Cage install prices?? (I know, again)
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From: Movin' On Up
Cage install prices?? (I know, again) I know this has been covered umpteen times, but I feel like there is some price gouging going on up here. I pretty much have a buddy who is a proffessional welder (has done certified cages before) to TIG my 4130 Wolfe jig notched 10 pt cage in. I wanted to be fair to him, so I decided to call another shop and see what a fair price would be for the weld. I'm not talking about fitting, notching and welding. I will already have fitted it and made necessary cuts. This guy at the shop e-mails me back and wants $3000-$4500 for just the install. On top of tht, he says he wants the car for 4 weeks. I've been feeling sick to my stomach all day after getting this E-mail. I know the going rate in the lower 48 is 100-150 a point. Does this seem a little crazy to you guys?
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That is crazy!! For TIGing a 10pt cage that is already prefit and notched, I would think closer to 1000 would be a good starting point. That is a weld only price estimate from me, everything would have to be clean, ready to assemble and weld.
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That's my plan. I have the interior completely gutted, and am waiting until just before the install to do the surface cleaning. I'm glad that I'm not out of line about this. I bet for 3-4500 Wolfe would come up here himself and weld it up 
If it is prenotched and made prefitted, have a buddy help you and you can mig tack it in, using small tacks of course, then have it finish tigged.
Then you're only talking a few hours to finish weld it.
Even at 100 an hour to weld (not sure of the going rate) it'll be a 200-300 labor charge
Then you can send me the extra for beer money and we can celebrate the extra green backs in your pocket
Then you're only talking a few hours to finish weld it.
Even at 100 an hour to weld (not sure of the going rate) it'll be a 200-300 labor charge
Then you can send me the extra for beer money and we can celebrate the extra green backs in your pocket
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From: Movin' On Up
I am definately trying to build this car on a budget. I get the feeling that the guy just didn't want to do it, so he tried to price me out of it. That's OK though. I guess I'll take the liberty of "advertising" his prices on the local boards.
Chris, if I can get out of this for less than a grand I'll make sure to send you a case of Alaskan Amber.
Chris, if I can get out of this for less than a grand I'll make sure to send you a case of Alaskan Amber.
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From: West Linn, Oregon
Crap, I need to find the estimate for the exact price but for a custom made 10pt, including all of the forming, cutting, welding, and painting it plus doing the window net and all that it came in a little over 2K if I remember correctly...
*** EDIT ***
OK so I found my estimate and took a screenshot (taking out the companies name), so here it is...
http://www.1slowformula.com/images/cage_estimate.jpg
*** EDIT ***
OK so I found my estimate and took a screenshot (taking out the companies name), so here it is...
http://www.1slowformula.com/images/cage_estimate.jpg
Last edited by 1SlowFormula; Jan 8, 2008 at 12:39 PM. Reason: adding image
It's not going to easily happen for under a grand, say you buy a wolfe race craft moly cage, you're talking 750 shipped, 1075 shipped jig notched, don't know if they still have that special, but either way it's close to a grand to start.
S&W moly thru dash cage is 499 plus shipping which I guess would be around 150 also, so that is 650 bucks to start. However I haven't seen many of these installed, but I know the wolfe ones fit really nice.
If you do it yourself, you'll still have to have something to tube notch and the regular tools.
If you have everything notched, fitted and tacked in the car you might be able to get it done if you do everything but final weld it yourself. buying it pre-notched will put you over the 1 grand limit quick.
Yes you can do it for 1k if you get the cage do all the work yourself and have it fitted and tacked in.
Thing is finding someone willing to tig it for you that won't charge you a lot of money. Could you find a chassis place to weld it for 350 bucks? I doubt it.
Could you find a welder to tig it for 350 bucks as a side job since all it is just running beads with everything in place and ready to go, cleaned and prepped, I would think so.
Which is the route I am taking. I honestly have only tig welded a couple times or I would do it all myself, I don't want a mild steel cage or I would just mig it in, so I will fit mine, have it tacked all in then bring over a hooker and some beer along with a little cash to a buddy and ask for a favor with my car on the trailer
S&W moly thru dash cage is 499 plus shipping which I guess would be around 150 also, so that is 650 bucks to start. However I haven't seen many of these installed, but I know the wolfe ones fit really nice.
If you do it yourself, you'll still have to have something to tube notch and the regular tools.
If you have everything notched, fitted and tacked in the car you might be able to get it done if you do everything but final weld it yourself. buying it pre-notched will put you over the 1 grand limit quick.
Yes you can do it for 1k if you get the cage do all the work yourself and have it fitted and tacked in.
Thing is finding someone willing to tig it for you that won't charge you a lot of money. Could you find a chassis place to weld it for 350 bucks? I doubt it.
Could you find a welder to tig it for 350 bucks as a side job since all it is just running beads with everything in place and ready to go, cleaned and prepped, I would think so.
Which is the route I am taking. I honestly have only tig welded a couple times or I would do it all myself, I don't want a mild steel cage or I would just mig it in, so I will fit mine, have it tacked all in then bring over a hooker and some beer along with a little cash to a buddy and ask for a favor with my car on the trailer
the hours involved in starting with straight tubing and make a 10 point cage is what...
25ish hours of labor?
so say some one charges 65$ labor which is pretty decent thats 1625 right there... then tubing say thats another 600 shipped.... thats about 2500ish range.... which is about right...
25ish hours of labor?
so say some one charges 65$ labor which is pretty decent thats 1625 right there... then tubing say thats another 600 shipped.... thats about 2500ish range.... which is about right...
$65/hr labor?????
All the local Fab and Welding shops charge 90-120/hr for Tig welding.
Fab work is billed from 105-150/hr depending on how involved it is.
3500-4000 is the local going rate for a Moly 10pt
All the local Fab and Welding shops charge 90-120/hr for Tig welding.
Fab work is billed from 105-150/hr depending on how involved it is.
3500-4000 is the local going rate for a Moly 10pt
most chassis shops will charge the 100$/hour but a tig welder that works at a fab shop would do it for far less on the side... also if you dont live in a large population area the labor rate is much cheaper...
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From: Movin' On Up
These guys in Alaska are a little crazy. Half of them embrace the military and hook us up when they can, and the other half take every opportunity to price gouge because they know the've got us by the *****.
expect to pay in the $100/hr range for tiging at a shop and at least 20 hours labor.
If you are going to have your buddy do it pay him 500-750, then take him out for dinner drinks and a strip club.
If it's an acquaintance then $1000-1250 would be a reasonable price to pay him.
If you are going to have your buddy do it pay him 500-750, then take him out for dinner drinks and a strip club.
If it's an acquaintance then $1000-1250 would be a reasonable price to pay him.
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From: West Linn, Oregon
expect to pay in the $100/hr range for tiging at a shop and at least 20 hours labor.
If you are going to have your buddy do it pay him 500-750, then take him out for dinner drinks and a strip club.
If it's an acquaintance then $1000-1250 would be a reasonable price to pay him.
If you are going to have your buddy do it pay him 500-750, then take him out for dinner drinks and a strip club.
If it's an acquaintance then $1000-1250 would be a reasonable price to pay him.