HOW TO AVOID NASTY SURPRISES
ALL ABOUT THE BRIEF
Create a thorough brief of everything you want done, to as much detail as your knowledge will allow, and agree on it with your restorer. Print it out, and make sure that you both have a copy – that puts you on the same page, literally, from the start.
Matt Tomkins says: ‘Find the right person, set a thorough brief and set a budget, whether total or monthly. Be prepared for work to escalate but where to draw a line as well.’
This might sound obvious, but you also need to make sure that you understand everything that is being included in the brief. Matt adds: ‘If you are in danger of getting a lost in technical language, bringing someone with you, whether a friend, relative or someone from a club, who can dejargon, is always useful. It is very easy to get carried away without someone there to say ‘that doesn’t need to be done right now.’
KEEPING TRACK OF COSTS
Full restorations will take months or even years to complete and nearly all restorers will insist on staged payments in this case. This is in your interest, too, because it will allow you to keep track of costs.
Gary Bates explains: ‘Be very careful about laying out lots of money up front. If it is a reputable company with sound finances, there’s no reason why it should need big lump sums at the start. The only exception, perhaps, is a smaller outfit that needs you to pay for panels and parts in advance.’
By this stage, you and your restorer should know roughly what you can afford, but if you are having trouble, be honest with them – no-one wants to be in a situation where the firm is holding your car hostage for payment.
Matt Tomkins says: ‘Settling everything up every week, as opposed to every month, can help you to keep track of things. You could also suggest an arrangement where you pay for a certain amount, say £500, of work every month and then ask them to put it on hold until the next month when they reach that limit.’
Don’t be afraid to do work in instalments either, particularly if your project car is in good enough condition to be a rolling restoration. Gary Bates says: ‘If the car needs a new chassis or major welding, do it, even if it means running around in a car that has no bumpers or no carpet for a year. Don’t do it the other way around and find yourself wishing that you had done stuff at an earlier stage.’
HAVE AN EXIT STRATEGY
It's rare for a restoration firm to close up suddenly, and unlikely if you have chosen somewhere that has a good reputation. But you can never be completely certain, and it can lead
to you being unable to reach your car for months on end. Matt Tomkins says:
‘If your car is in bits at a workshop, make sure that you know where everything is. Don’t fill your garage up with stuff – be ready to take it back at any time. If you hear rumours of bankruptcy or whatever it is, just turn up with a trailer and have an honest conversation. Don’t threaten to take the work away completely, though – that’s not in anyone’s interest as no-one likes taking on restorations that other people have started.’
Having an agreed brief and a catalogue of receipts for work done will help you, too, as well as proof of ownership – a V5 won't cut it. You will probably lose any deposits you paid if a company goes bankrupt, but a solicitor will be able to get your car back by contacting the firm’s administrators – as long as you can prove that it's yours.