Half doors.. how much $$

[hairy_apple]

I built a nice set of half doors for my girlfriend's truck. A friend at work saw them and asked where I got them, I told him I made them and now he wants me to build him a pair. Thing is.. they were a LOT of work and I really don't know if I could charge him a fair price without feeling like I'm giving up a lot of time for cheap/free. I'm not really sure what a fair price would be for 1st gen half doors, what would you pay for them (assuming you can't weld and fabricate yourself)?

 

[GRM]

Hourly rate * # of hours worked on the doors = price I charge

 

[lunyou]

He wants them charge him. He might be a friend but you didn't offer to make them, he asked. So he is willing to pay a sum for them.

 

[Combat Chuck]

what was said. If you feel that's too much, then the cost of materials, and a little something extra for your time.

 

[hairy_apple]

Oh no, he's going to pay for them... I just have no idea what the going rate for half doors would be. I haven't been able to even find anyone selling any anywhere to get an idea what they go for.

 

[Combat Chuck]

40-series half doors are about 700 a pair.
Use that as a gauge. 700 seems like alot to me for doors made from junkyard doors, so that would be the ceiling, anything within that sounds reasonable.

 

[hairy_apple]

Whoa, that's nuts. This is for a first gen pickup, but I actually think it was harder then the 40 for building doors. The 40 doors seemed easy compared the the pickup doors.

Thanks for the help.

 

[lunyou]

Make him do the sourcing of the doors. That way he pays you for your labor and the yard for the doors. You aren't out anything but time, no gas or part hunting.

 

[GRM]

New fiberglass 1/2 doors are $450 (plus shipping) a pair. doors

 

[Combat Chuck]

Whoa, that's nuts. This is for a first gen pickup, but I actually think it was harder then the 40 for building doors. The 40 doors seemed easy compared the the pickup doors.

Thanks for the help.

I forgot to mention I was speaking of doors fabricated from the ground up, and not cut from full doors.


I second Lunyou's statement. Your buddy wants 'em? Make him do the legwork.

 

[lunyou]

I forgot to mention I was speaking of doors fabricated from the ground up, and not cut from full doors.


I second Lunyou's statement. Your buddy wants 'em? Make him do the legwork.

I suggested the legwork simply based on keeping cost down. If the guy pays the OP full service price the OP might feel obligated to give a discount due to the high cost associated with $4/gal gas, time spent, and fabrication labor. Instead if the buddy pays the scrap yard he would only pay the OP his hourly rate whether it be in beer/hour, $/hour, or other trade receivable.

Spread out the costs and don't feel as bad as one big check.

 

[kenichols29]

Charge hi 10to 30% of the cost of materials.

 

[GRM]

Charge hi 10to 30% of the cost of materials.

Can you do work for me? Seriously, thats cheap.

I'm normally charging 2-5x the cost of materials in labor... then I add the materials back on top of that.

So if I part cost $50, I'm probably charging around $250.

 

[kenichols29]

I just thought that sounded fair. I have never made anything for anybody. maybe 100% to 300% is more accurate.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

I built one half door for my wheeler, and I'm into it about 10-12 hours... Redesigning the handle mechanism takes time... I'm sure on a production line it could be knocked down quite a bit, but one offs take time...

 

[pappy]

What it comes down to is how bad you want to make the doors for him. If you really don't want to put in the huge effort it's going to take ... then charge high and see if he bites. If the guy is a good friend, is willing to assist (assuming you need the help), is willing to provide the pizza, and you don't mind ... charge less.

It sounds like you are making them from scratch. I can tell you for certain that half doors for an FJ40 would be way easier than those for a Gen1 4Runner. I made the doors for my FJ40 by chopping an extra set. It was lots of work, but I was also working with straight edges I could weld square tube into. So, it wasn't that bad.

 

[hairy_apple]

No, I will not be making them from scratch. Waaaaay more work then I want to do. I would be cutting down doors and welding caps on them, cleaning them up ect. However, he's NOT that good of a friend.. mostly someone at work who knows that I am into 4x4s and he hit me up to see if I would be willing to do it. I would charge him pretty much whatever the going rate for a set of half doors would be... but I just haven't found a baseline to start with.

Either way, I think I will do it... seems like I should be able to make a little $$$ off them no matter what the case, so there isn't much risk to me. Just a little side project. I was hoping to start my FJ40's doors soon... but like always, I'm working on other people's junk instead of mine.

 

[Bogo]

No, I will not be making them from scratch. Waaaaay more work then I want to do. I would be cutting down doors and welding caps on them, cleaning them up ect. However, he's NOT that good of a friend.. mostly someone at work who knows that I am into 4x4s and he hit me up to see if I would be willing to do it. I would charge him pretty much whatever the going rate for a set of half doors would be... but I just haven't found a baseline to start with.

Either way, I think I will do it... seems like I should be able to make a little $$$ off them no matter what the case, so there isn't much risk to me. Just a little side project. I was hoping to start my FJ40's doors soon... but like always, I'm working on other people's junk instead of mine.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

New fiberglass 1/2 doors are $450 (plus shipping) a pair. doors

<<<<<<<<<<<<<

 

[jtaco1]

No, I will not be making them from scratch. Waaaaay more work then I want to do. I would be cutting down doors and welding caps on them, cleaning them up ect. However, he's NOT that good of a friend.. mostly someone at work who knows that I am into 4x4s and he hit me up to see if I would be willing to do it. I would charge him pretty much whatever the going rate for a set of half doors would be... but I just haven't found a baseline to start with.

Either way, I think I will do it... seems like I should be able to make a little $$$ off them no matter what the case, so there isn't much risk to me. Just a little side project. I was hoping to start my FJ40's doors soon... but like always, I'm working on other people's junk instead of mine.

I have made two sets of half doors for 1st gen 4 Runners so far, one set for myself and one set fro a buddy. The set I built myself were the first ones I made and took me probably 14-16 hours to do both of them and that didn't include any Bondo work, interior panl, or a nice paint job, just rattle can. I did put cup holders in them by using 3" exhaust tubing.

The set I built for my buddy, I had an extra set of doors that I used. Cut the same way I did my first set and didn't do Bondo, interior panels, cup holders, or any paint. I charged him $150 to build them and that included the cost of the doors. I was into them about 8-10 hours for the pair.

These style doors are pretty easy to build and can all be done with a cutoff wheel and welder. I used 14 gauge steel to make the caps and made them in three pieces. On the flat in the middle is where I put the door release, just patched up the old exterior handle. The release rod to open the doors is easy to cut and re-weld as well.

Here is a picture that shows the doors, I can take others if you are interested.

 

[kenichols29]

I have made two sets of half doors for 1st gen 4 Runners so far, one set for myself and one set fro a buddy. The set I built myself were the first ones I made and took me probably 14-16 hours to do both of them and that didn't include any Bondo work, interior panl, or a nice paint job, just rattle can. I did put cup holders in them by using 3" exhaust tubing.

The set I built for my buddy, I had an extra set of doors that I used. Cut the same way I did my first set and didn't do Bondo, interior panels, cup holders, or any paint. I charged him $150 to build them and that included the cost of the doors. I was into them about 8-10 hours for the pair.

These style doors are pretty easy to build and can all be done with a cutoff wheel and welder. I used 14 gauge steel to make the caps and made them in three pieces. On the flat in the middle is where I put the door release, just patched up the old exterior handle. The release rod to open the doors is easy to cut and re-weld as well.

Here is a picture that shows the doors, I can take others if you are interested.

Thats a cool 4runner! My dads got a similar toyota pickup he wants to turn into a truggy, I think Ill try to get him to cut off the roof like that.