Guys, there really isn't anything to worry about. I agree with 'Just Dave' that TIGing isn't something that's available everywhere. I do not see a point arguing about it here. If you think $40 is expensive, there are of course other competitors around locally. Honestly, $40 is below normal market price for a BOV flange.
Here's a sample of our weld jobs in house ----
Originally Posted by Just Dave
Ask him how much he would charge if I only need 1 foot of guardrail done. I gaurantee it won't be $45.
First, TIG'ing aluminum is a skilled labor. That's AT LEAST $20/hr (getting a mechanic to work on your car is at least $50-75/hr so $20/hr is a bargain). Then he's got to figure in the cost of materials (gas and filler), plus the cost of his machine ammortized over the life of it. And finally, its got to be worth his while. I do side work out of my house, but I don't change oil. The reason is you can take your car to Wal-Mart and have an oil change done for $16. For what it costs for oil and filter, I'd basically be doing the oil change for free. No thanks. Now, if someone were to bring me 10 cars a day for oil changes, I'd consider it. The same applies to the guardrails. Sure he charges $45/ft, but I can assure you he's doing more than 1 foot at a job.