mobile welders

[cat]

I have a question for all you mobile welders-what is a typical charge for labor and travel? Especially if you are in Mass.
I had an art piece sent to a client UPS. In shipping a weld was broken. I told the client to take the piece to a welding shop, they would grind the broken weld, reweld, dress the weld if needed and then it could be spray painted black (original was black powdercoat). The person who packed the piece for shipping didn't want to go after UPS. Instead of this client taking this piece in, she called a mobile service (she couldn't figure out how to remove 4 screws to make it easy to take in; she and hubby are both doctors-go figure). This is the charge: $150 labor (includes $25 travel fee) plus $5 in material costs and this is what they did: grind the old weld, spot weld in 4 spots and spray paint.
Is this a realistic charge? Seems ridiculous to me.
cat

[urch55]

In Florida west coast $50.00-$75.00 mobile service, based on one hour to do the job with travel time included....

Bob

[strictlycarved]

im with urch on this one 50-80 depending on the drive. no more than that.

[bigt]

I own a fabrication shop with shears, brakes, and punches and my shop rate is $80.00 per hour. Portable work I charge $125.00 for the first hour with a one hour minimum and $90.00 an hour after that. I always tell my customers first and if it can be brought to the shop I usually try that even if I have to get the parts. My reason for the pricing is to make money I have lot of equipment to pay for that sits idle when i'm not using it in the shop.

[urch55]

I own a fabrication shop with shears, brakes, and punches and my shop rate is $80.00 per hour. Portable work I charge $125.00 for the first hour with a one hour minimum and $90.00 an hour after that. I always tell my customers first and if it can be brought to the shop I usually try that even if I have to get the parts. My reason for the pricing is to make money I have lot of equipment to pay for that sits idle when i'm not using it in the shop.

So if a customer needs a cross member in stalled on their trailer, and you use a band saw to cut a 3" channel 5' long and you use a SMAW to install it. Why would you charge them for your shear, break and punch just because it's sitting idle.? It's not their fault.!

Labor, materials, consumables/machine charge and shop supplies seems fair.


Lets say you take your truck in for a set of tires. You pay for the tires,mounting and balancing. Why should you pay for their front end alignment machine when you did not need that service.?? Would that be fair to you.?? Just because it's idle.!!

[cruizer]

Because its called overhead. I do the same, as does every other shop I know of.

[strictlycarved]

any way who wants to go outside when you have a comfortable shop to work in. Wish i had a shop i could brag about mine is my garage and the canopy on the side of the house. Working out of the truck isnt as fun.

[FusionKing]

So if a customer needs a cross member in stalled on their trailer, and you use a band saw to cut a 3" channel 5' long and you use a SMAW to install it. Why would you charge them for your shear, break and punch just because it's sitting idle.? It's not their fault.!

Labor, materials, consumables/machine charge and shop supplies seems fair.


Lets say you take your truck in for a set of tires. You pay for the tires,mounting and balancing. Why should you pay for their front end alignment machine when you did not need that service.?? Would that be fair to you.?? Just because it's idle.!!

I believe that you are sorta missing the point
Basically if he doesn't charge enuff to cover his overhead he won't have enuff money to cover the bills.
I started out at 50 an hr many years ago and have been getting $100 for at least 4 now on aluminum.
When it's busy, if people insist I weld on their steel, then I charge the same money, because I could have been welding someone else's aluminum stuff.
I doesn't make a whole lotta difference to me these days whether I am watching water draining out of your pontoon or manuevering your boat around or actually welding or even figuring up your bill I am gonna charge you $100 an hr.
You have to establish value.
There are a few, what I call "Jack Leg" welders here that are undercutting my prices because they have a bleading heart for the marina owners bs (when they charge per hr more than me) and they will drain water for 2 hrs and then weld for a couple more and charge $75! (total cost) They come and go all the time. When I get a chance, I like to go and check out the quality of their work, and it usually sucks. (no value there)
In my case you are paying me for the off season and not so much the overhead. I realize if I run out of money before the next season starts then I must raise my prices accordingly.
Kinda funny eh? I charge according to my lifestyle and all my competition (that survives) charges according to me!! This is sick, but it is the hard core truth at our lake.
By the way if you charge twice as much... you only need to work half as much. (and you only need 1/2 the customers and only generate 1/2 the consumables too)
But as I said before you have to establish value.

[urch55]

Because its called overhead. I do the same, as does every other shop I know of.

Well if some ones equipment sits idle too long then it should have never been bought. What ever happen to the idea of justifying the expense.? Oh I forgot it doesn't matter let the customer pay for it.

I do not have a shear or break, because I cannot justify buying one. So what I do I order the sheet already sheared to size, that's if I did not want to plasma cut it..So customer pays for what was used only.

But hey every one does what they do, just don't complain when a doctor or hospital charge you $5.00 for a Band Aid..Hmmm that may be the old price.

And let's not forget if some one does it, lets do it too.

[urch55]

I believe that you are sorta missing the point
Basically if he doesn't charge enuff to cover his overhead he won't have enuff money to cover the bills.
I started out at 50 an hr many years ago and have been getting $100 for at least 4 now on aluminum.
When it's busy, if people insist I weld on their steel, then I charge the same money, because I could have been welding someone else's aluminum stuff.
I doesn't make a whole lotta difference to me these days whether I am watching water draining out of your pontoon or manuevering your boat around or actually welding or even figuring up your bill I am gonna charge you $100 an hr.
You have to establish value.
There are a few, what I call "Jack Leg" welders here that are undercutting my prices because they have a bleading heart for the marina owners bs (when they charge per hr more than me) and they will drain water for 2 hrs and then weld for a couple more and charge $75! (total cost) They come and go all the time. When I get a chance, I like to go and check out the quality of their work, and it usually sucks. (no value there)
In my case you are paying me for the off season and not so much the overhead. I realize if I run out of money before the next season starts then I must raise my prices accordingly.
Kinda funny eh? I charge according to my lifestyle and all my competition (that survives) charges according to me!! This is sick, but it is the hard core truth at our lake.
By the way if you charge twice as much... you only need to work half as much. (and you only need 1/2 the customers and only generate 1/2 the consumables too)
But as I said before you have to establish value.

Charge according to your lifestyle. That is nothing new Doctors and Plumbers has been doing that for years.. But I know you have never complained about a charge you have gotten, after all the skies the limit to what you can get away with....

I do belive you get what you pay for, I really do. But on the other hand I don't feel like getting ripped off eather. Like pay for some thing that was never used in my repair job..