What to pay for a hull waxing?

[sailorboy1]

Below is the pricing at where I winter store. I don't want to do my waxing as my knees hurt for 2 weeks after, but I'm just not at the point of paying $600 for a 2 hour wax job (I've watched them do it on other boats)

Spring Compound & Wax
______Boats to 25’ hull & transom $12.45/ft.
Boats 26’-39’ hull & transom $13.45/ft.
Boats 40’-50’ hull & transom $15/ft
Deck & cabin only, no flybridge add $14/ft.
Deck & cabin only w/ flybridge add $16/ft.
Note: Boats with extra heavy compounding-additional charges

[svfinlandia]

Originally Posted by minaret

I work in one of the pricier yards around and we'd bill about half that for a simple cleaner wax job. That said, there is a wide range of possible options, from one-step (cleaner wax) to wet sanding and polishing through multiple products. More information would be required as to exactly what the bid entails. If it included making more than a single pass with a single product, due to gelcoat oxidization, it could be a good deal. Skilled detail crew will get much better results much faster than the amateur. Of course, if it's just for a wax job and no more, then they tried to gouge you.

Yep. It was for just a simple wax job and it would appear that they tried to gouge me. I'm glad I passed it up.

[Scout 30]

There was a recent thread about gelcoat maintenance that had a link to step by step instructions with photos on how to bring it back to like new condition. Very informative. I'd search the archives before tackling this job.

[minaret]

Pro tip- if you wanna do your own, throw out the commercial one step products, they all suck. Brew your own with 3M Scotch Gard wax and 3M Gelcoat Polishing compound mixed at 40% wax. Much better results, but it costs more.

[Tayana42]

Around here you can usually find workers on the docks who will wax for less than a yard charges. At 42 ft I paid $700 for compounding, waxing, top sides and cabin sides, cockpit, etc. and polishing all stainless.


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[Dutch]

Originally Posted by svfinlandia

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this question, but here goes:
I was quoted $800.00 in a boat yard recently to wax and buff the hull above the waterline of my 36' Nauticat motorsailer. From the waterline to the toerail is about 3' so (if my math is correct) that would be around 108 square feet of surface area. It sounded like a lot of money for a one day job to me so I declined the offer. What does everyone think is a fair price for this?

Sounds like a quote for a bikini wax.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by svfinlandia

Well, I think I got the answers that I expected. I wasn't about to pay $800.00 US for something that I could probably do myself in two days by hand.

I predict you will change your mind about halfway through the job. I've tried it and even bought buffers and polish but I'm back to paying someone who can't find a better job than working in 100 degree heat waxing boats.

[sugarbird]

The most I ever paid in the US was $400 for a 45 Ft. Sailboat.

[a64pilot]

You guy's are making me sick, because I'm paying way more than these numbers and I've got the Makita, a couple of different polishing compounds etc., but I've also got a generator and new refrigeration to install, so I'm contracting out the"grunt" work.


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[minaret]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You guy's are making me sick, because I'm paying way more than these numbers and I've got the Makita, a couple of different polishing compounds etc., but I've also got a generator and new refrigeration to install, so I'm contracting out the"grunt" work.


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Believe you may be doing that backwards. Do the polish yourself, and hire out the mechanical work to a reputable outfit so you get a warranty on the install. That way the whole thing is somebody else's problem, any glitches and they fix it.

[a64pilot]

No, I think I'm a little better mechanic and electrician than they are to be honest, but I do understand your point.
90% of the time I allow any mechanical or electrical work to be done by someone else, I end up re-doing it anyway.


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[colemj]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

No, I think I'm a little better mechanic and electrician than they are to be honest, but I do understand your point.
90% of the time I allow any mechanical or electrical work to be done by someone else, I end up re-doing it anyway.

I think you have your priorities correct. Do the mechanical and electrical work right yourself and let a yard kid sling the polisher. I bet you are a LOT better mechanic and electrician than 95% of all those "professionals" hanging their shingle - and that last 5% are hard to find, busy as hell and cost a mountain of money.

Meanwhile, I also bet that you, like me, will gladly pay not to hold a polisher up to a boat for many hours in the hot sun.

I used to do everything on our boat myself, but once I hit a certain age, I wised up and gladly pay people to sand the bottom and compound/wax the hull.

Mark

[a64pilot]

One thought is before we go, I want to have gone through all the "systems", know where everything is, where the wires run etc. , with the hope that when conditions are less than perfect I at least know where to start. Right now, I have no idea of the wire run from the shore power plug to the breaker panel for instance.
I've had to re-do a few professionally installed items too, like the secondary bilge pump that was "T" into the propane locker drain. The professional installed it so the propane drain had a direct connection to the bilge.


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[Dukie67]

I think you may be calculating the approx. sq ft of only one side of the hull....

[ramblinrod]

Depends what you mean by "hull waxing".

Gelcoat maintenance costs vary depending in condition. Badly oxidized and I can cover about 8 sq ft per hour. Shiny glossy to begin, just needing a wax for continued UV protection = 40!sq ft per hour. I'll bet your nautical actually averages closer to 4 feet waterline to toerail. Your average length of each side due to the curvature of the hull (canoe stern right? ) = 40feet so 4x40 x 2 = 320. Therefore at $50/hr (professional rates) you're looking at $400 for wax, $550 for wash and wax, all the way up to $2000 for restoration of badly oxidized gelcoat. (About 1/3 the coat of painting, the latter being blasphemy if the gelcoat is just oxidized.

If you don't want to pay to have it professionally done, then don't. If you do want it professionally done, get it done right. A one step cleaner and wax will look great initially if oxidation is minimal, but the finish will deteriorate rapidly. A proper two step polish and wax, will last twice as long. Sometimes you are not getting gouges, you just don't understand what you relally need when you get a higher than expected quote.

ps in North America $15 / hr means ameteur without insurance and little likelihood of staying in business long.

We get called at least once a year to fix up messes left by these guys.

Rod Brandon