22 replies to this topic

[icklemini]

They aren't 'earning' more than teachers... the hourly rate covers the workshop costs and hopefully pays a wage..

Rent
Insurance (buildings)
Insurance (road risk)
Insurance (contents)
Insurance (public liability)
Insurance (employees)
Pension (employees)
Tools
Training
Equipment
Electrical testing (pat)
Lift / jack / press / crane inspections
Fire extinguishers
Security
Time 'wasted' Eg when customers no show or are late.
Dealing with parts delivery (waiting.. returning... chasing)
Card machine costs
Banking charges
Electricity / gas / water / heating bills
Waste disposal.. Inc oil and filters
Council rates...
Advertising
Phone / internet charges
Bookwork / accountancy / office & paperwork
Preparing quotes

Etc!

Surprisingly all adds up... my old workshop had all these overheads and was quite depressing at the start of the month seeing what was 'going out' before even opening the doors...

Edited by icklemini, 18 November 2016 - 01:26 AM.

[Darwinism]

You've been there and done it so what do I know but the post was a suprise to me. Most business' have most of these cost's, £80-£90ph for labour still seems a lot. Mechanic's in this country make far more, on average, than teachers. We're talking about London prices I guess so I wouldn't really know about the cost of living etc, I find £40ph in my neck of the woods hard to stomach.

[icklemini]

Check the cost of main dealers.. massive overheads.. free coffee and a car wash included for your 100+ hourly rate.

A lot of employed mechanics earn around 10 per hour... some get bonus... they have to buy their own tools..

The time charged is also based on book times... which don't take into account 'problems' that often eat up the time...

I remember some of the 'quiet' months I was earning less than 2 quid an hour by the time the overheads came off...

[gazza82]

Dealers charge a lot more now! Over £100 per hour ..

 

Most independent garages around here charge £45 ph .. plus the dreaded very-awful-tax ... so that pushes it to £54 straight away!

 

I've got a local trimmer doing some work for me (not car related) and it's £40 per hour ... plus materials. That I can just about cope with.

[icklemini]

Once vat registered you become an unpaid tax collector...and another load or hassle... the vat goes to the government and not the business (despite popular belief!)

[AlexMozza]

You've been there and done it so what do I know but the post was a suprise to me. Most business' have most of these cost's, £80-£90ph for labour still seems a lot. Mechanic's in this country make far more, on average, than teachers. We're talking about London prices I guess so I wouldn't really know about the cost of living etc, I find £40ph in my neck of the woods hard to stomach.

 

I get charged out at £56 ph, which I think is fair.

After all, tools are expensive.....VERY expensive.  Add on top of that general daily running cost ect.

People think that mechanics rip people off, but I think if you were to work in a garage for a day, I think you would say that they charge a fair rate.

 

Oh and from that £56, I get less than £15....

Edited by AlexMozza, 18 November 2016 - 09:57 PM.

[panky]

I think people only feel ripped off if they've paid the bill and the problem they've gone in with is still there or the work is shoddy, they would be the same if they paid £10 an hour if they got the same poor result at the end. But if the job ended up costing hundreds of pounds and they got a good end result then everyone is happy

[ACDodd]

No point being in the mechanics game unless over £50/hr is charged. Icklemini has it spot on.

Ac

Edited by ACDodd, 19 November 2016 - 10:32 AM.