FAQ's
Q & A
Q. How do I find out the cost to process an item?
A. Many items need to be in hand in order to offer an estimate. We may give a price range before seeing the item.
There are many factors to consider when it comes to polishing and plating. We take the time to ensure potential clients have all the facts in order to make an informed decision. Leaving a voice mail with general information about the project will allow us to contact you and set a time to discuss.
Q. I thought chrome was chrome, don't you just dip it?
A. The process to deliver a high quality finish is very labor intensive. Each item is handled by hand numerous times, and goes through multiple rounds of polishing, repair, buffing and plating.
Q. What's the difference in "show" chrome and regular chrome? Is it triple plated?
A. To achieve a "show" finish, the item is polished beyond what you will find on an original, new, or normal re chrome process. An up close look at a new or production re chromed item will reveal minor blemishes, and visible sanding lines. These imperfections are not so visible at a distance, and that's fine for many applications, however we only offer a show quality finish.
A up close look at a highly polished show chrome item will reveal much less imperfections ( nothing is perfect) and far less visible sanding lines. There will be more of a "pop" (brightness) and more of a smooth mirror finish.
Most items require more than "triple" plating which really just means three plating baths. It's not uncommon for some items to have several rounds of copper plating in addition to a couple coats of nickel, then finally into chrome.
Q. I was priced quite a bit for just a small item. Why so expensive?
A. Labor is the main driver of price when it comes to show quality plating. It takes a high skilled hand, and many hours to repair and prep an older item for plating. In addition there is the environmental and chemical costs which factor in the cost of processing.
Q. How long does it take to process an item? I hear stories of chrome shops being backed up for months, if not years.
A. Turnaround time varies by type, condition, and quantity of items. The lack of high skilled labor along with high demand in the market place creates extensive backlogs of jobs in waiting.
While some items can turn in a matter of weeks, it's not uncommon for large jobs to be scheduled to completed 10 to 16 months from date of arrival.
An estimated completion time is given upon check in.
We strive to not over promise on time estimates, and typically will complete sooner than estimated, however we will not sacrifice quality to meet a deadline.
Q. Do you plate wheels?
A. The labor required to process wheels to a show chrome finish make it cost prohibitive in most applications. While there are a few exceptions, we generally recommend sourcing for new or searching for companies that specialize in plating wheels.