Doug S. wrote, in part:
The re spray was done by Mario Vaz of London. It was a perfect job and a credit to Mario and his craft. The cost to me for all work was under £100-000 GBP.
This goes to prove to all those who do not believe such work it can be done
at a reasonable cost and not the high prices charged by others!
Doug Smith North Dorset UK
++++++++++
I have to disagree here. I'm betting that Mr. Vaz just isn't charging enough. It happens. Note that he's also an almost purely local artisan and, I've been told (because I wanted to try to get him to do a job for me), he doesn't use e-mail much, if at all.
I'd guess Mr. Vaz doesn't make nearly as much as he should for his work. So, you're simply lucky, Doug, that he charges so little for what he does. I imagine he has a long wait-list? If not, then you're doubly lucky.
I've known a few very talented craftspeople over the years who charged too little for what they did. They eventually started charging more, a lot more, as costs squeezed down on them. Oddly, I'd guess that if Vaz charged closer to the going-rate, he'd probably get MORE work. A paint-job that cheap suggests a less-than-ideal job, even if that is not, in fact, the case.
Anyone have pictures of a Vaz paint-job they could post on wooljersey? I'd like to see his work.
Charles Andrews
Los Angeles