Side Jobs – What do you charge?

[WOTStang]

Kind of a simple question, but I really don’t do a lot of side work for others. I figure 10-12 hours of labor with a lift and all of my tools available at work is enough. And at some point you get those days where you don’t feel like doing at home what you get paid at work to do. Let alone dragging some tools home to do the work, dealing with where ever the car broke down / slanted drive-way / dirty cramped garage / mud&grass… etc,

So the question is basically, what kind of labor rates do you use when your asked to do side jobs? Something competitive to keep them from going to a shop over you, but still fair enough to make it worth your while. 1/2 shop labor rate? 3/4 shop labor rate? Or is is basically just quote them a price and hope they are happy with it?

Kinda feel weird asking this question actually.. i’ve been doing this almost 10 years now and really have never offered nor been approached to do work on the side. So what is everyone’s opinion on this? (and for anyone curious, its an ’04 malibu with a 2.2L that needs an alternator.. book time is 1.6, done plenty of them in the past. Ballpark figure for labor is $150-$170 @ 105/hr. Local shop quoted them $157.33 + tax)

Topic

[James O’Hara]

I generally charge 1.5-2x what I make per hr at work. That is if I charge people.

[Jason White]

I usually let them make an offer and I say yes or no.

[zero]

Ah, side jobs. The dark side of the auto repair force.

I’m actually kind of lucky in the sense that the dealer I work at let’s us use the shop the 2 nights a week that sales is open late. Use of my hoist and all my tools right there. If they can’t make it there on one of those 2 days they can pay door rate somewhere else.

I usually charge supper. Nothing crazy, usually burger and fries for an oil change or actual supper at a restaurant for anything that requires effort. I’m actually a fan of trading parts of a similar value to a dollar amount I attach to a job. Our door rate is $130, so one of the salesmen I charged him 2 jugs of oil (about $70-80) to change the power steering pump in his Trailblazer. Mitchell said the labour was 1.6 (or something near that) so I pretty much charged him half the estimated labour in trade. Keep in mind that I’m the only one in the shop that will touch a GM without crying and have the only GM power steering pump pulley puller tool.

I honestly try to avoid it by only volunteering it to those I know I could actually help out by doing it. I’m kinda morally opposed to the idea for the most part.

[Ray Pierce]

I started doing side work years ago. at 35/hr Shop rate was 75/hr….a few years ago when I was still working as an employee I was doing side work for 70/hr.. local shop rates are 90-110/hr Now I’m on my own still doing it for 70/hr.. but will soon be going up to 80.

[Nick]

Shop rate locally is 65 per hour. I charge 32.50

[Scott Osborne]

I charge $25-$30 per hour depending on what it is. I also mark up the parts a little too. Not to make a fortune, but to cover my time in finding them and going to get them in some cases.

I do fleet maintaince and I’m a part owner of my company so I can use the shop at work. No one minds as long as I fix the stuff they break

[Gary]

With no overhead I charge $45 an hour.

Family and friends it’s free(Friends pay at discount for bigger jobs however) but I usually get tips regardless.

[Ben]

Depending on the job, i usually work it out to what it would normally cost at any shop i work at, and kinda charge a half’ish kinda thing.

Usually a 20% markup on my cost of parts.
And something like $50/hr book time for the job. ( local rate is 95-125)

Though, nothing is carved in stone…

[Andrew Orris]

if im ever doing any side work i only do it for friends and family only and i just have them pay for parts. unless im doing body work then i charge them 10 an hour.

[Author]

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