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DSeries4 
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
Points: 7467
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 Topic: Labor rates
Posted: 08 Dec 2020 at 8:40pm |
For those of you who have restored tractors for other people, what have you charged per hour? I am almost done restoring my neighbor's D15. I have billed him for all the parts and materials used, but not sure what to charge for labor. I have never restored a tractor for anyone else before.
It is 95% finished. Pictures will come in the spring when I get back to it in warmer weather!
Many thanks!
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'49 G, '54 WD45, '55 CA, '56 WD45D, '57 WD45, '58 D14, '59 D14, '60 D14, '61 D15D, '66 D15II, '66 D21II, '67 D17IV, '67 D17IVD, '67 190XTD, '73 620, '76 185, '77 175, '84 8030, '85 6080
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Ed (Ont)
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Joined: 08 Nov 2009
Location: New Lowell, Ont
Points: 1469
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 7:52am |
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That’s a tough question Myron and one that you should have discussed with him first. Try to be reasonable but it should be worth something. Kind of flat rate the things you did to the unit and be fair.
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HudCo
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Joined: 29 Jan 2013
Location: Plymouth Utah
Points: 3838
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 9:59am |
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to go throught all the parts clean them and rebiuld them like the jobs that you see sugermaker do would cost a shop several thousands in labor , just cleaning up and painting that is not what i call restoring and that still gets in to a few thousand. even in our shop you have to have a passion for it because you donate way to much time to get what you want as it is so whats the definition of restoration
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Gary Burnett
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Virginia
Points: 3047
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 10:10am |
My tractor mechanic charges me $40 hr. he works for himself part time and day job is at a dealership.He's good and is always looking to save me money on parts and machine work.
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Fred in Pa
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Joined: 13 Sep 2009
Location: Hanover Pa.
Points: 9210
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 10:19am |
So you do it on the side you do not have a full time business , what's your spare time worth to you. If it's a full time business it's your hourly rate, that you explain up front ,and more then likely he will not want to do that $$ wise.
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He who dies with the most toys is,
nonetheless ,still dead.
If all else fails ,Read all that is PRINTED.
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Acdiesel
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Joined: 15 Jun 2012
Location: Rochester Ohio
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 10:47am |
just finished a Farmall BN for a guy total nut and bolt, rebuilt engine etc.
$30.00 per hour Family Friend.
Dan
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D19 Diesel,D17 Diesel SER.3
2-D14, 2-D15 SER.II WF/NF
D15 SER.2 DIESEL
D12 SER.I, D10 Ser.II
2-720'S D21 Ser. II
Gmc,caterpillar
I'm a pharmacist (farm assist) with a PHD (post hole digger)
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Alex09(WI)
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Joined: 15 Mar 2012
Location: CECIL WI
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 11:03am |
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Here at my unofficial A-C dealership, labor rate is $50 per hour. Considering raising it to $60. But we focus on mechanical repairs & rebuilds, not much painting. Full-time business.
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A&W TRACTOR 920-598-1287
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Acdiesel
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Location: Rochester Ohio
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 11:17am |
not to be rude but, I don't thing most folks realize the work/labor and time that goes into a quality restoration. Don't feel bad charging them for your work, but keep it reasonable enough to keep them happy and for future recommendations.
Dan
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D19 Diesel,D17 Diesel SER.3
2-D14, 2-D15 SER.II WF/NF
D15 SER.2 DIESEL
D12 SER.I, D10 Ser.II
2-720'S D21 Ser. II
Gmc,caterpillar
I'm a pharmacist (farm assist) with a PHD (post hole digger)
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SteveM C/IL
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Shelbyville IL
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 12:01pm |
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Its not worth doing. No one wants to pay true cost and I'm not into charity. Should have the money thing settled beforehand. Just my opinion.
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Fred in Pa
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Joined: 13 Sep 2009
Location: Hanover Pa.
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 12:14pm |
I love the guy that says ,but its my HOBBY TRACTOR . Sorry I DO NOT SUPPORT HOBBY's That are not MINE.
I agree 100% with Steve .
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He who dies with the most toys is,
nonetheless ,still dead.
If all else fails ,Read all that is PRINTED.
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calico190xt68
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Joined: 12 Jan 2017
Location: Frankton, IN
Points: 866
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 12:25pm |
The real problem now may be that you didn't log your hours to know how many hours to charge for? 100 hours which is just 2 and a half full weeks of work at the low rate of $30/hour gets you to $3,000 on top of the parts. I would think a good paint job would easily be 40 hours alone. I spent 2 hours just prepping my cab floor for paint.
Probably need to estimate your hours and a rate and then give that as a flat rate to him. All of the tough jobs I can't do, I pay $75/hour to a full-time mechanic that has his own shop. That guy is super busy too and sometimes I can't get my stuff fixed for awhile. $75/hour is a deal compared to dealers and that's why he is so busy.
Look forward to your pictures too!
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80 7010, 80 7020. 67 190XTD Series I w/500 Loader, AC 2000 Plow, Member Indiana A-C Partners, Member TAC
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steve(ill)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: illinois
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 12:25pm |
YEA... Im with Steve also.. Should have given an "estimate" up front of $3000, $5000, $7000.... etc....or a "per hour" and an "estimate" of how many hours you believe will be required... If you have done a few, you know the labor involved..
What you end up in the end is paying $10,000. for a tractor thats worth $5,000. Its HIS HOBBY, not yours.
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 12:37pm |
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I do a few "free jobs" for the son and his buddies... Broken PTO shafts, hitches, frame welding, replacement hand made parts... Normally something that takes some machining or welding beyond their capability.. Normally something i can do in less than 4 hours. I like to help them out, and i like the variety of work. Dont happen more than once a month or so. Being retired, i need a few "odd jobs" to do at MY schedule... and dont need the money... just helping the kids or friends... Would not want to do a "complete overhaul" of anything.
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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AC7060IL
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Joined: 19 Aug 2012
Location: central IL
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 12:56pm |
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All good points from all forum members. I charge what makes me happy to enjoy everything I might encounter per specific job. Simply put - it should be a FAIR target rate, that satisfies YOU & the CUSTOMER. It not impossible to calculate beforehand, but each job can reveal more effort during its process.
If you couple the understanding per YOUR own work efforts/ethics/expectations & personal satisfactory results of the final product and the CUSTOMER’s happy & needs are all met, then you’ve met a FAIR target.
So all things considered, you just need to ask yourself what’s YOUR target labor rate per THIS job. Communicate all this job’s considerations with CUSTOMER, pointing out each challenge/findings/solutions/decisions, then proceed based on that.
Only you & your customer can answer your worth question.
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injpumpEd
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 12:57pm |
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A couple of ways to look at pricing. Is it getting "restored" simply to sell and try to make money off of? In that case don't give too much time away so someone else can make the money. Is it a potentially rare/valuable tractor that may get sold someday for big money? Is it a close friend, and would give you first shot at buying it at a reasonable price? Or now that he paid you $2000 to paint it up, he now wants $10000 more? Lots of different situations. But first and foremost, like said above, it's his hobby tractor not yours, so make sure you make enough to make it worth while. I always say, "I can do nothing for free" so if I gotta work for nothing, that's just what I'm going to do, NOTHING lol!
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210 "too hot to farm" puller, part of the "insane pumpkin posse". Owner of Guenther Heritage Diesel, specializing in fuel injection systems on heritage era tractors. stock rebuilds to all out pullers!
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jaybmiller
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 1:01pm |
As others have said, labour rate should have been dealt with 'up front'.... I charge $60/hr for my services and that gets rid of the 'cheepies'. Sure I'll cut a deal for SOME friends and SOME family, but not too much. I've got enough of my own 1/4done projects and don't need the coins, so I'm happy when a cheepie grumbles away. Dealerships are getting $125+- locally, yes, I KNOW they have higher overheads BUT either they get the work @ 125 or I do @60...it's the 'cheepies' choice..his equipment, his decision.
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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Coke-in-MN
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 1:08pm |
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When I was doing outside work of mechanical I charged $25 a hour on my schedule , if they wanted a bid I figured my time and doubled it for a price .
I worked most things Time and material and not to exceed a certain amount .
Same when doing excavating I gave a estimate and a not to exceed price .Only thing i did on a set price was septic work in Design, Install, Inspections, as I had that figured down to the penny before starting and had my overhead and profit figured in .
Welding I figure at $35 a hour and $2.00 a stick for rod -
Son in doing repair work on equipment now figures $60 a hour for shop time , prep and welding . Material extra cost as needed as material costs on steel changes each time he orders new .
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Faith isn't a jump in the dark. It is a walk in the light. Faith is not guessing; it is knowing something.
"Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."
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Kansas99
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Joined: 26 Feb 2015
Location: W Kansas
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 1:48pm |
 steve(ill) wrote:
I do a few "free jobs" for the son and his buddies... Broken PTO shafts, hitches, frame welding, replacement hand made parts... Normally something that takes some machining or welding beyond their capability.. Normally something i can do in less than 4 hours. I like to help them out, and i like the variety of work. Dont happen more than once a month or so. Being retired, i need a few "odd jobs" to do at MY schedule... and dont need the money... just helping the kids or friends... Would not want to do a "complete overhaul" of anything. |
Sounds like I need to get to be friends with your son.  Got his number? 
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"Thank you for your service Joe & the Ho"-----Joseph Stalin
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Amos
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 3:09pm |
The way I look at it is this....If I take my tractor in to a shop to have a head gasket put in it (as example) They charge every minute of labor it takes to do the job at their shop rate, every part they use at their price ( marked up considerably from what I can buy it for when I call around pricing the part), so they make money on the parts as well as their labor rate, and then they add in shop supplies (expenses that I have as well fixing it myself), and then they add miscellaneous charge (????) and then an administration charge (???).
So if I did not fix it myself (or for a customer) that is what they/ I would have had to pay. I do everything time and materials. If I have to supply the parts I rarely mark them up at all. And as for miscellaneous and administration charges...I got no idea how they can justify those charges when I walk in with the part number from the online parts book pick it up at the parts counter, pay at the pay counter...and I gave them another $7 or $10 whatever those charges were determined by their computer system.
I have a good friend fixes trucks and equipment for a company that operates them. He gets north of $39 / hour...and all he has to do is get to work on time, supplies nothing else. I have a building, heat, hydro, taxes, tools, etc, etc....and he just has to show up and work until quitting time. All my costs are going up this year noticeably, no way I can do it for charity and pay those other expenses out of my pocket.
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 3:29pm |
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It all depends if your doing it for a LIVING ( need the money) , or if your retired and just doing ODD jobs as time permits.
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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DiyDave
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 5:21pm |
In my world, it depends on how good a neighbor he is...
I'd say somewhere between $15 and $75/hr. Some I wouldn't work for, for $500/hr... |
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Ed (Ont)
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 5:57pm |
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Dave you nailed it! Lol. That’s the way I do it. Most of the time you have a good idea up front and can tell the customer what you need out of it. If it takes longer no big deal. Saves you from watching the Simpson’s.
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Carl(NWWI)
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 6:36pm |
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I charge $60 an hour for repairs. If I’m doing it, that’s time I could be doing something else and I want to feel appreciated for it. I figure too, with that 60 an hour comes many of uncharged hours for experience. And Time is money the way I look at it. If the dealer charges 120, half of what the dealer charges is fair.
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DougG
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 8:03pm |
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I have a good neighbor i do work for at a very resonable rate - in the past Ive brought stuff to the shop and it was always - no hurry- then 3 days later, oh dang gotta have it pretty quick- soooo, and then its - oh yeah while your working on it can you fix this this and this too,, ggggrrrrrr
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DSeries4
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 8:51pm |
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I have recorded all the hours I have into the project and I am not out to fleece him. I now have an idea of what to charge. He has been very understanding with respect to time and especially money - He is already $10,000 plus without the labor. He has not complained at all - he is pretty well off, he just wants it as good as any of my own tractors. His father inlaw bought it brand new and he is going to be keeping it in a heated room, except for shows or rides. This was a one time restoration for someone else. I have enough of my own I want to do!
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'49 G, '54 WD45, '55 CA, '56 WD45D, '57 WD45, '58 D14, '59 D14, '60 D14, '61 D15D, '66 D15II, '66 D21II, '67 D17IV, '67 D17IVD, '67 190XTD, '73 620, '76 185, '77 175, '84 8030, '85 6080
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DougG
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 9:04pm |
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All that being said- dont cheat yourself,, - I also dont understand these guys - poor farmers- spending this kinda money ,, just my opinion
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AC720Man
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 9:16pm |
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Ive been asked to do jobs, some small, some large. I work full time, not in the Ag business, working on my tractors or our farm is a passion. Rebuilds, restorations, normal repair is something I enjoy. A lot of people know of my work and many ask for me to do work for them. I know how much time is involved to do it correctly and no one is gonna pay the amount that’s required to do it to my satisfaction. When I tell them how much, they say wow, I can’t afford that. My spare time is valuable to me and most find someone else which is fine with me. I have a full time job already. Working on our AC tractors is my passion, I feel for you guys that do it for a living, everyone wanting it done for nearly nothing. The jobs I’ve done though they knew up front what I charged.
Edited by AC720Man - 09 Dec 2020 at 9:20pm
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1968 B-208, 1976 720 (2 of them)Danco brush hog, single bottom plow,52" snow thrower, belly mower,rear tine tiller, rear blade, front blade, 57"sickle bar,1983 917 hydro, 1968 7hp sno-bee, 1968 190XTD
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NDBirdman
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Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 10:39pm |
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When I retired 12 years back, I was a service call - industrial mechanic. I worked mostly on equipment break-downs, carried my own tools and most common parts in a large van. I also worked on alot of older farming equipment, mostly hyd. I even had a couple customers that had Allis heavy duty forklifts. I got $56/hour and had a waiting list. You did not discuss pay or getting paid for your work before hand? Ask for a very nice bottle of scotch or a couple cases of favorite beer and feel lucky you got that. After rebuilding a WD45 and getting 'er running good, without repainting 'er, I can't imagine what I would charge for that. Would not be cheap but was/is a labor of love.
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1955 WD45 S#205467, 190XT #6652 DXT
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