Nope didn't miss the "point", I've quoted $10-$15K "just" to paint "perfect bodies" (which really are never that perfect, only in the owners mind, esp when they want a black paint job)

I'll assume your talking, prime, and blocking? I can spend $800-$1200 just on primer, and an easy 60-100 hrs blocking the car and components in primer, as far as the cost of paint, sky's the limit, depends on brand, how many stages, and quantity required for the job, I can expend up to 400 hrs into a finished paint job, if the vehicle is going to be painted top to bottom, inside/out, along with additional components that need to be painted off the vehicle, scoops/flares/spoilers/etc/etc, color sanding would consists of taking to car from 800 to 1000, to 1500, to 2000, to 2500, all the way up to 3000 (that's 6 times minimum around the vehicle color sanding) grit paper finish, most shops will cut the car with 600/800, then compound the piss out of it, then polish, only to have it re-orange peel a month or 2 down the road as the paint gases out, you get what you pay for, FYI...I know a few high end painters that get $30K minimum, "just for paint"

If you don't prep or paint, (which most don't) then you have no clue what your asking of a bodyman/painter when you outline the desired requirements for the vehicles finish