pbalentine

You want to be competitive with the prices in your area and price close to or at the highest prices around town. Raising prices can lose past customers, but at some point you need to do it and leave those custys behind for the ones that’ll pay more.  Thats what I did when I first raised prices. The past customers that said I was too muchwere some of my cheapest customers that I didnt mind losing. As for pricing I would charge about half the cost of a full vehicle for the two fronts. I actually just raised my two front price now. I did it because of the rise in tinting only the two fronts. The higher price will push people more to tint the entire vehicle. 

You want to be competitive with the prices in your area and price close to or at the highest prices around town. Raising prices can lose past customers, but at some point you need to do it and leave those custys behind for the ones that’ll pay more.  Thats what I did when I first raised prices. The past customers that said I was too muchwere some of my cheapest customers that I didnt mind losing. As for pricing I would charge about half the cost of a full vehicle for the two fronts. I actually just raised my two front price now. I did it because of the rise in tinting only the two fronts. The higher price will push people more to tint the entire vehicle. 

The attached picture should be enlarged, framed and hung on a wall where you discuss the cost with your clients.

Merry Christmas to all on TD.

Merry Christmas to all on TD.

It's a braided microfiber rope that I probably paid too much for, but has saved my tail many times, so definitely worth the cost. I usually break the melted knots on the ends to stuff 'em deeper and have them not snag the film as I pull them out. I also press on the dash when pulling so they don't drain out when pulling.
 
The other tool is a "must have" for my style of installation. I found them both on 44tools.

I use Rayno and the Charcoal color for the S7 and S9 is due to the higher levels of ceramic vs carbon. I sell mainly S5 which is the deep black color, still has great heat rejection though. The S7 I typically only order if they are out of s5, the s9 I order for some higher end customers who prefer higher heat rejection.  I wouldn't say the s9 is higher quality its just different film. If you message me I can send you some pictures 

Weather strip comes off the top of the back doors easily. I pulled all the panels and rear deck. Didn’t do the shield cuz hell no. 

The only glass I have ever broke has been ford windshields and its been a handful.  The tools work 95% of the time, its the other 5% when you want to just kick the mirror through the windshield.

Over the years there have been similar posts and they have all been Fords. I had one in a mustang come off in my hand just adjusting it.

My thoughts on this are that tint shops should have never started agreeing to discounts for dealerships.  I mean why? Because they bring you " a bunch of cars ".  Well so what.  That doesn't make them any easier to tint.  Dealerships ask for outrageous discounts and blame it on the volume they bring you.  Tint shops should have never started agreeing to these type of discounts.  Dealerships can well afford normal pricing.  If anything, give the 10% off the total of an invoice, not 10-20% off each vehicle.  At least that will cover you if they don't bring you a bunch of cars and will also give them a better reason to bring you more at one time instead of one here and there.  20% is not necessary in my opinion, but they will want at least that just because they are a dealership.  
 
This is just my take on this subject.  Many will have a different opinion, but I think if shops had stood their ground years ago on this, dealerships wouldn't expect these type of discounts.   

1. Paint your floors with cheap epoxy and sprinkle a light dusting of play sand over it while its wet to make it less slick.
 
2. Get your peel board as close as you can to your prepped glass. Mist the air before you open your pattern.
 
3. Rope off the area that you don't want people walking into.
 
4. Build nice, easily readable signs to look like your running a top knotch install shop. 
 
5. Save every dollar you can and keep an eye out for a better location. Move your signs to the new shop for brand recognition.
 
6. Turn the old location into a detail shop (keeps someone else from capitalizing on your good name) and send the tint over to the new place. 
 
7. Treat your customers like gold and they will follow you. Everyone likes to see a good shop grow.
 
8. Start tinting the crusty diesels in ceramic for top dollar. They spend more time in those trucks than they do at home.
 
9. If you have a plotter offer vin, dot and company names on the trucks. Every one of them need it.
 
10. Hustle and improve where you can. If it was easy it wouldn't be worth doing.

Slap whoever told you that.

They were baking something for sure... think it was in there mouth and fingers!

If the deck is plastic I make sure the edge is wiped clean. Any deck with fabric I tape it off or put a towel there. 

Thats S500 is tough. You can’t pull the door seals. A call back would be a nightmare for the tinter. 

Hopefully one day a heat gun will be designed just for tinting. One with two heatguns together, side by side, but with one handle and light weight. 

Both brands has had some failure issues in the past 5 years. I know people were talking about Black Pearl specifically on this forum back in 2018. However, it has been some time so maybe they got all that corrected. If I were to pick one brand over the other, it would be Madico. However, I would choose the shop that does the best work and puts the warranty in writing.

Reminds me of Tintwizards method of blasting the entire film.
 
Don't see any concerns other than just don't drop the thing and possible mobility issues in old age from repetitive movement with the weight of the heater(s) used.
 
Seems, as though heat is being dispersed over a wide area, moving along, and at a distance off the surface in a similar fashion to control excessive heat exposure; same as what a heat gun does over a smaller area.
 
My guess would be temp doesn't exceed that of using a torch, which was always given the stink eye from tech support, because it was 'suspected' of causing chemical changes in adhesive and coloring. Haven't heard any long term reporting to back the suspicions.
 
Do eat your spinach before jumping on board with this. Then watch your arm build massive muscles. You'll be going around with one popeye arm and well, a wimpy arm in comparison. 😆 💪

By the way, I remember seeing the Global shrink of a VW back glass way back about the time stated.

I like that!! Customer: The dealer wants X amount for tint. Me: Dealerships can barely wash cars correctly. 
 
I’ll get more jobs with that line on the back burner! 

Yep, thats right!! 

Dealerships can barely wash cars correctly, I doubt that many would do chip work.  
 
Go to any dealership and at the used car side and there is a team of subs that come in to do recon work that the employees arn't trained for.

^^^and be 2-3 times more expensive if something goes south.

If the customer just says, Mercedes or BMW its either really old or a brand new, high-end model. I add a small mark up for all Euro & Tesla. Then I double that or triple the fee for high-end model or old classic model. Also, the biggest factor I use for pricing is not film cost or difficulty, its the stress of doing it. Also, panel removal on these can take 2-3x longer. 
 

Orange peel is what we would call grainy. I'll bet it's the film, especially if the installer won't return your call. Likely he knows what the issue is.