Community Forums

aquatrash · 10-06-2014, 08:59 AM

I am looking for a chart to see the professional labor charge time for differing parts repair. Most labor estimate charts listed are for cars and trucks, not Class A motorhomes.

RickO · 10-06-2014, 10:04 AM

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I've never seen a chart like you describe but maybe some of our other members will be along who can help. FWIW, hourly rates of $100/$120 are pretty common. Often times the rates are higher than for autos/trucks for reasons I've never heard explained.

Rick

Superslif · 10-06-2014, 10:14 AM

Had some work done at Camping World in Akron OH. a month ago and their posted labor rate was $119 an hour.

EZDZIT · 10-06-2014, 10:17 AM

The shop in San Clemente, CA is now charging $130/hour.

dvmweb · 10-06-2014, 10:20 AM

Learn how to do things yourself. At least what you are confident doing. You can learn just about anything from this forum. Our friends here have saved me several trips to the dealer, and taught me many good lessons. The questions are, can you do a good job, and are you brave enough to do the repairs yourself? If not, it is expensive to have repairs done.

2013 FleetWood Expedition 38B

mccsix · 10-06-2014, 10:23 AM

As an added insult to well heeled customers (their opinion of us), Freightliner locally charges $25.00 hr more to do the same work as on FL comm trucks.
Explanation: "MH owners are so picky about their floors/carpets etc they have to take extra precautions"
Reality:
1. they don't want MH business.
2. they track & smudge grease everywhere and do not clean anything.

Cobra1 · 10-06-2014, 10:29 AM

Glad to know my labor is worth $125 an hour. I will give the bill to my DW - and i smile when I say that....

JFXG · 10-06-2014, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mccsix

..... Freightliner locally charges $25.00 hr more to do the same work as on FL comm trucks.
Explanation: "MH owners are so picky about their floors/carpets etc they have to take extra precautions"
Reality:
1. they don't want MH business.
2. they track & smudge grease everywhere and do not clean anything.

In general, I have to disagree. Five times in the past couple of years I've had my coach in truck shops in CT, IN, OR (2), and UT, three of them FL, the others generic. In all cases they took great care to protect the interior, and in all cases I was charged the same labor rate posted on the wall.

Just my experiences, YMMV.......

1mainiac · 10-06-2014, 11:01 AM

First there are labor guides for RV's second RV's don't fit in a lot of car shops so yes the building is more expensive. 3rd most RV repairs require a number of different skills Plumbing Electrical Cabinet repair Electronics to name a few. As to labor rates well jobs that used to pay 1.5 hours 15 years ago now pay .2 1.5 at 50 a hour is 75.00 .2 at 120 is 24 bucks As warranty companies keep squeezing labor times down labor rates have to go up. Just a simple example Battery install was .5 per battery that gave the tech time to clean the battery box and all the cables and install a battery. So changing 4 batteries paid 2 hours and you got nice clean cables and often we painted the battery box. Now they expect us to change them in .2 so no one cleans cables any more nor do they clean the box or repaint. If that needs to be done it will be a extra charge. .2 is 12 min that is from the time the repair order is handed out til it is handed in. So the tech must run out get the unit bring it in the shop find the problem get the parts and install them then take the unit back out and fill out the paper work and turn it in.

aquatrash · 10-06-2014, 11:26 AM

Hourly charge per hour is one thing(any reputable company posts their hourly labor charge). They go by a chart to do a quote for the time estimates). This is the same time chart that insurance companies use to authorize payment. I have a feeling some of these "reputable" businesses are padding their time to meet the insurance reimbursements.

CCFROMFL · 10-06-2014, 11:34 AM

In central Florida rates range from $109 to $130 per hour.

AZCactus · 10-06-2014, 11:59 AM

Rate at La Mesa RV in Phoenix is $130.00 / hr (and not worth it for the job they did!)

doc · 10-06-2014, 02:10 PM

I suspect that most RV shops are like auto dealership shops. Our shop (BMW) has a schedule for the number of hours it takes to (for example) change oil, replace brake pads, do computer diagnosis. etc. If it takes the tech less than the schedule - complete a 3 hour scheduled job in 2 hours, then it is possible for the tech to 'work' 10 hours in an 8 hour day. Not sure I agree that this is right, but it stops the tech from riding the clock and running up the costs