Cost of Welding ??

[Billy Smalls]

Hi There

I need the outer sills and outer wheel arches replaced both sides on my 144

Brookhouse are supplying me the 4 panels

I have been quoted £800 to £1000 for the welding both sides - to a seemless, smooth finish and primed.

Does that sound about right?

Many Thanks

[rocketron2]

a decent welder will ask a minimum of 40 gbp /hour
60 gbp is the current rate.
so your job is estimated at about 20 hours of work.

the actual welding will be about 4 hours.
all the rest is preparation.

if you can prepare yourself you could save at least half the money.

[Billy Smalls]

I now also understand that welders have to take breaks to protect their eyes and this of course means there is a lot of re-setting up time.

thanks for the advice

[Derek UK]

Originally Posted by Billy Smalls

I now also understand that welders have to take breaks to protect their eyes and this of course means there is a lot of re-setting up time.

thanks for the advice

I don't think either of those should be reflected in your bill. Welding of this sort is done in relatively short sessions and resetting as you call it only needs to be done when the thickness of the metal or the construction changes. A good welder will do those changes with a click up or down to the power or wire speed without thinking too much about it.
The crunch is the welder/bodyman being either good or bad and charging you the same for it. The difference after cleaning up and priming might not be too obvious but if good there should be little or no sign that welding has taken place. With sills, a lot of the fixing is done with a spot-welder and should more or less be done to match the original construction. Done properly this is quicker and neater than firing a MIG at it. It depends on what your standards are, and if high, whether the welder is willing, and able, to match them. If possible ask to see some of his on going work, then you can see the quality and how he tackles the job. Good luck.

[dingov70]

[QUOTE=Derek UK;1972734] With sills, a lot of the fixing is done with a spot-welder and should more or less be done to match the original construction. Done properly this is quicker and neater than firing a MIG at it.


Hate to break it to you , BUT for an MOT all welded repairs MUST be seam welded . It might well have been stitch welded ( short sections of weld ) or spot welded , but any structural repair has to be a continuous seam of weld .

Also any signs of body filler obscuring welds could well be seen as an attempt to cover up a sub standard repair . By far the best repair is seam welded & painted after grinding down the welds and finish the repair with filler & properly painted after the MOT . I failed a car on test for dubious welds due to the sheer volume of underseal used to obscure the welds , it simply wiped off on my hand revealing the truth

[Derek UK]

Quote from the MOT manual.
"It is essential that repairs to corroded areas are properly carried out. Only welding is acceptable for repairs to 'prescribed areas'.
Suitable materials of appropriate gauge and thickness should be used for repairs so that
- Any plating or welding extends to a sound part of a load bearing component, and
- The repair must be virtually as strong as the original structure
So only a continuous seam weld is acceptable for patch repairs, although spot welded joints are acceptable where they originally existed."

Note that replacing spot welds with continuous can alter the crumple characteristics. The Mercedes body repair manual makes for interesting reading.
In this case (144) the critical parts are any structural strength reducing rust within 30cm of suspension mounts. The wheel arches aren't structural and it's often argued that outer sills aren't either which is why many of those were/are just repaired with an over sill of dubious thickness.
Where two flanges have been spot welded originally plug welds are often used. More tedious and more cleaning up required but it will be "virtually as strong as the original structure", but if instead, the edges are seam welded and then ground back so that the original trims can be fitted, it can be that very little of the weld remains.