I do a job no one wants – it’s exhausting and my hands are ruined but I can charge people £40K for a single project
WHEN Hilary Ann got into her creative line of work over 20 years ago, she never could have imagined the thorny customers she’d come up against.
The 39-year-old, who says “nobody wants to do" her job anymore, revealed that she is “overworked” on most projects but still faces aggression from her punters.
Hilary, who shares insights into her professional life on social media, is a car technician that specialises in restoring classic motors and building customs.
Classic car restoration mechanics typically perform maintenance and repairs on classic vehicles to conserve their vintage look.
It’s a job that requires getting mucky, suffering with dry hands due to sanding and knowing the bodywork of different vehicles inside-out.
And according to others in the industry commenting on Hilary's posts, you can rake in up to £40,000 per project.
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However, Toronto-based car technician believes the nice paycheck isn’t enough to entice others into her line of work.
“Been in [the industry] since I was 17,” she penned on TikTok.
“I’m definitely noticing how no one is getting into it anymore.”
Hilary trades as Auto Body Barbie when taking on projects.
One of her pet peeves in the car restoration industry is potential customers moaning that her handiwork is “too expensive” and asking what she can do for less money.
“Sometimes it’s really hard when you take pride in your work to justify the hours and cost to people,” she shared on Instagram.
“There’s a minimum standard of quality that we have to adhere to for the sake of our reputation and own personal standards.
“No matter how cheap you want it done, it doesn't mean we will sacrifice our quality to please your budget.
“Made that mistake too many times in the past and it never ends well.”
Hilary elaborated in another post that she’s used to people “getting aggressive” when they don’t like the price she quotes for restorative work on their cars.
“It kills me that people can walk into a store, see something they want, and if they can’t afford it they quietly move on,” she wrote.
“But they ask for a paint job quote, get super offended by the price, then proceed to get aggressive and argue about it.”