Wasn't sure where to post this so if it needs to be moved that fine.....I have a 50cc Yak 54 that really needs to be recovered. I'm not that best at covering and would like this to turn out nice. does anyone know what the going rate is to have someone cover this for me?

How much ya got

There is no going rate. Most are not willing to pay at a commercial rate so your best bet is to find local builders who may be willing to do the job for a more palatible amount of cash or better yet trade in other airplanes, engines etc.

The trick is to find these folks and to pick which ones would do the best work for a reasonable consideration. Stay Local.

Other considerations are what you want fabrics, films and just how complicated you make the design. This can easily double or triple the time involved.

The very best solution is to start learning to cover now not later and on simpler airplanes rather than avoiding the job. After you get a number of airpanes under your belt then do your Baby. Everyones first full cover job, is well to be kind usually flyable. Every one will get better and sooner than you think your skills will blossum and you begin to look forward to every new cover job on new airplanes or old ones its the best part of a build or refurbishment.

John

How much per hour do you think is a fair rate for somebody else's time?

I'm with Gene!! How much ya got?? As John mentioned, stay local and try to find someone you know. I'm just finishing up a kit for someone that asked me to build for him. I didn't want any money from him, he is a friend and super guy. He put a $100.00 on me anyway for stuff for one of my own planes. That hundred comes out to about 35 cents an hour. In this case the kit was missing a lot of parts I had to make myself. It's just a CG Cub but if I was building for a true customer it would have been $250.00 plus parts and supplies.
For covering jobs I have charged according to the design and plane type. That and the cost of the covering. Get yourself a friend!! When I teach someone to build and cover there is no charge at all except materials like glue and epoxy. After the first time building I will not build a plane for them but will help when they run into problems.
As John mentioned there is plenty of help if you ask around your local clubs.
Gene

Gene and Gene and John, you guys are right, of course. I was simply going to ask him a couple of questions that would have brought him to that conclusion all on his own. I truly believe it is more difficult to take a used airplane and make it like new than it is to start with a box of sticks and do it from start to finish. I'm guessing that since the OP says he is not that good at covering, he doesn't realize what a monumental job he is asking to be done. And that is exactly why the guy needs to sit down with someone he knows and the two of them do this.

To give a straight dollar figure, a skilled worker doing a trade costs $20-$25 an hour. Covering takes a fair amount of experience to really do well, so that's a good baseline. A simple .40 size sport plane recover will take around 10 hours with someone who doesn't do it alot and allowing for some minor woodwork. I'd estimate a big aerobat with a typical trim scheme at 20-30 hours minimum, more if there are repairs to be done.

I would say look at Minnflyers link on covering. Also, Monokote has a video out about covering, watch them and then have a go at it. You will be surprised at how well you can do if you take your time. Just be sure you have the tools to do the job. Iron, heat gun,covering and patience. My wife helps me as she is a good seemstress and knows how to take up the excess material and where to cut it. She will operate the heat gun while I do the pulling. If I get smart with her she just points the gun at my hands.

GoIrish, We wondered what all those bandaids on your fingers were about

Millertyme, Check with your local club as sometimes clubs do covering and other building seminars. Thats how I learned. Don't be afraiad to ask for help. You can "vollenteer" your plane for a teaching session. (with a wink and a nod). LOTS of flyers are willing to assist and instruct, not so many are willing to do it.... for $ or not.

Tip: Decide on the covering colors and pattern then make templates for each piece of Monkote. Lay the templates out over the rolls of covering for most efficient placement before cutting any covering. Think about overlap and extra material for rolling around LE s and for pulling on when doing tips. Brown paper for masking from Lowes paint dept ain't a bad material for the templates. I have not covered anything big but once or twice but the best coverer in our club does this.