How much for a PA 28 aircraft respray.

[Pterois Volitans]

Hi All,

Can anyone advise as the cost of a respray for a PA28 aircraft,(back to bare metal) and recommend a company in the Sydney/NSW area.

Thanks
PV

[Ultralights]

have a look into a vinyl wrap, seams popular in the USA. lighter than paint apparently. though dont know if anyone here will do it.. could be cheaper flying some guys from the USA here to do it.

[Band a Lot]

Vinyl wrap in Australia! lol under what approval?

A repaint requires a C of A a vinyl wrap in Oz a CAR 35 as well, so plan $70K.

A strip and paint with normal plastics and repairs will be $15-20K for a good job inc reweigh, windows and all.

[Progressive]

Vinyl wrap cannot be used to replace paint, it is a porus covering which provides NO corrosion protection. The vinyl wrap needs to be applied over a clean coat of paint or epoxy primer, application over bare metal will result in increased corrosion and application over poor quality paint will create a poor finish on the wrap.

Pa28 paint job should be in the 10-20k range depending on the shop. I suggest the OP ring around for a few quotes and ask exactly what they get for the money. In my experience a bad paint job will end up costing more than a good one in the long run.

[Ultralights]

dont know about that, i have seen many polished or bare aluminium aircraft have vinyl removed after many years and show no evidence of corrosion at all under it, water also gets under paint and primer through cracks and faults in the paint, usually around rivets and skin joins. if the metal is treated properly and the alclad in undamaged, then water shouldn't worry it. also, have a look into why you Don't paint aluminium boats.

[Clare Prop]

Add on the cost of having the controls removed and put back on by a LAME and all the new hardware that will go with that.
I know it's really expensive here but by the time it's all finished I wouldn't expect much change for $30G.

[Band a Lot]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4r7r8b0ylmx8xkh/182%20paint%20job.xlsx?dl=0

Yes there was extra work done.

[Pterois Volitans]

Thanks for the above comments.Could anyone recommend a a/c spray company in YSBK, so I can at least start the "quote" process.
Thanks
PV

[Band a Lot]

I would look a lot further than YSBK.

[Progressive]

Ultralights,
I was not suggesting that vinyl wrap will cause corrosion in the substrate, simply that it will not provide any additional protection to the bare metal in the way paint does. Although the 2024 alclad used in PA28 series has a pure aluminium coating to provide the oxidisation layer this has most likely been eroded on an old aircraft. Without the oxidisation layer or a sealed paint layer the old 2024 is very prone to corrosion unlike the 5/6000 series used in boats.

[Squawk7700]

Band A Lot, they are hitting you hard on labour for $111 an hour!

I'll bet they barely lay the guy $40-$50 per hour for the bulk of that work bar perhaps the guy spraying.

[Kulwin Park]

You own a Aeroplane that FLIES. Do not just look in the YSBK area. Some of the best paint jobs I've seen are in Melbourne area (AeroPaint or something like that at Horsham), and some in southern queensland, but can't think of the name of the company. The latest aviation trader will have them all listed.
It's a pity that the EPA regs shut down quite a few of the good ones many years ago

[Alloverit]

I recently had my PA28 Arrow painted in Yarrawonga ( 12 months ago ) after another mate had his done there previously. I did my homework, after much effort I obtained 3 quotes from "reputable" shops. I had a bare metal strip, new glass all round, new fasteners all round ( screws ) ect ect, new front screens, was quoted 15 - 17k depending on what was under the stripped paint. It came in just under the 17k quoted all up no more to pay and the job was excellent, couldn't speak highly enough of them. And just a foot note, they actually delivered what they promised.

[Band a Lot]

Squawk7700, I actually did the job and think I charge $126 per hour + gst.

It mostly was me and a LAME that can paint well (very well) he got $66 per hour at work.

I think there was about $10K required repairs but another 10ish to meet the new look in owner request like door handles and window latches.

So to confirm it was a repaint done by LAME's in an approved shop

[Band a Lot]

A guy I think now in SA, Stuart James was a aircraft painter come LAME does paint again.


He certainly can throw a paint gun around and honest as they come.

[jas24zzk]

Band A Lot, they are hitting you hard on labour for $111 an hour!

I'll bet they barely lay the guy $40-$50 per hour for the bulk of that work bar perhaps the guy spraying.

It's actually $110 per hour...but whats a dollar.

You seem to be suggesting that this is an exorbitant hourly rate?
Had your car dealer serviced recently?????

Without laying out the maths in detail (which i can if needed), to pay a tradesman $1500 per week, comes out as a direct cost to the business of $68.21 per hour.
After that we take out rent/mortgage, power, insurances, admin costs, compliance costs........

$110 ph is fuggen cheap mate.

[havick]

Give microflite a call in Melbourne to see where they get their helicopters done. The finish and attention to detail on their aircraft are the best I've seen and apparently reasonably priced.

[Squawk7700]

It's actually $110 per hour...but whats a dollar.

You seem to be suggesting that this is an exorbitant hourly rate?
Had your car dealer serviced recently?????

Without laying out the maths in detail (which i can if needed), to pay a tradesman $1500 per week, comes out as a direct cost to the business of $68.21 per hour.
After that we take out rent/mortgage, power, insurances, admin costs, compliance costs........

$110 ph is fuggen cheap mate.

Your panel beating shop is not a LAME shop. The paint shops I've seen use the lowest apprentice level of labour for strip and prep and then the clever (more expensive) guys for the stuff that matters as I detailed my my short post above.

[Band a Lot]

My mistake - the default is $110 (old rate) was $126 p/h, still too cheap.

[Kulwin Park]

Microflite use Pacific Crown Helicopters in Caloundra. But they only do helicopters as they are situated off the airfield now. In an old very large bus workshop that works very well

[Jenna Talia]

+1 for the guys at Yarrawonga.

[PA39]

Its more than the removal of the control surfaces, stripping and painting. From the initial estimate to the final balance can be astronomical. It's "what lies beneath" that add greatly to the costs. Should somebody say $15k I would expect $25/30k plus.

[Ozhawk]

This topic was never really answered, Im curious also. PA28 respray near enough to Sydney, any recommended spray paint mobs and cost? :ugh:

[Progressive]

Had a quote done for a PA32 back in May,
$27,000+GST Hardware and maintenance additional!:eek::eek::eek:
Owner baulked at the cost......

[Ozhawk]

That price is insane.

[Aussie Bob]

That price is insane.

Says someone who knows absolutely nothing about painting aircraft. If anything it is cheap.

[Ozhawk]

Says someone who knows absolutely nothing about painting aircraft. If anything it is cheap.
Break down the labour, materials and booth hire and let ppl who 'knows nothing' make an informed analysis. I was going to just reply 'yawn' but why not solicit some arm chair 'expertise' for everyones benefit. :D

[StickWithTheTruth]

Short of being ripped off, usually the amount you pay for a respray is directly proportionate to how long the paint sticks and the finish turns to crap.

[CHAIRMAN]

Had my Archer painted three times by Flinders. Each about 10 years apart. Last one has been on now for about 10 years, maybe got another few years before another one is due. A/C is hangared. Cost quoted for last one was about 15k, ended up about 25k. I knew what was going on the whole time, and the extra work was needed. Great job, and you get what you pay for. I don't think prices have changed too much since then. Bit like a classic car, if you intend to keep it, it pays to get the job done properly. Maybe if you want to flick it, just get a cheap blow job.

[StickWithTheTruth]

Last one has been on now for about 10 years, maybe got another few years before another one is due. A/C is hangared

Oh that is a surprise. So it's hangared in a normal fully enclosed hangar with reduced light / UV conditions? Surprised to hear it would only last 10 years or so. My paint is 10 years old and I wouldn't dream of having to do anything with it.

Is it in a school or charter arrangement and left out in direct sunlight regularly? If not, how many hours do you do / how often do you use it and leave it outside?

[gassed budgie]

Had a quote done for a PA32 back in May,
$27,000+GST Hardware and maintenance additional!
Owner baulked at the cost......

Probably what you would expect to pay (at least) for a good job on a Warrior. And don't forget the cost of the windows. About another $5K or $6K I would have thought. Nothing worse than seeing a great paint job looking a tad lusterless because the original, old, ****ty windows weren't replaced at the time of the repaint. Not much change if any, left out of $35,000.

Anyone who has spent any time in an aircraft paint shop will attest to the fact that it's a tedious, boring, repetitive, tiresome job with a certain amount of toxicity attached to it. These days I need at least 3 months warning from the Mrs. to psyche myself up to paint something even as small as the knob on the ****house door, so I'll be more than happy to hand over the $35K (more probably) when its time for the strip and paint on the machine. By the way, you should get at least 20 years out of a quality paint job if the aircraft is hangared and you look after the paint/aircraft.

....have spoken to a couple of really good aircraft refinishers over the years. They both suggested that the aircraft they found the easiest to repaint and the one they preferred to do over and above the rest, were the later model 210's ('79 and up) without the gear doors. Easiest of the lot I was told.

[Aussie Bob]

Break down the labour, materials and booth hire and let ppl who 'knows nothing' make an informed analysis

Sorry Ozhawk, didn't mean to seem rude. The best way is to look carefully at something like a 172 or Warrior. You will quickly notice around 3 cars worth of paint. I am guessing but I would reckon a top notch job on a car would be around 10K+. Aluminium is also a lot more fragile and labour intensive than steel.

[Ozhawk]

Thanks for the info all, including Bob, further question, heard the term blow the paint on, or similar before. What does that entail and what would that cost be, can they do a rub back and colour match over the top?. Paint on warrior is chalky and flaked off in many places, so want to see what I can do in the interim. Dont want it offline for months if this is possible, and probably cheaper.

[Bend alot]

Whats your location?

[AbsoluteFokker]

A story from Perth from a few years back...

4 Seater, low wing in Perth.

A great paint job but unable to hangar due to expense (Jandakot - $500-800/month back then, more now)

Degradation in paintwork due to outdoor storage in about 10 years to a chalky level.

Leaky fuel caps probably another $3K of maintenance too (hey, who forgot to drain the tanks (albeit leaky caps) and declare emergency and land in a military airbase?). Driving a LAME 2 hours each way - well that's money well spent?! Trying to argue with the military about permission given to simply take off, from a backup RAAF base that is never used. F you RAAF.

Moral of story: Hangar your aircraft if you can afford it. If you can't afford it, consider the three F rule.

[Possum1]

Leaky fuel caps probably another $3K of maintenance too

Our Piper has been tied-down and stored outside with fuel cap covers from Stay-Sealed Inc Aircraft Fuel Cap Covers (http://www.staysealed.com) and has had no leaks for the last 3 years other than tiny amounts of condensation occasionally. A little expensive but they work.

[Octane]

AbsoluteFokker,

Does your rule end with "rent it"? If so I think I know what the 3 F's stand for.
I'm not an aviator or boatie but can relate to the last one...

[Ozhawk]

Whats your location?

Aircaft will be at YSCN/YSBK

[AbsoluteFokker]

AbsoluteFokker,

Does your rule end with "rent it"? If so I think I know what the 3 F's stand for.
I'm not an aviator or boatie but can relate to the last one...

That's the one!