Seam sealing? One insurance company in our local market allows $10, no matter what.
Even if it was $5 or $50, does it make sense for one price to cover the wide range of seam sealing work needed after collision repairs? One price to cover material and any additional labor costs no matter what quality should be used, how much needs to be used, how difficult the application is, or how much time and attention is spent making it appear like factory?
A ceiling on sealing?
Let's review a few basics. Is seam sealing really necessary or even that big of a deal? What do the information providers say? How can you estimate material costs?
Seam sealing is done at the factory, so it must be important. However, there is a difference when rebuilding a vehicle after collision damage.
Both building and rebuilding a vehicle require welding. Welding, by using heat to fuse metal together, disturbs metal surfaces and loses anti-corrosion properties. There must be steps taken to prevent corrosion after the vehicle begins driving out in the elements.
At the factory, all welding to build a vehicle is done first, then the entire structure is dipped in an electrodeposition (e-coat) bath. This permits liquid anti-corrosion materials to flow into all the seams, nooks and crannies of the vehicle body, including those places where metal surfaces have been disturbed during the welding process. This bath allows liquid material to flow throughout the body, and is evenly deposited with the help of electrical charges.
In the repair shop, this process cannot be duplicated, but there still needs to be protection. Weld-through primer is a help for the metal around each weld, but is not fool-proof. Epoxy primers help protect bare metal that is accessible. Vulnerability still exists. As moisture works its way to the weld, corrosion will begin on any weak or unprotected area. Since a bath to fully protect all surfaces inside and out is impossible, another approach is needed.
While weld-through primer and epoxy primers are still important, the best way to keep moisture from initiating corrosion is to simply keep moisture away. But it's not that simple.
At the factory, seam sealer is used as an additional layer of protection, so it is not always applied to all seams, or both sides. E-coat is still there for protection.
In the repair shop, seam sealer is the first layer of defense. It is obvious to replace any seam sealer that the factory had, but more important to protect the area. You want the visible seams to look like factory, as well as to protect like factory. You also want the back sides sealed to keep any and all moisture out. Now, seams that were not seam sealed from the factory still need protection. After repairs, they do not have the advantage of an e-coat bath. The seam can still be sealed, with the extra sealer wiped off to appear invisible. Sometimes, also sealing the left side when only the right side was repaired, would help give an "invisible look" along with some extra protection.
Review: Sealing all seams is essential for corrosion protection and appearance after repairs. Now, how do the information providers handle this?
Mitchell includes, "Remove and replace caulking for standard factory application." MOTOR includes, "Caulk/Seam Sealer." Audatex includes, "Seam Sealing."
All three state that seam sealing is included in their suggested labor allowances, although without much detail. It is reasonable to assume labor is allowed for replacing factory sealer only. Quality repairs require more.
How much should be charged over and above the included labor allowance? Additional labor could be negotiated for seam sealing backsides or where the factory had only e-coat protection.
How much should be charged for material? An I-CAR Advantage article states "vehicle manufacturers use up to 15 different sealers, and all types are available in the aftermarket." As a repair professional, you choose the type and quality level of sealer. As a business professional you track the quantities used and costs incurred to determine a selling price. Of course, documentation is critical for negotiations.
Each repair needs a specific type of sealer and a different quantity for quality, long-lasting repairs. Although a single price for every seam sealing job is simple and easy, it is unrealistic. Putting a ceiling on sealing doesn't make much sense.
"The time is always right to do what is right." — Martin Luther King, Jr.
Bruce Burrow, AAM started writing estimates over 30 years ago, has worked for most of the information providers, and, as an independent instructor for the last 10 years, has trained estimators all across North America. He is ASE Master certified and an instructor for the Automotive Management Institute. Send questions, ideas, and comments that you would like to see addressed here to [email protected] and stay tuned.
