Labour Costs

[boatone]

So whats considered to be a reasonable going hourly rate for mechanics labour
a) boat and b) car?
I'll tell you why I ask when we've got a few views !



www.boatsonthethames.co.uk

 

[lanason]

So did the Tories but the Libdems are far cheaper !!!!!!

Adrian

Don't call me "Ian"
Cleopatra - yellow hull called Court Jester. Have you seen her ?

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Depends whether its travelling or workshop based mechanic. £25-30/hr for a decent bloke to come and fix your boat. £60-80/hr for a trained mechanic working in a super dooper dealer workshop

 

[jfm]

We could debate what is reasonable but actual seems to be as follows. All excluding VAT:

Main dealer, car, home counties £75/hour

Boat fixers, hourly rates, from the Berthon website, Lymington:
Semi-skilled £26.00
Improver £28.00
Skilled £30.00
Premium skilled £31.00
Charge hand £32.00
Senior charge hand £33.00
Foreman £34.00
Apprentices:
1st year £7.75
2nd year £14.50
3rd year £21.15
4th year £26.00
Out of hours call out charge - 1st hour £50.00

Of course, it all depends how long they spend, or say they spend. Mercedes frexample menu-ise everything, so if you get brake pads fixed you are always billed 0,3 hours for removing road wheels and re-fitting them, no matter how long it actually takes. Berthon however, charge however long it takes, and even tho the rates actually look cheap they put a fair bit of time into each job, imho. My painter and decorator here at home, experienced guy, charges £110/day. And a top QC is £2000/hour, plus VAT

 

[lanason]

May I publically apologise for upsetting B1, who was being serious and "downgrading" his thread above.
But having spent an hour tonight discussing Tax with my Father. The "labour costs" title brought back that discussion !!!

So far I've done my own maintenance - but maybe I may need the views expressed later in this thread.
Either that or I take my Volvo Penta to the local car dealer and ask them to service it.

Adrian

Don't call me "Ian"
Cleopatra - yellow hull called Court Jester. Have you seen her ?

 

[PGD]

MMS marlow look to realise £45/hr but seldom do. My refit they didn't and I got a far better job than I expected and my expectations were quite high to start with.

Peter

Not everything is black and white if you prove otherwise you’ll get run over on a zebra crossing

 

[poter]

Just a point, it is for sure all the labour charges that are quoted on this thread so far, apart from the guys working direct, are the dealer charges, not the actual costs of the labour. In other words these charges are made up of nett cost for mechanic, plus the overheads and profit of the company.
You can be damm sure that the tradesman is not getting any where near the hourly rates that the company charge.
IMHO most mechanics are more probably on around £12 TO £15 per hour tops.

I can tell you for a fact that top building trade's people ie Plumbers, carpenters etc. are on a max of £9 to £12 per hour.

So who's making the money I wonder ????


poter ( plumber )

 

[DepSol]

approx £28 per hour for my boat
approx £70 per hour for my Merc

i know which I would rather have working right now

Dom


I just want my boat back in the water ;-(

 

[BarryH]

Depends where you go, I got a Porsche which costs and arm and a leg, a ford escort van which is OK'ish got a range rover which is dirt cheap to service. Best service is the range rover, worst service is the van, Best receptionist is Porsche dealer. Great ti....tea server small talk maker!!

Also as far as boats go. Few years ago Johnson OB, around £137'ish all in with parts oils labour. Now Volvo, need I say more. Thats why I do it all myself now. The latest top end rebuild was £250 for parts and subing out the headwork. And I know its done properly

Wha'dya mean "I'm always playing with this engine" its the only way to get it to run!

 

[BarryH]

I tried that a few years ago. Took boat to local Volvo dealer to service. Told'em it was Just a B23 lump as used in 240/740 cars. They said wont do it cos our public liability don't cover us for working on boats! Check my company insurance and that is one of the exclusions too. And they said it were'nt same engine and their spanner monkey's were'nt trained on it/parts not the same. Utter nuts INMHO

Wha'dya mean "I'm always playing with this engine" its the only way to get it to run!

 

[trev]

Its 36 quid an hour for the boat and 45 per hour for the car. Never could see where these figures come from - must be all the hangers on and non-producers to pay for!

Trev

 

[boatone]

Reason I asked the question was because yesterday my car had its MOT and a small mechanical job needed doing (bush replacement). I was somewhat taken aback to get a bill with a labour rate of £65 an hour. (main Rover Dealer for Rover 400).
Recently had a job done by MMS which only worked out around £40 an hour for a Volvo skilled engineer.
I have now reviewed my own charge out rates and any emails to Adrian will be billed from now on!



www.boatsonthethames.co.uk

 

[coliholic]

Count yourself lucky that your Rover dealer could actually do the job. My R75 broke down on 25 February and my main Rover dealer is STILL waiting for a part to arrive from Rover. Needs a new immobiliser unit and it's got to be specially made and key coded to the car. Even Rover can't give any idea at all of a projected delivery date. Jokingly asked Rover if it'll be here by Christmas and they said "we hope so sir". And yes they have given me a loan car in the interim, but that's hardly the point is it. Wonder if they'll try to charge me for storage.

 

[lanason]

Tony
Thanks - of course I'll pay.
You must be worth every penny - IMHO.

Adrian
p.s. give me a shout if you need your boat fixed - I do have a Degree in Engineering !!!!!!

Don't call me "Ian"
Cleopatra - yellow hull called Court Jester. Have you seen her ?

 

[poter]

Re: Labour Costs plumbing

If you require any plumbing done I'm very reasonable at £62/hr.


poter

' Accept that some days you are the pigeon and some days the statue '

 

[oldgit]

Re: Labour Costs plumbing

Dear poter do you have any vacancies.I can make tea /excuses/and can play cards.Wot else do you need.Ps I cannot solder have no sense of timekeeping and have not a trace of value for money any where in me body

Exercise is bunk.If you are healthy,you do not need it;if you are sick you should not take it.
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by oldgit on Sat May 18 22:12:45 2002 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[coliholic]

Re: Labour Costs plumbing

Dear Oldgit,

Many thanks for sending your CV which we have read with interest. It would seem that you are admirably qualified for this position and we have pleasure in offering you a position with our company. However prior to doing so you will need to provide some further information.

If successful you would be provided with a white company van. You do not of course ever need to check the oil, water or tyre pressures or wash it, since as any company vehicle driver knows, these are automatically done for you. You do though need to confirm that you have a driving licence. It doesn't have to be yours, just as long as you have one, so if you don't have one probably best to buy a dodgy one in any pub.

Secondly you will need to buy the Sun every day and keep it on the dashboard of the vehicle at all times except when your dirty boots are resting on the dash when you're in the outside lane of a motorway at 90mph. You do have dirty boots don't you?

Oh and I would add that travelling time to and from work is paid. We find that all journeys to work take twice as long as journeys home so this is reflected in the rates paid.

Thirdly please confrim that you are able to wolf whistle at an unacceptably loud volume. Preferably this should be aimed at female pedestrians along with phrases such as "allo darlin fancy a portion"

Fourthly we would ask you to confirm that when estimating a job you can suck your teeth and go "tch, that's gonna be tricky and expensive" in a convincing and suitably sympathetic manner.

Finally on the odd occasion that you actually carry out any work, you are not expected to finish the work within the time schedule given. There has been disatisfaction expressd by some of our customers over the time taken for other members or our staff to carry out their work, but would like to reassure you that any time estimates given to you are only a guide and there purely to make the customer feel as if he's not being ripped off.

Once you can provide the above assurances we will be in a position to open a new offshore bank account for you since we assume you prefer to be paid tax-free.

If however you cannot meet any of these requirements, especially in regard to buying the Sun every day, we would recommend that you approach any vlovo dealer since their recruitment criteria and standards are somewhat lower than ours.

Yours sincerely

John Wayne and My Son, The Cowboy Plumbers.

 

[poter]

Re: Labour Costs plumbing

Err!!!!

Excuse me but you guys are not taking the p**s are you????
I'll take my plunger and drain rod home if your not carefull.



poter

'Needing someone is like needing a parachute. If they aren't there the first time,
chances are you won't be needing them again'

 

[mtb]

Re: call out reply charge £75.00 nm

.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v / cheap or swap for tug

 

[oldgit]

Re: Labour Costs plumbing

Dear possible future employer.
My ability to disappear for hours on end to collect stuff I knew I would need but have "forgotten" to bring is well known both among the trade and in various small claims courts up and down the land.I have even been on assorted TV consumer programmes.My picture can also be seen at at GATSO camera near you.I can also dump the entire contents of the rubbish in my van while moving so have no need to stop unless at traffic lights when I do it stationary.i also am familier with all local picnic sites/beauty spots so can get rid of all waste products with out incurring cost of council rubbish tips.
Yours etc.

Exercise is bunk.If you are healthy,you do not need it;if you are sick you should not take it.