[Edbo]

If you can find a light color that suits you it'll save you money on the bodywork AND the price of the paint.
The PPG dark pearl red that I selected cost about $500/gal (!!!)
The body has to be nearly perfect for black or dark colors to look decent.

Another factor is stripes. Most painters will charge $500 or so extra for stripes.

The more time the painter spends on your car, the more it's gonna cost you.
I asked my painter to do a time & materials job (no quote) and keep a time log. When I paid him he had 42 hours on the log sheet. I'm very pleased, it looks great. Not perfect, but great.

Having said all that.....I paid my painter $2500 (cash) and the body work had already been done except for the final sealer and blocking (He blocked it 3 times). No stripes, double clear. The body was on a buck with wheels for his convenience.

HTH, Ed