar over the quoted price, you should be notified before any further work is done, and you should have to OK, in writing, any additional charges. This protects both you and the shop from misunderstandings.

I wouldn't pay it.

Check with your state's department of consumer affairs and the Better Business Bureau. Might want to pay $50 to talk to an attorney as well. Don't know the laws in GA, but if you had a signed estimate for the $1800 and they never contacted you for authorization to go over the estimate, that might be all you owe.