Hello this may not be the right place to ask this but I am going to be working for a heavy equipment repair mechanic that will be doing repair work and preventative maintenace on backhoes, excavators, etc. We are not sure what to start charging for our services and I thought I might be able to get some suggestions or answers from people that experience it first hand. If you have any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks Debbie
Hello Debbie, Welcome to the forum. I don't know what the shop rates are in Virginia,the local economy can effect rates,but I'm guessing in the neighborhood of $60-$80/hr for the labor rate.The speed and experience of the mechanics can alter that somewhat. Good Luck in your new endeavors.
Thanks Jeff, right now there is only one mechanic, they are starting small. Basically his wifes owns the company but her husband is the one with the experience, 18 years to be exact, he has worked on everything from backhoes, excavators, pavers, quarry equipment to little gators. Right now he is just trying to get some ideas on what to charge for preventative maintenance and I guess some jobs are just going to have to be estimated but a hourly labor rate would be the place to start at.
OK.You're looking for the price for a particular preventative maintenance routine,completed. That could vary alot,depending on machine,oil quanitiy,etc.I've not much experience with most of those prices on Heavy Equipment.Hopefully others will chime in. FWIW,My semi runs about $210-$220 for a PM.That consists of an oil change,chassis grease,with filters and oil(2 fuel filter,3 oil filter,10 gals oil).That includes a general check of everything,but stuff like brake slack adjustment,clutch adjustment, is extra.I think they figure 1hr labor for it.
Debbie, Welcome....Most manufacturer's have a recommended labour charge for a set procedure or maintenance item. Mechanics often use these figures as a guide. Sometimes these figures can be found in the owners manual but more often than not you have to track down a proper workshop manual.
Thanks, so I guess maybe I should try to get a hold of some manuals for some equipment and look at those for him. This is my first time really dealing with anything like this so part of my job is also to learn a little bit about the various equipment he will be workin on so that might help me too. Thanks again for your suggestions
where in VA?
Heavy Equipment Laboe Charges? Debbie I don*t know about VA--but Here in northern New-England WE have ONE Traveling Mechanic that Charges $55.00 an Hour hedon*t have a SHOP Heuses a One Ton service truck which is Well Equipped to DO just about any Re-Pair --Welder--Drill press--Vice--Cutting torch--& Hes GOOD & Hes Faster than Most! & really Nice GUY! & very FAIR Price wise!--I had a King pin that just would NOT take any Grease!--as I had been to every Service here locally that I knew of--NO one had fixed it to Date! I called HIM & w/ in the Hour HE arrived! --& Tried--HEfinally took the wheel Off & dismantled the entire Spindel--& removed both Bussings!-AH HAR!--NO Grease Hole?--Drilled both Out & re-installed them Both--it Took Grease just fine after that!--Cost ME $100.00--which I thought? was a Fair Price! as He did a very Good JOB & spent a bit over two hours from start to Finish! I highly support this Mechanics Work & his Prices! & I didn*t Go to any other Shops after That! as when He says its FIXED!--Its Fixed!--& it Don*t get any Better than THAT! My Opinion--Ole JIM
They don't charge "book" hours?
my company charges 75 a hour when i go out on a service call its 50 bucks for the call and 75 a hour
Book hours pretty much do not exist in the heavy equipment business. You can have a book rate, but it would be so rarely used that it is not pactical. This work is not like in the automotive business where book rates are often used because the particular job is the same from one car of the same make and model to the next. In equipment, unless it is very close to new, when it does not need any work anyway, you usually cann't estimate how long it will take because most machines are bent, welded where they should be bolted, bolts broken off in the frame, parts mashed till they won't come out, much less go back together, and all kinds of other problems. This is not to mention you are working in the field not a shop, so you have extremes of weather, difficulty keeping things clean, and too many other considerations to write less than a book about. An hourly rate is the only way you will get a machine repaired. Back to the question about rates. A top mechanic here with a well equipped truck, crane, welder, and all the special tools can get from $60 to $80 per hour. The dealer is around $100 per hour, so that leaves a lot of work for the independants, if they are good. If not, word travels fast. Good luck
Need Help! I have an extensive list of heavy equipment inventory parts that only have the Clark Michigan part number--each part will fit equipment from various brands. I need to compile the part-numbers from other brands each part will fit. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.
Book rates are for steal- I mean dealers and warranty work. Local rate hear 145 per hr !!! factory of course and you need to know how to use a CPU now most have to be hooked up to start in a general direction. And as Jeff -d said every one is diff, you got to think about oil, filter, nuts, bolts, broken parts, lost tools, and labor, fuel, facility cost to factor a good number. Good luck!!!
your better off to just charge by the hour plus travel time,Its all work unless your fishing at the lake! Im in florida I charge 65 & $75 depends on the job and person!
If the mechanic is good at what he does, you can charge basically whatever you want to provided its less than an dealership would charge, every area is different so it depends on your area, everyone I know charges by the hour and a trip charge others charge from the shop back to the shop, just depends on who it is and how they operate, it all works out the same in the end, around here its 50-70 per hour for independents 80 on up for dealerships, cat for service calls I"m told is at 125 plus the truck time as well on top of that.
Usally if its 40 to 60 min. to get there ,say its 8:00 am when iget there I put down 7:00 but if it is 11:15 when i get done i put down 11:00
location plays the biggest part in labor rates. ive seen them vary widely in one area. most of the dealers in the area are over $100/hr for field labor, some charge mileage on top of that, some have a flat service call fee thats added on. theres only one independent that i can think of in the area, he's just under $100/hr, has no parts, and fuel costs are killer, (mainly because he has no diagnostic skills, and no parts even if he does figure out whats wrong), and is running back and forth bewteen dealers and his jobsite. :drinkup
Hello. I am doing the mobile mech. deal myself. Just starting out with my own buss. Anyone here in the N. Idaho area.I do tire repair and pm ...Some repair.
First you have to establish of your hourly cost to operate. The cost of your shop, vehicles,utility bills depreciation of tools and equipment run cost per/hour for your service truck etc. then estimate what you would like to clear per hour for your time, come up with that number and you will then compare with your local compitition general road service should come in arround 60 to 70 per hour. shop in house 40 to 50 / hour. charge a minimum for all road calls. If you establish a return customer list keep track of there maint parts and make sure you have them available. buy all your lubes in bulk, and try to find a local parts distributor that will stock and deliver your parts. Don't forget to have liability insurance and cirtification papers up to date.. good honest mechanics are still making a good living opperating out of there own shops. The word spreads fast about the good ones, and a bit faster on the bad ones .good luck
Hi Debbie! I am a mobile hydraulic mechanic,. I work "Anything" with hydraulics, My area is south Atlanta to Macon GA, and I had to go up on my rates because of fuel down here going from $3.30 to $3.55 a gal. I am now @ $62 for a call. If fuel drops, then I wil lower it a couple of dollors. These service trucks, with Fuel, Insurance, Taxs and DOT fees are not cheap. You may want to check your area. with guys like HVAC, their S.C. fees, will be pretty close to the"break even" mark. Good Luck and Keep'em Rolling.. Hydro (aka) Dwain.:cool2
I've been an independent mechanic working out of a service truck for several years now in NW Missouri, SE Nebraska. I charge $80 an hour and if you call me and want me on a job immediately its a minimum 2 hour charge ($160) if I'm not already on an urgent call. I don't charge mileage or shop fees or consumable fees or any other BS. When I get in the truck I'm on the first customers clock until I'm done. I bill out between 40 and 50 hours each week and have never billed out less than 25 hours a week. I've usually got a list that would last a month but that's because I work in the good customers that are down and need back rolling as soon as possible. Its been a good living for my family and I love it, but its hard work and you don't get to keep nearly as much cash as you bring in. lol, good luck!
whoops, just noticed this thread is 7 years old. lol. wonder how it worked out for Debbie?