Wanted in Sydney, Welder, fabricator, body builder

I want to get the foof raised on my Denning Landseer coach and am looking for any leads on someone that could have a go at it in Sydney. All the Bus places are too busy and are way too expensive for my budget.
So anyone know of any one with angle grinder, welder and skill looking for a challenge?
Thanx
Glen

Geeez ya keen glen, i would want to make sure the bloke you get knows exactly what he,s doing mate, that's a big job, and it wont be cheap no matter who does it, just be careful its done right, or you may end up with a convertible

Cheers Adam

Glen - Keep in mind, these two things. One is, that once you start on a job like this, you often find a lot of extra repair work needed, due to corrosion/cracking/general wear & tear. Make sure you have this possible additional repair work attack, pinned down before you start. Things such as agreeing on .. where do you stop, with the repair work on items that are deteriorated .. but which you, or the repairer, decides, needs to be done?

Second point is .. check out the persons previous repair work (references or actual handiwork) before you commence. Nothing worse than putting someone onto a project that's close to your heart .. then seeing some appalling workmanship produced.

Possibly a third point, that you may have already covered .. but engineering approval and oversight is needed, for major structural modifications, such as this??

Cheers - Ron.

Thanx for the advice Fellas.

I definately would be choosing wisely, and have the engineering side understood as well. Just looking for a few different options.

I have a mate that did his and knows how much material and time it took. So hoping I don't have to pay the big company prices (I fully understand their pricing and overheads, just don't want to pay if I can help it).

Mr Assessor I reckon you could do it easy. com on want to have a go?

Cheerz
Glen

So hoping I don't have to pay the big company prices (I fully understand their pricing and overheads, just don't want to pay if I can help it).

Cheerz
Glen

Totally wrong attitude there fella, remember, you only get what you pay for, paying peanuts will only get you monkeys to do the job.

Why do you think a qualified workshop charges as much as they do, all the work is done properly.

Only my two cents worth, had to do a bit with re-skinning coaches/buses and when you remove any bit of it, surprise, surprise at what's under there.

Really think you better work out your budget a bit more, before committing your prize possesion to some el-cheapo to wreck it.


regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

Cost of labour is a term used to describe what it costs you to run a workshop to break even. Add all your billable hours together, and divide by your expenses and wages bill. Mine floats around $70 per hour every month. The shed is cheap to rent in case you're thinking that might factor the whole deal up, and we are a lot more productive than some of the bigger place's.

You need to find someone who is good (that's a piece of pie, let me know when you've finished with him), and somewhere for him to work. Both not impossible tasks, but a bit beyond bunging a post on a forum.

It isn't that tricky sort of job, but find someone who knows what they are doing.

Thought I might be opening myself up for a bit of advice when I posted, especially after the recent car transport thread. But thanx for taking the time to reply anyway
As I said I understand business, have one myself with rent, employees wages, insurance, training, super, accountants and lawyers bills etc etc, (just not in the metal fabrication or truck game unfortunately). And I don't think and didn't mean to infer the quotes I have got are unreasonable, though some were getting there, They just don't suit my budget (Yeap, that's my problem I know).

The missus and I do have a factor 50 relationship when it comes to finances (for every $1 she spends I can spend $50) but she is not real keen on spending $70K on just the roof raise and reskin when she wants a new house.

So in my experience I have found sometimes you can find someone with suitable skill (without the overheads) willing to do something for less than the big shops. And of course sometimes you can't. But you need to ask to find out.

I know too well that paying Peanuts will get you Monkeys most of the time, even been guilty of testing the theory a few times and I can confirm it.

Under no illusions that there is no rust in the frame, probably plenty of it knowing my luck.

So just hoping to get that great tradesman that just sold his fabrication business (but kept his Mig and grinder) and did a bus for his Dad, and is looking for a bit of work for decent money.
A lot of buses have been done in back yards and paddocks and maybe one or two where done well, one of these guys might be around looking for a bit of work. Or one of you guys might know someone
Bit of long shot, but cost nothing to post.

Greenie with your experience would you be using to skin Fibreglass or metal? Common consesus seems to be Glass above bin doors, metal below.

Cheerz
Glen

I am sure you will find the right bloke to suit your needs glen, but maybe not on here mate, i am in the middle of a few large projects myself, and your miles away, there's plenty of blokes that can do it, its not brain surgery :, but there's a bit in it, oh and i "wish i could get the same deal with my Mrs good luck
cheers Adam

Glen, ring Barrie Watt, Watt's bus and coach, Woolongabba, Brisbane, he has done a lot of them. You mat also be better off looking for one already done. My Father sold an Austral on behalf of one of my uncle's, proffesional nice fit out with the roof raised, 6V92TA, tried to get $130,000 for it, they ended up selling it for $110,000, and the new owner drove it straight over to W.A. no worries.

Thought I might be opening myself up for a bit of advice when I posted, especially after the recent car transport thread. But thanx for taking the time to reply anyway
As I said I understand business, have one myself with rent, employees wages, insurance, training, super, accountants and lawyers bills etc etc, (just not in the metal fabrication or truck game unfortunately). And I don't think and didn't mean to infer the quotes I have got are unreasonable, though some were getting there, They just don't suit my budget (Yeap, that's my problem I know).

Cheerz
Glen

I know what you mean, i have had a quote to do up a bus and the little things add up quickly, like the $400 bumper bar that would only cost me $200 if i bought it and sent it with. plus the paint time, again four hours to do this corner then four hours for that corner when it takes 30mins to do it all at once plus a couple of hours dry time

Any way good luck with finding someone