THE COSTING OF PDR
How is the costing-estimation done in the PDR dent restoration technique and what are the factors taken into account.
PDR like many techniques is a manual service that relies heavily on the Professional’s invested training and technical equipment.
The Professional who invests in both training and equipment, evolves and raises the bar of services in order to always offer the best result to his clients.
In order for such a business to remain healthy and alive in the market, it should know how to make correct estimates and costings for the services it offers.
Because PDR is a service and NOT a product, costing is not as simple as many people think.
After 20 years in this field, what have I heard, several times from the ignorance of the customers, others from the “cleverness” to degrade the art to “pass” theirs.
Many customers judge the cost of our repairs simply by the image of the dent – dent they have suffered, they forget of course or do NOT want to think that in order for every Professional – Craftsman to be able to repair these “small” dent, there are behind different parameters that shape the costing, e.g. the dismantling of either a simple lantern up to an entire door or even a roof lining.
All of these also require some parts that will need to be replaced, such as the clips.
In this article we will tell you all, all the parameters that should be considered in order to receive a correct and complete assessment and costing of your damage.
COSTING PARAMETERS
1. The size of the dent
2. Type: Round, sinewy, pointed
3. The depth of the dent
4. The spot
5. Internal crossbars: Many dents, usually on a door, on its inner side there are the SAFETY CROSSES, for us it is a serious "obstacle" that makes it difficult for us to repair, regardless of the size and requires more repair time.
6. Dismantling: A very key factor in the formation of the price. Many times it is necessary to replace some clips which also have their costs, these costs are built into your damage estimate, otherwise you will be one of those who visit us complaining that they went to other garages and since then their upholstery has "squeak sounds".
7. Access: More access, less repair time, therefore lower costing.
8. The type of metal: Aluminum is a very elastic metal, so it takes twice as long to repair. In our cost estimates, aluminum panel repairs are charged 25% more.
9. The brand and model of the car: WAIT!! Before you jump to conclusions, listen to the sequel. It is not for the reason that we constantly hear: "The more expensive the car, the more expensive the cost", NO!!! This is not the reason, as you know, every car has its own construction structure, in Premium and more expensive versions, the reinforcements, the complexity in some parts, is the reason that makes it more difficult for us to repair, as a result the time required is is much more in this class of cars to give you the result you came to receive.
10. The color: OF COURSE!!! Although we DO NOT paint, color "plays" a big role. In the last 5 years or more, some color shades have been observed in this industry that have become "THE NIGHTMARE" of painters, in our case, the more strange the shade, the more difficult the repair, because we use the reflection created between the specialist our lighting and the color of the car.
11. And finally, the art of Glue Pulling: The so-called "suction cup", which in essence are some special "plugs" combined with a special thermo-glue, so we can pull the dents from places that make it impossible to access, for example: the pillars, the the cost of these components is high, such a "cap" can reach 5€ each and the glue, one stick, 1.5€, not the commercial ones that have another quality.
I could mention more, the purpose is not to bore you with analysis and explanation, but to give you a little insight into the philosophy and backstage of the costing of a damage with PDR repair, so that you will not ask yourself again: "For such a small dent, do they want that much money?"In PDR there is no small or big, there is TIME – DEDICATION – PROFESSIONALISM
In this case:
“TIME IS MONEY”
and
“You get what you pay”
Nick Koskolos
Managing Director