What burns me up!

denver 2 · Mar 1, 2010

Went to my local Bobcat dealer the other day and asked them what they charge to install a heater for me that I bought with the 773G skid steer I purchased a few years ago. He looks in a book and says it is rated a eight hour job and would cost me about $800 for labor plus any parts. Now I am a owner of a small construction company and have several employee's who have worked for me over ten years in a skilled profession and I only wish I could charge half of what Bobcat man hours charge, I am lucky to get $30 an hour. Are other manufactures just as bad? I guess I will attempt to install the heater myself, but then again I am so hot under the collar now maybe I do not need a heater after all!

galen1115 · Mar 1, 2010

I would look for an independent shop to do it. I would think you can get the heater installed for less. It just doesn't figure that these big companies don't care if they get work or not.

Bird · Mar 1, 2010

Are other manufactures just as bad?

Probably. This sort of thing comes up from time to time. When you say you get $30 an hour, are you talking about what one employee gets or the total your company charges customers? I don't know of any company that owns a shop, pays for the building, taxes, insurance, utilities, business licenses, etc. that would be in business long if they only charged $30 an hour. $100 an hour might be a little high, but I'd expect $75 or more.

denver 2 · Mar 1, 2010

Bird said:
Probably. This sort of thing comes up from time to time. When you say you get $30 an hour, are you talking about what one employee gets or the total your company charges customers? I don't know of any company that owns a shop, pays for the building, taxes, insurance, utilities, business licenses, etc. that would be in business long if they only charged $30 an hour. $100 an hour might be a little high, but I'd expect $75 or more.

$30 an hour is about the going rate here in the mid-west you charge a customer in the residential sector any more and you will not have work. Some jobs we make more and sometimes less if a bid job and some money is made if we supply materials, just as Bobcat when they sell parts, but a $100 and hour for labor? I got overhead as well, a shop, trucks, equipment, mixers, insurance, utilities, taxes, etc. etc... and we scrape by, but I guess Dealers deserve a bigger piece of the pie because they are special.

radman1 · Mar 1, 2010

I think my bobcat dealer is $90-95 and hour for labor. It does seem a bit rediculous. The employee is probably making less than 1/4 of that. I try to do most of the jobs myself. If the heater is a bobcat product, the instructions with the heater are usually good and fairly detailed.

denver 2 · Mar 1, 2010

radman1 said:
I think my bobcat dealer is $90-95 and hour for labor. It does seem a bit rediculous. The employee is probably making less than 1/4 of that. I try to do most of the jobs myself. If the heater is a bobcat product, the instructions with the heater are usually good and fairly detailed.

radman1,
My father-in-law sent me a copy of instructions from his S175 manual concerning the removal and installation of its heater. The only problem is that mixed in with the heater installation is the AC as well which I do not have. I might give it a try. By the way I purchased three small decals 3 x 3 inches the other day from Bobcat and they cost $5 each! It never ends with these guys how they love to stick it to us contractors.

brain55 · Mar 17, 2010

Well I'm an independent equipment mechanic and charge $90/hr and question if it is enough. The local dealers get from $90-$115/hr. Here is what I roll up to your equipment with.

How many thousands do you think I have invested? I'm worth every single penny that I charge and would challenge anyone to prove I was worth less. I have proven it time and again to customers that tell me "so and so" only charges $60/hr. I hand them my card and tell them to call when they need me, and they eventually call because "so and so" didn't show up, or couldn't make the repair in a timely fashion, or made a repair that failed and then wouldn't stand behind it, or charged from door to door including trips to the parts store. In a world of mobile "mechanics" with tool boxes in the bed of their trucks, I think I have them beat hands down. My 23 years of experience doesn't come cheap.

Brian

brain55 · Mar 17, 2010

Sorry, I think I came across a littlle abrasive. I am very passionate about what I do, and the service I provide.

Brian

dcyrilc · Mar 17, 2010

brain55 said:
Sorry, I think I came across a littlle abrasive. I am very passionate about what I do, and the service I provide.

Brian

Our local John Deere dealer charges $85/hr with a one hour minimum. I feel that their parts are overly expensive and am not willing to use them for any work that I am capable of doing myself. However, that said, I know other mechanics who in my opinion are worth every penny of that and more.

Our Deere dealer sells and works mainly on small lawn tractors. When I have asked questions about my tractor they typically do not know the answer. I'm not willing to pay someone's time to read books and learn on my dime. A friend of mine retired from his 30+ year career as head mechanic for one of the largest construction companies in this area. There is very little he cannot fix and what he can't, he knows who can. The money he charges is worth paying.

Knowedge, experiance, and doing it right the first time have a lot to do with what work is worth. Standing behind your repairs should not even be a matter of question.