Shop Labor Rate

[Stickbowhip]

I'm sure this varies from area to area, but just wondering what a "reasonable" hourly shop rate is for service work on RV's? I am unhappy with my local guy, and am looking for another shop that can take care of some of the things that I don't want to do myself. One of the places I checked has a higher per hour shop rate than the shop that works on my truck. It seems to me that working on RV's would be less technical and require less expensive equipment than working on vehicles.

Any idea what your local shops charge?

[Goldstalker]

Stickbowhip wrote:
Thanks for the responses. I guess the rates charged in my area aren't necessarily out of line. I just need to shop around for one with service techs with more knowledge to get my moneys worth. The guys at the last shop I tried didn't know as much about the problems and how to fix them than I did, and I sure don't know much. They sure didn't impress as having much special knowledge or training.

On our new TT we were getting very minimal water pressure when hooked up to city water. Pressure from the water pump was fine. I suspected a kink in the water line. Tech insisted the low water pressure was caused by a pressure regulator and that he would remove it if I wanted but cautioned that it might void my warranty.
After phone calls back and forth between me and the factory it turns out there was not a pressure regulator on our unit. Insisted that the shop look further and guess what they found? A kink in the water line. Never did figure out what part he was proposing to remove instead.

I have found another shop a bit further away and dropped my trailer off yesterday for some additional warranty work. This tech did seem to know what he was talking about and I'm hoping will do a good job. As many have said, a knowledgeable tech with a higher labor rate will be cheaper in the long run.

The flow can be adjusted on your water pump, it may just need to be turned up a bit. Also in some cases the screens on the faucets get debris in them and need to be cleaned out. My shop charges $130hr...

[Stickbowhip]

Thanks for the responses. I guess the rates charged in my area aren't necessarily out of line. I just need to shop around for one with service techs with more knowledge to get my moneys worth. The guys at the last shop I tried didn't know as much about the problems and how to fix them than I did, and I sure don't know much. They sure didn't impress as having much special knowledge or training.

On our new TT we were getting very minimal water pressure when hooked up to city water. Pressure from the water pump was fine. I suspected a kink in the water line. Tech insisted the low water pressure was caused by a pressure regulator and that he would remove it if I wanted but cautioned that it might void my warranty.
After phone calls back and forth between me and the factory it turns out there was not a pressure regulator on our unit. Insisted that the shop look further and guess what they found? A kink in the water line. Never did figure out what part he was proposing to remove instead.

I have found another shop a bit further away and dropped my trailer off yesterday for some additional warranty work. This tech did seem to know what he was talking about and I'm hoping will do a good job. As many have said, a knowledgeable tech with a higher labor rate will be cheaper in the long run.

[SailAndPaddle]

$125 / hour in Orlando for hitch and anti-sway installation.

[rbpru]

I was quoted $125.00/hr. here in northern Indiana. This was a large dealership with several mechanics.

I was quoted $98.00/hr by one of the smaller dealers. Our local car dealers fall within this range also.

Which is more difficult; to service a modern computer controlled TV, or repair anything that can go wrong in your TT.

I will let you be the judge.

[tatest]

$105 at the family owned RV shop in small town NE Oklahoma, yet higher at the bigger dealers in the city.

[majorgator]

Funny discussion going on here. As a contractor who works 98% of the time on government projects, if I turn in change order pricing for $85/Hour for my time, people have a stroke, despite having education, certifications, licenses, insurance, bonding, equipment, tools, etc. I usually politely ask them to tell me how much they pay the uneducated, barely trained mechanic per hour who works on their cars. Doesn't always work in my favor 😉

[NHIrish]

The best rv mechanic around here is $80.00 hourly, much less than the untrained kids at Camping World.

[l001952119]

$119.00 per hour in Ft. Worth.

[valhalla360]

For major projects, it's hard to avoid a shop but by thier nature they come with lots of overhead and high shop rates are mostly overhead.

If you find a mobile guy that does good work, they will often be much cheaper as they don't have nearly as much overhead to deal with.

[Drbolasky]

It's been over $110 an hour here in the Lehigh Valley for a long time, and we are not as expensive as what you'll pay closer to Philadelphia or NYC. Agree with earlier reply to your post in that if the hourly rate is high but the work is first-class I'd much rather pay the higher rate.

Also, as said earlier RV shops have to be able to tackle a broad range of issues related to RV appliances, etc. that a typical auto shop doesn't, so generalizing by saying "how much technical know-how could there be" will likely be taken as an insult to an RV tech. JMHO

[othertonka]

Try a mobile RV repair person. their rates can be around $50.00 Per Hour and they come to you and usually finish the job the same day if possible and they carry the common parts with them.

[4aSong]

kcmoedoe wrote:
I would be much more concerned about how good the shop is than the rate they charge. Much rather pay $175.00 an hour for a good repair than $75 an hour for substandard work. I try to find the best place, pay the money and get on down the road. Cheaper to pay a high price and get it done right the first time.

x2

[kcmoedoe]

bid_time wrote:
How much technical know how you need could be very subjective. If all you want them to do is grease the bearings, fairly stragiht forward. But if the refrigerator quit, or you want the trailer sealed against all possible leaks you may want more "skilled labor". Working on a vehicle you plug into the obd port and it tells you to change the flux capacitor. No such thing on a RV. And chances are, if they'll pay me more to change flux capacitors then to seal up an RV, I'll change flux capacitors all day long.

I have never had a flux capacitor go bad since I use only Doctor Brown certified models, but I have gone through a couple of Mr. Fusions. Feed the last one some bad bananas.

[kcmoedoe]

I would be much more concerned about how good the shop is than the rate they charge. Much rather pay $175.00 an hour for a good repair than $75 an hour for substandard work. I try to find the best place, pay the money and get on down the road. Cheaper to pay a high price and get it done right the first time.