How much should a boat detail cost?

[luvmystang67]

I just had a guy do a one-step compound/wax/wash on the exterior of the boat, but the bottom was painted (so no bottom paint area was touched), but it has a cuddy so he did the bow upper and the hull.  He did not do anything on the sun deck, which I thought he was going to.

Its a 1989 Sea Ray 220DA (which I plan to list for sale if anyone is interested) Its a cuddy cabin 23' boat.

What do you think a person should get paid for such a job?  I thought when we said he wouldn't do the "inside" he meant the cuddy, but he didn't touch the entire sun deck with seats or anything for our agreed price.  What do you think this should've cost me?

This is the boat (stock image online): https://img.scgpix.com/listimg/img1_1215/03/img_sJfY7Ama9h_r.jpg

I had him go back and finish the "inside" (not the cuddy) and I'm wondering if I should be throwing him more cash.  I'll tell you what I paid after a few responses.

[Oh Mah]

IT's always been between 3 and $500. on my boats.my jet boat around 300 and its 22 foot and my cabin cruiser is 24.5 around $500. only outside portion of the boat including bow.Fresh water on both.

[millerwheeler]

Pictures aren’t close enough to even tell looks like a washed boat to me

[rainshadow1]

Been out of that business since about 2014, but if the paint needed to be brought up at all, I can’t imagine charging any less than $20 per foot or so. Taking haze off gelcoat is no joke!

[Oh Mah]

Been out of that business since about 2014, but if the paint needed to be brought up at all, I can’t imagine charging any less than $20 per foot or so. Taking haze off gelcoat is no joke!

Agreed,mine are kept in a garage.The detail guy told me that it will be cheaper if i keep it under cover.When i moored it 1 summer it was a little more.

[Pnwrider]

It’s tough work and no fun even with a polisher. Anyone good should charge you at least $500. Ive got a 23’ boat and it takes me a solid day (twice a year) to get it looking how I want (clear reflection in the fiberglass).

[gee_unit360]

So how much did you pay?

[PolarBear]

It cost me $800 to have my 34’ Tollycraft done.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Did I hear someone say BOAT. Break Out Another Thousand.🤣

[GWP]

I always use MY wage to decide if ‘anything’ is ‘worth it’. If I don’t want to do it, even if I have the equipment, how long would it take me? Is it worth that much to me, at MY wage?
I am paying someone to paint my house right now. I have all the side gear and a quality paint sprayer. Worth it to me to have them do it.
I guess it is is more of ‘How much is it worth to you to NOT have to spend the time and effort to do it?’
Otherwise, do it yourself and when you get done, figure the time spent and see if you would be happy with that wage.

[MADMAX]

I do my own
love aluminum and dont care about shine

[Buckhunter24]

I always use MY wage to decide if ‘anything’ is ‘worth it’. If I don’t want to do it, even if I have the equipment, how long would it take me? Is it worth that much to me, at MY wage?
I am paying someone to paint my house right now. I have all the side gear and a quality paint sprayer. Worth it to me to have them do it.
I guess it is is more of ‘How much is it worth to you to NOT have to spend the time and effort to do it?’
Otherwise, do it yourself and when you get done, figure the time spent and see if you would be happy with that wage.

Interesting example. I did the exact same thing last year with my old house and figured after accounting for my time I saved about 3 grand by painting it myself. I owned the pressure washer for prep but rented the sprayer. Then again I had some spare time as the quarantine was in its early stages..

For the boat, my guess would have been around 300 bucks if its a dude who does them on the side and about double that if its his full time licensed and insured business.

[HntnFsh]

After cutting, buffing, and waxing a 19' Arima Sea Ranger hard top I would pay a lot of money to have it done. It was a big job and I was hurting after the second or third day on it!

[Caseyd]

5-600

[Stein]

5-600 stripe or waterline up, no inside, single step.

20-25 a foot.


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[Westside88]

I would expect $500-$600, but I’m betting it was closer to double that

[luvmystang67]

He charged me $500, I gave him 540.

He did a single step process on the outside, above the water line.  Its clean, but I wouldn't say its shimmering where it was dull before.  Topside bow is still a bit dull, but looks nice enough.  He DID do the inside seating area for me (not the cuddy, but the seating area).

Seemed like a good guy, we just had a misunderstanding and then I felt like I was getting a raw deal.  Sounds like it was pretty spot-on from your comments. 

On a positive note, I was trying to sell the boat and already have a $500 deposit towards the sale, so while its still in my yard, I think we're close!

Thanks for the comments everyone.

[Stein]

That's the challenge with boat (and car) details, many times, a single step just won't make much of a difference.  Multi step processes are time consuming and expensive but there is only so much you can do with a single step since you won't be able to go over it again.  You can only use a fairly fine polish instead of a more aggressive pad and compound necessary to take out scratches, oxidation and other contaminants.

I'm about half done with my older truck, it's taking 3 steps to get the paint to look like someone actually did something other than a wash.  One aggressive, second was lighter pressure and third with a lighter pad and compound to take the previous pass marks out.  Fourth step is the coating.  That's after a thorough wash, iron remover, clay bar and another wash, so 7-8 steps in total.

Unfortunately, there aren't any shortcuts.  Single steps are only good for surfaces already in good to great shape and will only take out the most minor swirls, very shallow scratches and shine it up a bit.  It's not going to be a big difference unless you have a dark finish that is really swirly or has quite a few very shallow scratches.

Most buyers aren't going to look that close at the finish, sounds like you got enough done to make a difference and get it in someone else's driveway.

[Kola16]

I have detailed all of my fiberglass boats multiple times (usually 1 step), and you would have to wave $1000 in front of me to get me to do someone else's It is a chore for sure...

[PolarBear]

This