Muddy32
Well-Known Member
I have been quoted £2000 +vat for working on my engine and installing it, taking about a week. Seems high to me. Or am I wrong?
What is a fair rate for a marine engineer working in his workshop?
- Thread starter Muddy32
- Start date
Poignard
Well-Known Member
How much of that is for labour and how much for parts?
Thistle
Well-Known Member
Have you got quotes from a number of people ... or does one guy think he has a captive market?
Installing an engine isn't inherently difficult, it's just something that has to be done carefully and methodically. I installed the current engine in my boat by myself; the only help was a few minutes from the yard fork lift to sling the old engine between deck and ground and the new one in the opposite direction.
rszemeti
Well-Known Member
Labour £35 to £50 an hour for a competent marine engineer. Basically similar to what a garage charges, plus a bit of yacht tax.
I would imagine installation to be a two man job, perhaps taking a day (I assume you mean "re-installing it" not "installing it", a reinstall would be a day, a fresh install ... longer)
So, for labour 48 hours total, £1680 low end, £2400 high end, for the week, with two guys on the install day.
I would imagine installation to be a two man job, perhaps taking a day (I assume you mean "re-installing it" not "installing it", a reinstall would be a day, a fresh install ... longer)
So, for labour 48 hours total, £1680 low end, £2400 high end, for the week, with two guys on the install day.
Muddy32
Well-Known Member
That's what I had imagined but it would take me about 3 days labour.
langstonelayabout
Well-Known Member
Hang on, BMW charges more than this per hour for one of their service technicians.
Assuming the engineer is a trained, qualified and competent person, he should be charging more than this, once the 'yacht tax' is added.
lw395
Well-Known Member
That sounds reasonable, if it's a solid week's work.
But 'about a week' could mean a bit of dismantling on Monday, get the parts wednesday, a bit of assembly on Thursday and whack it back in on Friday morning.
Or it could mean a very skilled bloke doing a full rebuild and blueprint.
As well as the actual hours of oily work, he has to cover time to quote for the job, time to sort any problems afterwards and a contingency.
I would regard £50/hr for a proper diesel fitter as good value, £35/hr for an apprentoid mechanic as steep.
Muddy32
Well-Known Member
Parts extra
temptress
Well-Known Member
Seems about right or do it yourself. Buy the tools, take the time off work, get an assistant... What would that cost?
jordanbasset
Well-Known Member
Genuine question, why not do it yourself then. Unless you can earn more than £2000 in three days, it would make sense
[3889]
...
That sounds right to me. What doesn't is 5 days for a competent mechanic to do an engine install.
lw395
Well-Known Member
I read the OP as implying there would be some work done on the engine, presumably refurbishment of some flavour?
awol
Well-Known Member
" working on my engine and installing it, taking about a week. "
It all depends what work on the engine he is expected to do and there is a world of difference between "install" and "reinstall". It certainly doesn't appear to be rank profiteering
It all depends what work on the engine he is expected to do and there is a world of difference between "install" and "reinstall". It certainly doesn't appear to be rank profiteering
Muddy32
Well-Known Member
A good question. The boat is out of the water, 100 mile round trip for me, and I have plenty to do elsewhere so I thought that it made sense to employ a local professional to do the job and leave me time to do the other 101 things that I thought needed doing. Needless to say I am enquiring elsewhere. [someone I used before]
Momac
Well-Known Member
When providing lump sum fixed prices people often think the price is high and ask for the price to be substantiated or ask for a discount.
They never want to pay for the time spent preparing the quotation nor for the time spent negotiating.
Some dont want to pay for travelling time and most dont pay travelling expenses.
The same people dont want take the risk of paying per hour for as long as it takes plus expenses.
They never want to pay for the time spent preparing the quotation nor for the time spent negotiating.
Some dont want to pay for travelling time and most dont pay travelling expenses.
The same people dont want take the risk of paying per hour for as long as it takes plus expenses.
Muddy32
Well-Known Member
Not guilty in this case - I ran my own business and factored in all those expenses with my hourly rate.
Homer J
Well-Known Member
I would have thought rates closer to £50-70 per hour are more realistic. Audi by contrast is £140 per hour.
ditchcrawler
Well-Known Member
Here in East Anglia a well known marine engineering company charge £72 per hour .
Poignard
Well-Known Member
Me too.
Poignard
Well-Known Member
In that case, if he spends a working week of 37.5 hours working for you and charges £2,000, that works out at £53.33/hour which seems reasonable for a skilled man.
The question then becomes: does the work to be done require 37.5 man-hours in which to do it?
Without knowing exactly what is to be done, it's difficult to give a worthwhile opinion.
But in any case, as Thistle points out, it's best to get some more estimates if you can.