A Question About Pay Scale

VegasDragon · December 10, 2016

To start this off, I have only been tinting for 6 months. It's high time for my six month review. I was trying to gauge how much I should be making based on my work output.

As we all know, every job is different. Yesterday, I completed a job that was 156 square feet of 3m Night Vision 25, for a total of 27 Windows, in 5 hours. This was also an exceptionally chatty customer. The grand total of the job was roughly $1400. That was all by myself, door to door, 5 hours.

Today, I had hung 280 square feet of (3m) 6mm Ultra SC600 in about 8 hours. I had a helper that only helped peel the film and spray it, as well as helped me bring everything in and load it up afterwards. The grand total of this job was $3140.

Now, I am making only $10 per hour, no commission. I have NEVER had to go back to a job to fix my work, and I rarely have to use extra film for a job. I am very immaculate when I clean my Windows and my cuts a precise. I can also hang vinyl and decorative film. I live in Florida.

What should I ask for as compensation for my work? I feel that I am seriously underpaid.

VegasDragon · December 10, 2016

I forgot to mention that the security film job I did today had 24 Windows.

For normal residential job, I can easily hang 350 square feet per day, about 150-200 if it's small pane. For large window commercial jobs, I can probably hang 800 square feet per day. 250 - 350 square feet of security film @ 6mm.

Again, I make $10 per hour, without commission. But, my company trained me from scratch, which cost money. What should I be making? What should I ask for.

Grizzlies87 · December 10, 2016

I can't even stand the thought of an hourly wage. I run my own company but still sub contract on occasion and it's all on a square foot price. That price starts at $1.50 per sq and that is for the absolute easiest commercial windows and goes up from there. This obviously adds motivation and incentive. For someone like you that is hustling and getting the job done that would be a much better fit. I would work on a plan to get a price by the foot if you're able to do as much as you say you can, turning out clean work, and no redos.

Roach · December 10, 2016

I agree... The first shop I worked at I was hourly... I think I was around $18 when I left, after 2-3 yrs.

Anyone I hire to tint for me at this point is by sq/ft.. and I'm around $1.50 and up depending on job, film, and total sq/ft.

I have worked at day rates on smaller jobs I've done for friends... otherwise it would have been something really crummy for the time involved - going, tinting, returning, etc.

Many ways to get paid a fair amount... hourly isn't normally one of them, IMO.

TomTint · December 11, 2016

If you are only 6 months in.. I think the 10.00 ph was a number the owner figured he would not risk loosing money on. It takes more than 6 months before a installer is seasoned enough to beset free with any situation. That said, .. if you are reliable, on time, minimal re-do's and not a junkie.. I would ask for a base salary and a square footage bonus. But beware, in Fla, tinter she are a dime per 20 dozen.. they are everywhere. And everyone of them think they are the second coming of of the lord.

VegasDragon · December 11, 2016

Interesting. I appreciate the input guys. Don't get me wrong, I love my company. The owner personally trained me to uphold his quality of work. I know that cost money. He paid me to come in and waste film learning until I got it. Now, I go and do jobs by myself, sometimes with a helper. I was just wondering what I should try to negotiate for when my review comes. I know I have an extremely high earning potential with exceptional work.

So I'm making $10 an hour base pay without any square foot bonus. He subcontracted work to other outside tinters and paid them by the square foot for jobs that I can do. I feel like I'd make a lot more money being paid commission in lieu of hourly.

Any idea why he'd want to pay his own employees hourly but outsource work paid by the square foot?

Grizzlies87 · December 11, 2016

Yea because he's making more money doing it like that. I'm sure he brings in guys on larger projects as many owners do. When I first started I made a company tons of money before I realized I was getting screwed. That is why there is no loyalty in this industry and most guys end up going out on their own because a lot of owners just don't take care of their people. I understand that there is a training process and risk of course but if you have proven yourself, dependable, and do quality work you need to renegotiate. Not being a true subcontractor it will be difficult to get a deal strictly on square foot basis but as Tom said I'd look for a salary plus incentives at the very least.

December 12, 2016

Listen to grizzlies. That is the problem with a lot of shop owners. A good management union between owner and employee will be recognized at your review. If the work is as you say, you should be in good shape to receive what is do to you. If nothing changes then you really don't matter to the company, you were just filling a spot. I wouldn't get out of bed for 10 bucks. With your minimal experience and if you are doing good work, 10% of the ticket would be more than fair. Stand up business owners know what it take to keep a good employee. Bottom line is you have to pay them. I don't think my guys would get anything done by the hour.

Cheers and good luck

DynamicATL · December 12, 2016

We do a high flat salary year round. We also offer 2 bonuses...one if the overall store sales goals and the other specifically tint sales goals. So our tinter can essentially get two separate bonuses per month. When we do Flat Glass and PPF, we get him a small commission on that too. So he doesn't have to worry about if the business is slow and when it is busy he is making more money than normal. My goal was to make sure he was making what a lot of tint shop owners make, but without all the hassle of running a business. This year we have even gotten it down to where he doesn't have to sale jobs and rarely has to interact with the customers.

VegasDragon · December 12, 2016

Alrighty, I have a pretty good gauge of how much I should ask for. My next question is a question of ethics.

As of now, I'm paid hourly ($10). That entails me clocking in, filling my tank, pulling and weighing my film from the warehouse, etc. Then I drive to my job, knock it out, and come back to home base to do it all over again. I get paid for drive time too.

If I was being paid by the square foot, how would (or should?) I account for all of the extra stuff I do that isn't directly related to laying film? For instance, sometimes I get hours by simply measuring film to send back to 3M for warranty purposes. Other times I pre-Cut film from the film handler for other technicians to use (specifically for the owner). He also owns all the vans so I don't use my own personal vehicle.

There are a ton of factors I haven't laid out yet. With that being said, if I asked for commission, what should I request about the "extra time" I Invest in the company?