Crack repair - where do u draw the line?

[splitpit]

Heck SGT, for a $50 referal fee I would send ALL of my crack repairs to a replacement shop! Talk about no nonsense easy money! With the margins so low now on replacement in my area, there's no way in the world that the glass shops I work with would pay me $50 to send them a customer!!!!!!
They do send me repair customers and I send them replacement customers.
None of the replacement shops in my local area do repair anymore so the trade-off with them works great!

[Glassdoc]

Although I (for the record) (due to past litigation) do not do crack repair.. <wink> I cut them off at 10-12 inches unless it goes straight across the top or bottom.. I've done them on the bottom from side to side. Pricing- 6 inches $65, 8 inches - $85, 10-12 inches- $95.. If they exceed 10-12 inches its an additional $5 per inch up to 16inches.. I normally will try to talk the customer into a replacement if its over 10 inches.. But, it is their money.. Any crack 10 inches and under i will stand behind for up to one year.. As for the "myth" that thicker viscosity resins hold better.. Myth is the key word there.. Won't mention the company name, but will say its based out of NZ and their resin is thin yet super strong. They actually endorse repair on air craft windscreens.. So.... But, i do ask all the particulars.. How long is the crack, how long has it been on the windshield, what caused it, how often do you wash your car, do you use rain-x type products.. etc. etc.. And I will analyze the answers and let them know if i am interested in doing the repair.. Longest crack I ever filled took 3 hours, was just shy of 6 feet long total length on a custom made bus, that a replacement would have cost $4500 and would have had to come from S.America.. I billed the job at $500 + tax... Had a check in my hand when I left and that bus still passes state inspection every year and I did that job 7 years ago..

[splitpit]

Based on your $95 plus an additional cost of $5.00 per inch, that 6 foot long repair you did should have only cost the customer $395!!

What kind of custom made bus was it Doc? Did the windshield have to be manufactured just for that particular bus? $4,500 for a windshield from South America? Holy cow, that's an amazing story

[Nomad]

I agree 100% with Screenman. I work on a lot of expensive motorhome windshields where they have a crack in an area not at all visible to the driver.

I also have people that want something to stop the crack until they can get home to Canada or parts north next spring and get it replaced there. There are too many variables for hard and fast rules to apply.

BTW, I have seen motorhome windshields that were priced at nearly $5000. These people are really happy to have a repair on one of these big WS instead of having a replacement.

[Glassdoc]

Yes, based on my pricing "now". That repair should be around $395.. but, they needed a repair was willing to pay so I charged what I thought was fair for 3 hours and alot of resin.. These buses are some sort of Custom Health Testing Coaches, only 3 made.. Thus the lack of spare windshields, and to make matters worse the company that produced these coaches went out of business about 3 years ago so parts are next to none to be found.. I found a place called Bent Glass (??) shortly after I did the repair and they could manufacture a windshield for these buses but the first one would cost apprx $7,000 to be molded, fit, polished etc.. So, I don't think I did the customer wrong.. Would I do it again, don't know. It has held, no problem there.. But, it was a very antagonizing 3 hours, alot of stress, wondering, hoping, and asking myself what the f was I thinking.. But, hey it was a learning experience, a satisfied customer, and a story to share..

[screenman]

Splitpit, in answer to your aerlier question I use Delta Magnibond on all my repairs. Regardless of size, shape or age.

[SGT]

I as well, use Magnabond for all repairs.

[SGT]

Originally Posted by splitpit

Heck SGT, for a $50 referal fee I would send ALL of my crack repairs to a replacement shop! Talk about no nonsense easy money! With the margins so low now on replacement in my area, there's no way in the world that the glass shops I work with would pay me $50 to send them a customer!!!!!!
They do send me repair customers and I send them replacement customers.
None of the replacement shops in my local area do repair anymore so the trade-off with them works great!

For me, I do not think that it would be in the customers best intrest to reccomend replacement for all damages just becuase I would recieve 50.00 kickback for the referral, when infact, it could have been easily repaired without subjecting the customer to all the potential issues that come along with replacements. Besides my repair would generate more income than the referral.

[splitpit]

I was talking about those that push the limits of what you normally do...such as not quite straight, not quite new, not quite in the acute area, 11 and one half inches long! 50 bucks for doing nothing sounds pretty inviting to me! lol

[toab]

With all the good press about Magnabond i am looking forward to testing it up against the resins I use as soon as my sample arrives.Am looking forward to a 1 or 2 resins does all repairs scenario.