Community Forums

BadBoy · 12-21-2010, 05:06 AM

Just curious how much the average person paid to have their RV winterized professionally. I'm sure I could have done it myself but didnt.

There is a local RV repair guy that seemed quite nice ended up winterizing it for me. He said he thought a line might be frozen but would "throw a heater on it". He said it was quite a simple job. I also had a leaky front tire which he fixed. He said he had to take the tire off and sand around the rim as he figured a problem with the seal. That was fixed fine.
I thought I'd get a bill in the neighbourhod of maybe at the most $250 taxes in. I got a bill for $450.00.
$37 for tire repair kit-
$7 for 2 gallons antifreeze (which I supplied anyway??)
$400 for labour in repairing the tire, defrosting the line and pumping in antifreeze and taxes.

I was born at night but I'm afraid it wasnt last night. I will be calling him to straighten this out. I have a feeling one of his employees is trying to charge me the shoprate of $80 per hour while the heater "sat" on the line.
Its a 31 foot class C RV. He said it does have a bypass valve on the HW tank at the front. The pump is at the back. I had left all the valves open and had volunteered to take it to my dads indoor shop overnight to thaw if need be. He said no need, I guess now I know why?

This sound legit? hmmm...thx

mikron · 12-21-2010, 05:17 AM

In Ocala, Fl, the average charge per hr. is $110.00. On top of the price they use a book like auto repair and if it takes 2 hrs. and the book said 4 hrs. they charge the 4 hrs. One RV dealer/repair shop wanted $400.00 to put air extensions on my tires (6). Had it done for $150.00 by buying the extensions myself and having a truck tire shop rotate the tires to line up valves. Got prices to install 4 Koni shocks fron $150.00 to $225.00.

tncruiser · 12-21-2010, 05:34 AM

special of 100 off reg 189 paid 89 included roof inspection whhich didnt realy impress me as unit is just a few months old.
but also was haveing power shades installed for another 759
been pleased with dlr for warranty issues,service items and supplies
i would tell you boatnrv is my dlr but i dont want to just give them a gratuitious plug
brianj

lonestarace · 12-21-2010, 06:14 AM

$80/hr shop rate is low.

If you want to play you got to pay.

I purchased an extended warranty with my first MH. I utilized the warranty often and found the qaulity of work to be sub-par. So I became a DO-IT-YOURSELFER(DIY). Necessity is the mother of invention.

I wouldn't afford to own a MH if I had to take it to somebody else for mx.

wnytaxman · 12-21-2010, 06:16 AM

Here in Buffalo where we have to winterize, I was quoted $100 at both Buffalo RV and Bob McKerrow's. Both are competent shops that can easily handle winterizing. I used McKerrow's and have no issues. They have winterized my rigs since the first rig almost 10 years ago.

JMonroe · 12-21-2010, 06:44 AM

I may be dating myself, but I started doing my own winterizing the first time I was charged $35! That was a long time ago.

Besides being easy, it's a lot more convenient. We always pushed the season to the limit, usually ending with the last weekend of October. Dealer shops would be quite booked up then, not to mention the hassel of having to get the rig to the dealer and back. I can do it in my own driveway in about 30 minutes.

pdq_bc · 12-21-2010, 07:47 AM

hi bad

another thing you need to consider: what "extras" you have to be winterized.

we paid double with the motorhome than we ever did with the tow trailer
- motorhome has a washer/dryer combo unit
- motorhome has an ice maker in the fridge
these are "extras" that must be winterized

regards, peter

LindaH · 12-21-2010, 09:15 AM

There's no way we'd pay anyone to winterize our rig! It's an easy job, and other than the cost of a couple or three gallons of RV antifreeze, it costs you nothing to do it yourself.

hondo122 · 12-21-2010, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BadBoy

Just curious how much the average person paid to have their RV winterized professionally. I'm sure I could have done it myself but didnt.

There is a local RV repair guy that seemed quite nice ended up winterizing it for me. He said he thought a line might be frozen but would "throw a heater on it". He said it was quite a simple job. I also had a leaky front tire which he fixed. He said he had to take the tire off and sand around the rim as he figured a problem with the seal. That was fixed fine.
I thought I'd get a bill in the neighbourhod of maybe at the most $250 taxes in. I got a bill for $450.00.
$37 for tire repair kit-
$7 for 2 gallons antifreeze (which I supplied anyway??)
$400 for labour in repairing the tire, defrosting the line and pumping in antifreeze and taxes.

I was born at night but I'm afraid it wasnt last night. I will be calling him to straighten this out. I have a feeling one of his employees is trying to charge me the shoprate of $80 per hour while the heater "sat" on the line.
Its a 31 foot class C RV. He said it does have a bypass valve on the HW tank at the front. The pump is at the back. I had left all the valves open and had volunteered to take it to my dads indoor shop overnight to thaw if need be. He said no need, I guess now I know why?

This sound legit? hmmm...thx

OUCH!!!!!!!

BadBoy · 12-21-2010, 11:47 AM

Thanks alot everyone, yeah we definitely winterized it late. The guy was out on other jobs and just said to open all the taps and drop the outside shower so it could drain as well as opening the drain in the HW tank. We agreed he would do it when he got back.

Even at $100 an hour. I think to fix a tire would take an hour. The winterizing, which I believe was only flushing in the antifreeze is on the outside an hour and a half labour. He should not be charging me hourly for leaving a heater near the pump and HW tank for a couple hours.

My thoughts are $250-$300 on the outside taxes in and everything. I am definitely a newby to RVing game but am not new to the dollars & sense game

.
Hoping I can sort this out with him.

So what was your total "Dealer" cost to winterize your unit? So I have something to work with pls? thx again all!

okgc · 12-21-2010, 12:42 PM

This is what a local dealer charges. I have always winterized my own.

**NLOVNIT** · 12-21-2010, 12:58 PM

Our dealer charges $200+tax, that includes doing the icemaker & W/D (@ $50 each).

We do our own. A gallon of anti-freeze at Meijers cost us $2.99+tax & it takes 4-4.5 gallons for our coach. So a max of $15 plus about an hour or so of our time & we're done.

Lori-

wa8yxm · 12-21-2010, 02:09 PM

Well.. considering the amount of work in changing a tire (No it's not that much if you have the proper tools. so that's no excuse) but it does affect the cost.

I would not pay a dealer to do it.. I've seen too many professional errors.. IE: Failing to disconnect the RED wire on an Attwood water heater (Safety device to prevent you from turning it on empty)

In fact, when I consider how much work it is to winterize.. IT's not worth the fuel to drive to the dealer.. For that matter it's not worth the fuel to drive to the end of the driveway.

Jim Jackson · 12-21-2010, 03:37 PM

I got back to Missouri late from a trip out west and kept a space heater going until I found the time to winterize my class c coachman. All is well except today was 48 degrees and I tried to flush my waste tanks. They both must have large grey and black popsicles aboard because they still register 3/4 full. One little adventure after the next.