Harder to get custom exhaust work done

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

There’s also a lot of lost motion; I’ve been using the place recommended by Wiz a bit and the knowledgeable people are consistently called to respond to inquiries that require experienced discussion, not counter staff looking up a catalogue or estimating book.

…Plus the all-too-frequent expectation of near immediate service!

Funny you say that. Spoke to another mob 2 weeks ago, they did a custom job for my T3 TE50 all those years ago, when asked why they have gone to "install only", the owner said something similar. Not enough money in it. He said usually customers will spend an hour talking and debating about what they want, then his own workers will debate for another hour how to best to do it, and before you know it its 2 hours of talking and no work has started, and its time you can't charge the customer

Having said that, he mentioned that there has been so many enquiries recently, they are thinking of starting up custom jobs again.

The little job I gave to some random on FB market place has turned out pretty darn good. THe kid has done a very good job, albeit simple, was just to make a link (H) pipe. Clean cuts and the weld seems good. Said he does it as a hobby, and uses his mate's workshop. There are more and more of these guys advertising now.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Funny you say that. Spoke to another mob 2 weeks ago, they did a custom job for my T3 TE50 all those years ago, when asked why they have gone to "install only", the owner said something similar. Not enough money in it. He said usually customers will spend an hour talking and debating about what they want, then his own workers will debate for another hour how to best to do it, and before you know it its 2 hours of talking and no work has started, and its time you can't charge the customer

Having said that, he mentioned that there has been so many enquiries recently, they are thinking of starting up custom jobs again.

The little job I gave to some random on FB market place has turned out pretty darn good. THe kid has done a very good job, albeit simple, was just to make a link (H) pipe. Clean cuts and the weld seems good. Said he does it as a hobby, and uses his mate's workshop. There are more and more of these guys advertising now.

Just like any small business weighing up their options on what pays and what doesn't.
Lets face it old cars or anything custom is going to take up so much more time chasing stuff which is their time better spent bolting stock stuff together and getting it out the door.
Then there's the matter of space, no busy shop wants something not being worked on taking up real estate while they are knocking back easy money jobs.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Just like any small business weighing up their options on what pays and what doesn't.
Lets face it old cars or anything custom is going to take up so much more time chasing stuff which is their time better spent bolting stock stuff together and getting it out the door.
Then there's the matter of space, no busy shop wants something not being worked on taking up real estate while they are knocking back easy money jobs.

If it was me I'd have stuff ready to go off the shelf for the popular Thailand Specials, then if it was quiet take on the custom stuff that's more time intensive, the other side of taking on time intensive jobs is opportunity cost, the time you sink in custom work you could have done five Thailand Specials for off the shelf intercooler piping and turbo back exhausts that you make high margins on.

Rent on a commercial premises costs an arm and a leg too these days, plus even if you're in an industrial estate you end up in fights and arguments with flogs like gyms moving into the area then complaining about loud customer cars or you parking customers cars in the street

You'll see a lot of services advertising on Facebook communities working out of home, I used the services of a metal fab guy to tig weld some brackets to go on Yarra Trams E class tram, dropped the stuff off to his house in Fawkner and the guy did a MINT job, way better than our usual metal fab contractor.

Everyone complaining about lack of staff but I'm competing against 50-100 applicants on apprenticeship positions at the moment, so there's lots of people keen on work, just probably not working at an exhaust shop.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

If it was me I'd have stuff ready to go off the shelf for the popular Thailand Specials, then if it was quiet take on the custom stuff that's more time intensive, the other side of taking on time intensive jobs is opportunity cost, the time you sink in custom work you could have done five Thailand Specials for off the shelf intercooler piping and turbo back exhausts that you make high margins on.

Rent on a commercial premises costs an arm and a leg too these days, plus even if you're in an industrial estate you end up in fights and arguments with flogs like gyms moving into the area then complaining about loud customer cars or you parking customers cars in the street

You'll see a lot of services advertising on Facebook communities working out of home, I used the services of a metal fab guy to tig weld some brackets to go on Yarra Trams E class tram, dropped the stuff off to his house in Fawkner and the guy did a MINT job, way better than our usual metal fab contractor.

Everyone complaining about lack of staff but I'm competing against 50-100 applicants on apprenticeship positions at the moment, so there's lots of people keen on work, just probably not working at an exhaust shop.

Kind of what I was saying about all small business, not just automotive.