How much are garages charging?

[Craig-SM]

Cleaners and Gardeners etc are just exploiting the busy bone idle people who are too lazy, and have too much money to do it themselves. Its what the market will stand, requires no skill, minimal equipment. You cant really mess it up and get it wrong, unlike cutting a worktop too short, or getting the measurements wrong an a metal gate, so who can blame them.

They still have outgoings. Especially when trades, services, garages, chair polishers etc (I'm looking at YOU) are charging outrageous sums. Why do others have to work for nothing ?

I can’t agree with that. I have two clients who are gardeners.

One was a printer and after redundancy turned his hobby into a job. Most of his clients are the elderly and disabled, charging them less than others. All of work is top notch and turns business away regularly to maintain his work/life balance.

The other worked for a major nursery supplying lots of the big DIY stores. He still consults for them but started his own business, again following a passion, and is very much in demand designing, building and maintaining gardens both domestic and commercial. His fees are much higher but he’s very choosy with his jobs as he only wants interesting jobs.

 

[Ubique]

Most decent, dealer-trained (especially if multi-brand and EV qualified) tech's will be in the £42k+ wage range, it's becoming uncommon to work Saturdays - which is entirely led by workshops - dealer or indie alike, having to offer something extra to attract the declining numbers of techs that 'know their stuff'. I recently moved to a specialist indie who offered to pay my fuel bill in recognition of the increased daily travelling.
Also bear in mind the mundane overheads:-
Insurance - especially if 'hot work' is involved, along with road tests, professional liability etc.
Vehicle lift, air compressor & lines inspection & maintenance - an insurance requirement
Lighting & heating, along with power requirements for compressor, vehicle lifts and the all-important fast internet for connection to manufacturer & third-party diagnostic backends
Building maintenance
Consumables - spill kits, cost of bulk oil deliveries, seat covers etc.
Electrical inspection & testing every five years plus PAT every year
Measuring tool testing & calibration
Special tooling as new models / derivatives come along, plus replacement of worn, out of spec. items.
Loan car lease - because everyone wants a loan car.
Non-productive staff costs, service reception, parts monkey etc.
Business rates / building mortgage or lease.
Waste handling & disposal costs.
Accountancy fees.

Even the smallest workshop has these overheads, the only way to recoup the costs (and therefore stay in business) is to calculate a viable hourly rate, and don't forget, every business has a duty to turn a profit.

I'm sure there's things I've missed, my mate @premmington will no doubt add to it & correct me.

 

[Dapph2]

Cleaners and Gardeners etc are just exploiting the busy bone idle people who are too lazy, and have too much money to do it themselves. Its what the market will stand, requires no skill, minimal equipment. You cant really mess it up and get it wrong, unlike cutting a worktop too short, or getting the measurements wrong an a metal gate, so who can blame them.

They still have outgoings. Especially when trades, services, garages, chair polishers etc (I'm looking at YOU) are charging outrageous sums. Why do others have to work for nothing ?

They also give a service to those who are too disabled to do such things themselves any more & basically can ask for & get stupid money .

My across the road neighbour 89 yrs old & his 85 yr old wife can barely walk , so he has to pay people to do what I can no longer do for him.

The last chancers were getting £45 to cut a 6x6m square lawn once a month and dispose of the cuttings . Malcom moves out on 2 Feb to a one double bed bungalow that has no garden , no garage or shed and he's given up his car & driving ..he's a lot happier .

Malcom also had two female cleaners ( sisters ) come at the same time to strip the beds , put the washing on and clean the three bed bungalow ,,,,, that cost him £100 a pop for 2 hrs each by the two of them . He's on pension credit , his kids are funding the move etc etc.

 

[Keith 66]

I spent half last summer clearing mother in laws garden so we could put it up for sale, 1.2 acres of land that hadnt had much maintenance for 6 years. It damn near broke me physically. I had a local tree surgeon in to fell a bunch of trees that were beyond me, He wasnt cheap but he & his mate did in three days what would have taken me a month. Likewise Mil's gardener came in & strimmed & cut hedges, He is good & does in a couple of hours what would take me 6. But all his tools are top of the range Stihl or equivalent, Look at the cost of them new & servicing them. It was all money well spent, the work we did added value to the property way above what it would have been if we had just left it.
In the end everyone wants a fair wage for a good days work.

 

[zzr1200]

It cost me £50 for some brembo disks and pads and took me about an hour and 30 mins with giving everything a good clean up and I don’t have the VW wind back tool so had to improvise which added a bit of time.

How much would a garage/workshop have charged for the fitting?

Anything up to £200 ph depending on workshop location, but average is probably around £120/130 ph @ main dealer prices....plus OEM parts (2 x discs/pad set) prices. £280 min= £540 approx.

View attachment 528156

 

[premmington]

Most decent, dealer-trained (especially if multi-brand and EV qualified) tech's will be in the £42k+ wage range, it's becoming uncommon to work Saturdays - which is entirely led by workshops - dealer or indie alike, having to offer something extra to attract the declining numbers of techs that 'know their stuff'. I recently moved to a specialist indie who offered to pay my fuel bill in recognition of the increased daily travelling.
Also bear in mind the mundane overheads:-
Insurance - especially if 'hot work' is involved, along with road tests, professional liability etc.
Vehicle lift, air compressor & lines inspection & maintenance - an insurance requirement
Lighting & heating, along with power requirements for compressor, vehicle lifts and the all-important fast internet for connection to manufacturer & third-party diagnostic backends
Building maintenance
Consumables - spill kits, cost of bulk oil deliveries, seat covers etc.
Electrical inspection & testing every five years plus PAT every year
Measuring tool testing & calibration
Special tooling as new models / derivatives come along, plus replacement of worn, out of spec. items.
Loan car lease - because everyone wants a loan car.
Non-productive staff costs, service reception, parts monkey etc.
Business rates / building mortgage or lease.
Waste handling & disposal costs.
Accountancy fees.

Even the smallest workshop has these overheads, the only way to recoup the costs (and therefore stay in business) is to calculate a viable hourly rate, and don't forget, every business has a duty to turn a profit.

I'm sure there's things I've missed, my mate @premmington will no doubt add to it & correct me.

You got the feel for it - the costs... (you did miss a few but not many)

Running a workshop has a big no huge cost now - and it is rising all the while.

There a very few things - you can economise on - and not break the law....

Your only option is - put the hourly rate up!

But £80/90 quid an hour - is big money for people on wages to pay to get there car fixed - I get it - I really do...

Another issue is: Everything is so complicated/involved now - there are very few quick jobs - everything is labour/parts intensive to do it right (to a good standard)....

I am glad I am nearing retirement - I really am. I would not encourage anybody now to open a car repair garage. I have had a good living out of it - but I fear the next generation are not going to...

EV's/PHEVS are not really made to be fixed by back street mechanics... Be honest they have "one life feel" about them - and look to me - like they are not meant to fixed for "a second life" by anybody...


I feel abit like a farm farrier just after the war - leaning on a five bar gate - looking at a big new american combine harvester in the next field.

If you understand what I am weakly trying to say...?