New workshop!

[Simon Select]

Evening all. Our new workshop opens in 18 days and I want to work out what is a fair price for:
Servicing
Habitation checks
Cambelts
Etc etc.
Also what sort of discount is fair for Funsters?

 

[Figaro]

You're asking funsters what they want to pay ?



Best wishes for success in the new venture

 

[Simon Select]

You're asking funsters what they want to pay ?



Best wishes for success in the new venture

I know this is brave! I would hope the help going to the Funsters will warrant fair treatment!

 

[Lenny HB]

Cost wise it depends on your overheads but generally small business charge around £60 an hour.
Discount 10% for Funsters, 50% for me and +50% for WESTY66 .

 

[Abacist]

Different motorhomes have different complexities, extras, difficulty to work on like servicing an A class etc. Surely that needs to be taken into account.

You almost need to agree a list of work to be done per van as a result and maybe owners take responsibility for some items they can deal with themselves so one price does not fit all.

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[MisterB]

ok, i wil start .....

i paid £450 last year for a cam belt on a 2018 Fiat Ducato, i thought it was reasonable - and around the price i would expect to pay ........

 

[Abacist]

As a retired accountant I would add up all the costs relating to the workshop and its parking area, some management time cost, add your profit margin and then divide that by the available man hours per annum after deducting holidays, sickness, other absence, tea breaks, down time etc which will give you a theoretical rate per hour which you can then compare to the competition and then choose something appropriate.

 

[TinaLes]

I use our dealer Chelston Motor Homes, Wellington, Somerset for all our servicing/MOT's thus far and they have been reasonably priced and done a good job thus far.
They are Fiat Professional Authorised and have a fixed price menu for full service & interim service & Cam Belt Changes which is also very fairly priced compared with some others.
Its 120 miles each way to get to them from our home, and you need to book well in advance, but I try and make a short break away in the van when things need doing, and they let me stay overnight on their premises FOC with hook up if its booked in for the workshop.
I guess they only service vans that they have sold, they may not offer service to anyone else, but that would need to be verified. I have no idea how they are with Fiat Comfortmatic gearbox problems as I have a "Spanish Waiter" manual Box, but I guess they would get a few enquiries on that problem.

PS:: Simon they have a fully stocked caravan/MH accessory shop selling most things inc Gaslow Re-fillables, leisure batteries, chairs and tables etc and van cleaning detailing products, that might be a another addition to your new showroom, if you don't have it already. Its hard not to spend dosh in there when your van is up on the ramps in the workshop.
Plus the coffee machine is great also.
Best of luck with the new workshop, keep us posted.
LES

 

[Outdoors Dad]

Ok I'll ask for others will your garage be able to diagnose, fix and supply the correct gibbins for a confortmatic gearbox? good luck with your venture......oh price erm 'honest value for money' will do!

 

[Abacist]

There is likely a covenant to prevent an accessory shop as Trago have their own camping & motor accessory business next door!

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[Quackers]

Good luck with the Workshop venture Simon.
Can I claim my 10% against AT19 please.

 

[Grasmere9]

Brilliant idea Simon. We have pretty much sorted out our issues with Bud... resealed all seals, new control panel and habitation service. Had an engineer look at the garage floor and he wasn't troubled by the small amount of damage from damp due to the outer floor of the van not being wood!
Went away in Bud last weekend... Motocross!

 

[Simon Meadwell]

A class cambelt £500

 

[scotjimland]

Local garage that does motorhomes, horse boxes, vans etc charge £70 per hour ..

if required, they also provide a courtesy car which is useful if the campervan is your daily driver .. worth considering ..?

Fun Discount.. 10% would be welcome..

 

[paddymcc]

Price is important but less than the knowledge that the job will be well done with good communication etc. From what I have heard you are good at that so best of luck.

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[Norfolk Nige]

I think we paid £190 for our hab check this year, including underseal. I was happy with that price

 

[Podney]

As a retired accountant I would add up all the costs relating to the workshop and its parking area, some management time cost, add your profit margin and then divide that by the available man hours per annum after deducting holidays, sickness, other absence, tea breaks, down time etc which will give you a theoretical rate per hour which you can then compare to the competition and then choose something appropriate.

Wot he said!
I’d be somewhat surprised if Simon hasn’t done this already as I don’t think he’s daft enough to start a business without knowing what the going rates are,and what he needs to make a profit.
Good luck Simon with your enterprise.

 

[MichaelT]

Our local fiat professional charges £85 an hour, short service (2 years) £300 big service (4 years) £500 and about £500 for cam belt.

Habitation service i think at local dethleffs dealer is about £200 including damp check etc and they charge £90 an hour.

Of course as a funster Ian loyal customer I get 25% discounton all these

Fixed price menus are good as you know up front what its costing. Are you going to be fiat professional if so likely cost for training and certification.

Good luck.

 

[MichaelT]

I use our dealer Chelston Motor Homes, Wellington, Somerset for all our servicing/MOT's thus far and they have been reasonably priced and done a good job thus far.
They are Fiat Professional Authorised and have a fixed price menu for full service & interim service & Cam Belt Changes which is also very fairly priced compared with some others.
Its 120 miles each way to get to them from our home, and you need to book well in advance, but I try and make a short break away in the van when things need doing, and they let me stay overnight on their premises FOC with hook up if its booked in for the workshop.
I guess they only service vans that they have sold, they may not offer service to anyone else, but that would need to be verified. I have no idea how they are with Fiat Comfortmatic gearbox problems as I have a "Spanish Waiter" manual Box, but I guess they would get a few enquiries on that problem.

PS:: Simon they have a fully stocked caravan/MH accessory shop selling most things inc Gaslow Re-fillables, leisure batteries, chairs and tables etc and van cleaning detailing products, that might be a another addition to your new showroom, if you don't have it already. Its hard not to spend dosh in there when your van is up on the ramps in the workshop.
Plus the coffee machine is great also.
Best of luck with the new workshop, keep us posted.
LES

We pick ours up from them tomorrow and so far they seem professional but we are 240 miles away. Do you have a list of prices?

 

[Littlewheels]

I wish you luck with your additional enterprise and want to use the facility. I would be most grateful if you could PM me your FLT Price List.

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[TinaLes]

We pick ours up from them tomorrow and so far they seem professional but we are 240 miles away. Do you have a list of prices?

Good luck for picking the van up at Chelstons, all should go well.
When you go into reception they will have an updated price list for servicing on display, if unsure just ask them, but as said we have been very happy with the service provided.
PS: they don't do any coachwork repairs though, which surprised me initially as the sell so many S/H vans as well as new. they told me they use a mobile guy to come and do touch ups, small repairs when necessary.
LES