How do Car repair shops typically calculate the cost for Labor?

Lulu Bukowiecki: Wow thanks! You guys know some stuff! :-) ALL the answers are the best answer to Me so I have to let votes decide it.. Sorry.

Denna Prudente: they calculate how many hours it will take to fix it and they go by the rate the place charges per hour.

Jerrod Guilfoil: Book Time For Auto Repair

Zelma Casebier: It depends on how long it takes to do the job. Say you have a high end car with an electric water pump for example. the water pump could cost you $1500, maybe it only takes 2 hours to put it on, so they take their labor rate (lets call it 100 an hour) times 2 and the total cost of the repair would be about 1700 plus tax. Or lets say your car has a dirt cheap water pump that only costs $35 but it takes 6 hours to put on. That's $600 in labor and only $35 in parts. Now a shop makes money off parts they sell too, its just good business. They have to pay the guy who calls out and orders the part, they usually warranty the part if it fails a! t no cost to the customer, so making a bit of money on parts it to be expected. Its not uncommon for a shop to charge a higher labor rate when using customer purchased parts to make up for the lost revenue from you not buying their parts. And customer bought parts usually do not have a labor warranty so if the part fails maybe the part house gets you a new one, but you will have to pay to have it installed again....Show more

Benita Nancy: I work at a dealership ,And its on freightliner tractors ,The hrs rate is $98.00 bucks a hr no maatter what it is ,Now if it is a fleet it is different rate ,ok enought about that now ,On yours you If its a chevy call the service dept and ask them what the hrs rate is $00.00 bucks and most of the time the dealer will not let you bring your own parts ,Now what some people dont know at the dealer you can go to the parts counter and buy the parts and give them to the service person to take to the mechanic and the parts are cheaper ,Well! this is what it is the parts man that the mechanics get there! parts from is only for the shop and all the parts are marked up 30% to the customer bill plus labor to repair the car and other shops do this also all shops mark up parts but the labor stays the same ,And if they quote 5 hrs on say like changing a water pump and it takes the tech 8hrs they still only charge you 5hrs ,I hope a lease some of this help you out and good luck ....Show more

Leontine Kreitz: its by the hour. They will estimate their hours

Susan Rambo: There is the mechanic's bible known as the "Flat - Rate Manual" and it dictates how much each job would take in hours and minutes... and EVERYthing is in there, just about.Sometimes it takes a full day to install a 25 cent part, and only a few minutes to change a $500 part. It's not the cost of the part... it's how hard it is to replace.From experience,some jobs can be done in 1/2 the time, and others, it's hard to do in the allotted time. That's where they get these figures....Show more

Bryan Avi! nger: ware in the world are you located. in the mid west you can expect anything from 55 hr to 110 hr.

Forest Duttinger: If you are refering to body shop work they have labor guides they use. It's not all about the cost of parts, but labor of removing bent/broken parts straighening anything bent to frames, etc. painting and paint matching. Damaged cars vary greatly, the guide gives them a way to estimate different model cars like right front fender damage or rear quarter panels etc. etc. Body shop estimates as well as other repair shop priceing will vary quite a bit. Check the shops reputation. I would rather pay more for a quality job than get the low bid and get poor workmanship. As far as mechanical repairs they also use labor time estimating guides. The guide provides an average time to perform a certain repair, how much the shop charges per labor hour varies a lot from privatly owned shops to corporate ran shops....Show more

Darnell Cutliff: This Site Might! Help You.RE:How do Car repair shops typically calculate the cost for L! abor?If I have $1600 in car damages and I myself purchased all the parts.. How would they figure the cost in Labor. Is there is a average pricing scale depending on cost in damages.. 10-20 % of the vehicle cost or damages? (Idk Im just giving an example).Any vehicle Mechanics that can maybe shed......Show more

Arlen Decorte: You didn't tell WHAT parts were being replaced. How could expect anyone to calculate anything? We hope you realize that new car dealers will not warranty carry-in parts. Labor yes, parts no.