Rocket City Customs

1. Can you give me an estimate to repair or restore my car? - In general, the answer is no. Working on classic cars is complicated, and the amount of labor and parts required to repair a vehicle correctly often cannot be determined until the car and/or components have been inspected, disassembled, and fully assessed. Hidden rust, prior damage, incorrect previous repairs, missing parts, mechanical issues, reproduction part fitment problems, and locating hard-to-find parts can all significantly affect cost and repair timelines. Because of this, we cannot accurately provide an estimate simply from phone calls, text messages, or photos.

2. What kind of projects are a good fit for Rocket City Customs? - Rocket City Customs (RCC) specializes in classic car repairs and restoration, fabrication, paint and bodywork, mechanical upgrades, as well as full custom builds. We take pride in performing high-quality work tailored to each individual project and customer. Customers should understand that the cost and time required to achieve this level of quality is often very different from the cost of collision repair work and/or restoration work performed even less than a decade ago. High-quality paint and restoration work can often require substantial budgets, sometimes even exceeding the value of the vehicle itself. Performing quality restoration work requires significant time, problem solving, parts sourcing, and attention to detail, all of which require an experienced and highly skilled team. Maintaining that level of craftsmanship requires substantial investment by RCC in skilled labor, equipment, materials, and training. However, RCC's pricing is competitive with other professional shops performing similar quality work, and while our pricing reflects this level of quality, so do our results.

3. So how does the process work then? It is best to begin by contacting the shop using the CONTACT tab above to discuss your project with Lance (the owner), including the issues you are having and/or the work you would like completed. Please understand that we receive 5–10 potential project inquiries per week, so response and scheduling times may vary. If your project appears to be a good fit for the shop, you will then be asked to submit it through the WAIT LIST tab above. Once selected from the list, you will be asked to leave the vehicle at the shop for several days so it can be properly inspected and assessed. After inspection, an accurate Not-To-Exceed (NTE) budget can then be developed.

4. How does a Not to Exceed (NTE) budget work? - In general, a Not-To-Exceed (NTE) budget is a working budget developed for the labor, parts, and materials required to accomplish the goals of your project. RCC will not exceed that budget without written authorization from you, the customer. Lance (the owner) will work directly with you to develop an NTE budget based on the scope and goals of your project before work begins. Because classic car restoration and repair work often uncovers previously unknown issues, scope changes and/or budget overruns can sometimes occur during the project. If the NTE budget is reached before the project goals are completed, RCC will pause work to discuss the remaining work, revised scope, and/or additional budget authorization before continuing.

5. How long will my project take? - Project timelines can vary significantly depending on the condition of the vehicle, parts availability, vendor delays, fabrication requirements, customer authorization and payment timing, project scope changes, previously unknown issues discovered during the restoration process, and the availability of the appropriate technician(s) required for your specific project. Because of the unpredictable nature of classic car restoration and custom work, RCC generally does not guarantee completion dates or fixed timelines.

6. How much do you charge for labor? - All labor is billed by the hour. RCC's current labor rate is $95 per hour. If it takes 3 hours to perform the work, you will be billed for 3 hours. If we estimate 3 hours to perform the work and it only took 30 minutes, then you will be billed for 30 minutes. In addition, any time spent searching for, ordering, receiving, and/or picking up parts will also be billed by the hour.

7. How do you charge for parts? - All parts costs will be passed directly to the customer. RCC does not apply an additional markup beyond the retail cost of parts, applicable tax, and shipping & handling charges.

8. How do you charge for materials? - In general, materials are consumable materials used by the shop to complete your project. Some examples would be sanding or grinding discs, sand paper, paint, masking tape or paper, cleaners, etc. Materials required to complete your specific project may be charged at cost.

9. Should I order my own parts and bring them in? - You should discuss this with Lance (the owner). In general, it is not recommended for customers to order their own parts as this could cause delays and cost increases when the incorrect parts are ordered for your application and must be returned and re-ordered. RCC has extensive experience sourcing parts for classic vehicles and can often locate the correct parts more efficiently, ultimately saving you time and money. After all, we work on vehicles like yours every day.

10. Will I have to pay a deposit? - Depending on your project, RCC may require a deposit in order to purchase certain parts or materials for your project. In general, deposits for labor are not required.

11. How will I be billed? - For small projects RCC will send you an invoice when the work is complete. For larger, more time consuming projects, RCC will periodically send out invoices to your email or physical address. This is usually after approximately 20 hours of labor have been completed. Payment is expected within 10 business days. If RCC does not receive payment within 10 business days, a stop work order may be issued for your project. Any outstanding balances may be charged a fee of 10% per month after 30 calendar days.

12. If something comes up can I stop work on my car, pay for work completed and pick it up? - With reasonable notice, work can be stopped at any time. Upon paying any remaining invoices, the car can be picked up. Vehicles left at the shop for more than 30 calendar days after work is completed or a stop work request has been issued by the customer may be charged a storage fee of $20 per day.

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For more details, please read our Work Authorization Agreement below.

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