Pay Structure/PPF Install Earnings

Prairie_Install0 · November 27, 2020

I'm trying to ask around and see the best pay structure for a PPF installer. I am currently an installer for a group of dealerships and feel like I am being underpaid, or at least not making nearly as much as some of the others I have heard. It's not uncommon from what I know that a good handful of installers average around 100k a year, is this true? I get paid flat rate and receive 6hrs for a extended hood/fenders protection etc, and 4hrs for a half. I am fairly quick and can produce some good work but from asking around is seems low, one place even said some Full Packages (extended front) get up to 12hr depending on the vehicle. What else is everybody out there making? Or any ideas of a better pay structure I could present to management? Appreciated!!

Booms · November 30, 2020

I also work for a dealership 5 hours for 16" hood/fender/mirrors and another 5 hours if they want the bumper done.

It also depends on what your flat rate is.

alltracpete · November 30, 2020

Id like to know what the rate is as well. 5 hours for 16" HFM seems pretty good. And 5 hours for a bumper.

Capital PPF_Norm · December 2, 2020

Throwing me off here... Are you saying that they are paying 5 hours of xx per hour to do that Hood, Fender,Mirrors then? And what hourly rate? (I'm assuming you are actually doing the job in something like 1 to 2 hours? Another 2 hours for a bumper?)

I'd probably just want to simplify things and ask for xx amount to do the HFM, or xx to do bumper. Plus, not all hoods/bumpers are created equal. Tesla hood/bumpers=easy. Mercedes & corvette bumper=hard'ish (In a more time consuming way of being hard)

I know of some businesses in my area (North Carolina) where some installers are being pretty badly underpaid, which of course encourages them to go it alone and create competition. Apples to apples competition isn't a bad thing really, but what sux is when I get a customer calling me for prices, and is comparing my time intensive and labor intensive custom installation to a 30 minute pre-cut speed install on a bumper.

Booms · December 2, 2020

As a flat rate technician at a dealership, it is your responsibility to negotiate the best terms possible for your services.

Since we don't pay for product you should be in the $100.00 + range to install hood/fenders/mirrors and the same for a bumper.

Depending on your experience of course.

Edited December 2, 2020 by Booms

Prairie_Install0 · December 3, 2020

For me I get $21 per hour x flatrate job. So $21x6hrs for a full package. That includes a Fullhood,Fenders,Mirrors,Doorcups,Rear bumper deck, and mostly full bumper coverage (if the pattern is there for bumper accessories I install it). This is also with Wrap tabs for hood and fenders.

prairiePPFer · December 14, 2020

Yeah I would say that you're being underpaid. I have been told I'm underpaid and I make 9 hrs at a similar rate for similar package.

This is a great question, as it's definitely time for me to renegotiate as well and it's so difficult to do. Dealerships want to keep everything the same for every vehicle, but man has it gotten difficult to put a blanket rate over every car. It used to be that you'd get the odd one with a fully painted front end, and now it seems like that's all I get. 6 piece grille and 3 piece bumpers on the new trucks really strain that flat rate.

Capital PPF_Norm · December 15, 2020

Prairie, this is why I don't do work for dealerships... They want all the $$, and never give out the 'free'! thank you when you push through a rush job or any job. One rate for different jobs when one may take 3 hours and another takes 6 hours sux!

JoshVette · December 17, 2020

On 12/2/2020 at 6:52 PM, Prairie_Install0 said:

For me I get $21 per hour x flatrate job. So $21x6hrs for a full package. That includes a Fullhood,Fenders,Mirrors,Doorcups,Rear bumper deck, and mostly full bumper coverage (if the pattern is there for bumper accessories I install it). This is also with Wrap tabs for hood and fenders.

Are you saying you make $126 ($21x6hrs) for a full front job?? the film alone is triple that cost.

Am I missing something? that sounds off??

Prairie_Install0 · December 22, 2020

On 12/17/2020 at 3:21 PM, JoshVette said:

Are you saying you make $126 ($21x6hrs) for a full front job?? the film alone is triple that cost.

Am I missing something? that sounds off??

Yea that would be correct. In a dealership setting everyone gets a piece of the pie that sold the product with the purchase of the vehicle. So it really lowers how much comes to my end and how much they can give me based off of the income of the job. At least that flat rate doesn't include the wash/decon process but still even when things are going speedy it's cutting it close on making up time.