So you thought about trying to repair the damage to your fiberglass boat yourself and finally came to the conclusion that you don’t have the time or resources and now you are looking for a fiberglass boat repair professional in Charleston SC but you don’t know where to start.
Here is a list of a few things to get in order and consider while you are searching for someone to complete your fiberglass boat repair. To begin, it’s best to snap a few pictures of your damaged boat with your cell phone. A few up close pictures and one or two far away should be sufficient. Be prepared to answer a few of your fiberglass boat repair experts questions like what year, make, model and color is your boat. How was it damaged, this will help the fiberglass boat repair expert determine whether it is cosmetically damaged or structurally damaged and provide you with a more accurate boat repair estimate.
If you do not have any recommendations from a trusted friend or colleague who has had their boat repaired recently, then you are at the mercy of a Google search. Here you will want to pay attention to the reviews of each company. This will give you an opportunity to read the reviews from people who have used each of the company’s services. Typically, the longer the review, the more genuine and pleased the person was with the service. This will also give you an idea of how quick was the boat repair service completed and how satisfied the customer was with the gel coat or fiberglass boat repair service.
Once you have identified one or two of the companies that you are interested in, then it is time to go to their website for further verification. Boats can be expensive as you are aware so you want a reputable business that has insurance. Also, some fiberglass repair professionals are mobile which means that they come to where the boat is located to perform the gel coat boat repair or the fiberglass boat repair. Approximately 90% of all fiberglass boat repairs can be done by a mobile service which offers a wealth of convenience to the customer because they do not have to worry about pulling their boat out of the water and hauling it somewhere or paying someone else to do it. This is a service that you would think you have to pay extra for but most mobile fiberglass boat repair professionals are happy to do it. If they are not a mobile service then they have a fixed location which means that you will be responsible for dropping off your boat and picking it up when your boat repair is complete. While this is more time consuming to the customer and typically there is a longer turn around on these repairs, it is optimal for larger structural repairs that take time and where it is not optimal to leave the on-going repaired boat open to the elements.
Once you have identified a fiberglass boat repair expert with solid reviews, the next step is to make the call. If you do not get an answer right away, do not be surprised because gel coat and fiberglass boat repair can be a messy business so your professional most likely has his hands covered and cannot answer but you should get a call back in 5-10 minutes if he or she is engaged in taking on your business. Once you make contact, the repair expert will most likely want to know the information listed above and may ask you a few more critical details like when you wish to have the repair completed by where they can provide you with a realistic time frame to complete your boat repair. While all fiberglass boat repair businesses may operate differently, we at Total Boat Repair in Charleston SC give you a phone estimate once you text over some pictures of the damage. This gives you an idea of the costs associated with fixing your damaged boat. However, we also indicate that a phone estimate may vary once the damage is seen in person but we always advise the customer of any changes before beginning the repair on your boat.
It is important to note that most of the time, your repair is not as bad as you suspect. To you, it may look pretty bad but to a fiberglass professional it is probably a common repair. Most boat repairs we see in Charleston SC are cosmetic in nature and are gel coat boat repairs that are the result of coming into contact with a dock, another boat or a trailer.
Good fiberglass boat repair professionals are in short supply and high demand. So, while it is best to call around and get multiple estimates you do not want to drag your feet if a quick turnaround time is a priority for you.
Therefore, if you are looking for a reputable fiberglass boat repair service that is mobile and serves the greater Charleston, SC area then please give Total Boat Repair a call. We provide the quickest return possible to get you back on the water while standing behind our trusted repairs. We are veteran owned and operated, insured and we are transparent in our pricing. We are highly rated and recommended.
