Boatyard charges to replace engine

noswellplease

noswellplease

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After having to bite the bullet and agree to have my ageing engine replaced with a new Beata 20 HP I was flumixed to be landed with a bill which was way above what I had been led to believe would be the tally in the first place. As the work progressed there were compatibality problems and extra fittings had to be ordered but worst of all the labour/hours became just crazy. Now every workman deserves the fruits of his labours but hey it can't just be openseason lets think of a number. I spoke to another boat owner who had a similar experience to me though with a different yard and he was told" It would be best to sit down" when he was being presented with his bill. Is this the norm or the exception? I still feel bad about it...not to mention poorer! What did Ted Heath say about yachts! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Probably the norm, i had some work done recently and was quoted £40 hour, which is probably about the same as your local car garage, but i did get the hours estimated before work started, and i even carried out some of the work myself to keep the cost down If you are changing your engine then there would be a lot of work involved, engine mounts and prop alignment probably the main one, but when you think about it, even fuel lines, throttle, gear linkages, and the amount of space you have to work in can be a problem on a lot of boats.
 
We replaced a Volvo with a Beta - new everything from controller to prop. The labour charge was about £1000 ex vat. which I reckon is 25 hours at £40. It was one of those bills in which all the items are fairly reasonable in themselves. It is the total - inc vat - which brings on those angina moments.
 
I've just been getting quotes for doing the very same thing, and have received a quote for removing existing and installing the same Beta 20hp of £950.00. Overall I reckon the budget will need to be around £4500 - £5000. There will always be something that will crop up, unfortunately.
 
Hi Steve
Our total bill came to £5600 inc vat but that included lots of bits - new exhaust system,shaft, prop etc. We spoke to three local engine installers who have been around for a long time. They all said we would need to allow about £2000 plus for parts and labour on top of the engine cost. Not cheap but the last thing you need in Pompey or Chi entrance is a duff engine.
 
When we replace an old Volvo with a Beta in the Albin Vegas the total installation price is £700 (This does not include the price of the engine etc). Allow up to about another £200 max for extra bits (exhaust, fuel pipes etc). This includes taking out the old engine, complete re-installation and sea trials. OK it is not a commercial enterprise but for 2 - 3 days work I think it is fair. The last one was quoted at a boatyard in Milford Haven and their estimate was £2500 plus VAT plus parts!!! Installing an engine is not rocket science.
 
I think part of the cost may be where your Beta dealer is. I had a new Beta installed this year in North Wales and had a quote of engine price plus the same again which is higher than most of those discussed in this forum. However, the final bill was £1,000 over estimate making £7,000. The quality of workmanship was, however, very good and when faced with crossing Caernarfon Bar in a Force 6 with a temporary shroud my wife decided that a reliable powerful engine was perhaps worth the money.
 
It's the norm I'm afraid - at the start of the season I was quoted £300-500 to replace a cutlass bearing. In the end it turned into £1200.

Four years ago we re-engined our previous boat. Replaced the old - crap - Volvo with a new Yanmar. Ordered abroad and installed abroad (Yanmar - Nieuwpoort - Belgium). The price of the engine itself was 70% of the one quoted by Barrus (UK sole importer). Lead in time was 2 weeks iso the 4 months for Barrus. AND to top it all, they took the old Volvo iso of labour.
 
Have just been through replacing an old petrol engine with a new 39HP Nani with deluxe dash. so they also on top had to make up a new wooden dash to match existing and move and retain a couple of the old dials. Also new glassed in engine beds

Total labour including fitting new wipers and some other bits and pieces was 37 hours at £40 an hour. The yard were superb though and kept me updated all the way through and were near as dam it bang on the estimate. Not that that made the pain of parting with all that cash any easier /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
At these kind of prices doesn't anyone think that there is a good case for learning to do it oneself? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I think so to lake sailor. They were superb at calling me and being mechanically inept and short of time ( so diy was not an option for me) very good at explaining the options and advising me it was better to wait a day or so for a part that was cheaper than paying silly money just to get it done a day quicker. So all in all although an expensive experience I was delighted with the quality of the work, the service and their responses to my stupid questions /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
No such thing as stupid questions, only stupid answers! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Boatyard charges to replace engine

Doing precisely that..! Not fitted an engine before. Replacing a Volvo 2002 with a Beta 722.
Got the old engine out - now taking our time with the measurements for the new Beta. Need to fit the Down angled gearbox.
Made a mock-up engine out of a cardboard box a plastic plant pot to represent the gear box and a margarine tub to represent the sump. Real Blue Peter stuff..!!
Just "fitted" it today - it looked good...!!! Gave me some confidence that the measurements were right for the anti-vibration mounts etc - needed to miss existing holes in bearers. If a problem ocurrs I could fill them I suppose.
But all in all its a fiddly job. I can see where the time factor and hence the price! comes in.
Will order the new engine this week.

Dave
 
Re: Boatyard charges to replace engine

Well done you! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif But here's a question for you, been puzzling me for a while. On a number of occasions, I have been asked to have a look and quote for doing various joinery jobs on boats (I am a Joiner / Cabinet Maker), and when I have given them a quote or estimate for doing the job, they have said they will think about it, fair enough.

Next thing ya know, they have gone and given the job to some boatyard, for sometimes nearly double what I would have charged 'em! Go on, educate me, what am I doing wrong? Am I to cheap?

People are sometimes very wierd /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Re: Boatyard charges to replace engine

I think that some people think that they are not going to get a good job unless they pay a lot for it - we know thats not true.
Maybe you should make sure that you can show examples of your work, so that people can see how good you are....!!

A portfolio of photos at least could be a start.

Dave
 
Re: Boatyard charges to replace engine

What was wrong with the 2002? What do you propose to do with the old engine? I could be potentially interested in it for spares.
 
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