Am I being ripped off?

[YvaneS]

Hi guys,
Like the topic states, I would like it if you guys could give an input on this please :

I am busy restoring my bus, and I need to do the rooflining before I can take the bus to bugger to start re-assembly...
But the upholsterer which I went to, wants to charge me R2500 for this, including material. (off white standard rooflining material)

Is this a good price or is he taking me for a ride?

Regards
YS

[MINCE]

I don't know if he is ripping you off. about 5 years ago I had the interior redone for R2000. It was a '74 bug.

Since you are just doing the rooflining, maybe. this guy just recovered what was there

[Muderick]

Alan, you are not being ripped off my any means..

Ask anyone which part of the interior costs the most to restore and roof lining comes up all the time. There is a heck of of alot of labour involved. Also, R2500 for your entire bus's roof lining is cheap, considering that good upholsterers charge abot R1800 to R2000 to do a beetles one with their material. A bog standard EMPI roof lining kit for a beetle will set you back R850 to 1000 alone depending where you are buying.

Make sure you are going to get what he promises, check other bus roof linings he has done etc... but for a good upholsterer it should be easy peasy...

Muds

[fig]

As Muds says, given the size of a bus roof and cost of materials, that doesn't sound extreme.

Here's an idea: why don't you try to do it yourself? So long as the headlining only covers the "ceiling" they're not too difficult to make and install. If it tucks into the window rubbers and also covers the side of the car between the windows, then it gets a bit more complicated, but it's still not too hard to try at home. I don't know about baywindows, but split bus headliners are held in place by steel bows, and the edges have a cardboard seam sewed to them, which acts as a barb when the edges are tucked in to the space between the roof and the sides of the bus. Window buses have headlining material on the sides, between the windows, and this is just glued in place.

[MELLO YELLOW]

What fig said
When I was doing my yellow and white Fleetline I used the old roof lining (which was totally stuffed ) as a temp and had my sister to sow the loops in for the steel bows and installed it myself

[retrovan]

Nothing wrong with the price, my fastback was more then that, and I still waited forever.......
But lets not go there.........

Herman

[Hloni]

How about bugger's chap? He seemed good, and the cab will be there anyways.

[sean]

That sounds a little steap to me?

I recently had the interior done on my Fleetline. The whole job cost R5 800. This included roof lining, door panels and upholster, carpeting throughout, re-pad and upholster seats as well as insulation/sound proofing in the panels.

The Breakdown was as follows:

Roof lining - R850
Seats -R2 00
Door Panels - R2 000
Carpeting - R950

There may only be a difference in VAT, I gave him cash and left the invoice to avoid it.

This was very neat work, I gave him a completely empty bus, he had to make everything from scratch as well as supply all materials.

Here’s how it looked.

[syncromad]

as Sean says, a little steap, i had a microbus done last year, for R 1600-00, and the had to remove the windows and the aircon system to install rthe roof lining. it was done in pretoria north.

BTW the fleetline looks stunning!!!

[YvaneS]

wow that fleetline looks stunning man!!! Great price that you paid aswell.

I dont think I'll be able to get that kind of quality work here at that price

@ FIG, lol no thanks thats one job I wont attempt myself...
@Hloni, I need to do the roof first as I think the bus will be standing outside, and if the roof is done, the windows can go in.

Thanks for the replies!

[alants]

I have just had my bay window completely redone - seats, roof lining, door panels and carpets
Portion of cost for roof lining - R1600 + VAT
The job that was done is totally amazing - worth ever cent

[MarshallGTi]

sean that fleety looks superb, and i doubt u could source all the carpets and panels etc for that kinda money.....