Front Porch Chit Chat

[squirrelhunter]

$50 to $75 an hour is too low for a shop rate in my experience. Most all the shops in the greater Seattle/Tacoma area were charging between $120 and $150 an hour. The mechanics that worked there got between $18 and $30 an hour. When I started my last business I was charging $125 an hour shop rate. When you consider I paid for all the equipment, rent, gas, electric, water and all the miscellaneous costs of the business plus the $30/hr for my employees plus their benefit package I ended up with a net profit of about 5%. I was kept busy because we had a reputation for good quality and we kept that reputation intact.
My employees were making $240/day plus holidays, vacation time, sick leave and medical and I got about $150 - $160/day as the owner after all the bills. My net worth was considered higher because I owned the equipment and supplies but that didn't pay the mortgage or my bills at home.

That was actually a guess since I've only had a vehicle in the shop 2 or 3 times my entire life and 1 of those was in the 90s and they always just put a total for labor not a break down of it,at least on the few times I've used them. It doesn't surprise me it's that high though and just makes it more of a good idea to do it myself.

 

[squirrelhunter]

Where's everybody been hiding???

 

[havasu]

Hiya Squirrel!

 

[The Innkeeper]

Hey @squirrelhunter digging out from under snow

 

[Peanut]

I finished watching an episode of a show called “First Time Flippers” at 8pm. I’m now watching a second episode. It’s about people buying a house to refurbish then resell.

It’s abundantly clear why none of these people ever pursued a career in construction.

 

[gumpy]

Where's everybody been hiding???

Hey SH!s Just working/sleeping/eating, repeat! Lol

 

[squirrelhunter]

Hey @squirrelhunter digging out from under snow

Nope haven't really had much this winter,more rain than anything and it sucks.

 

[squirrelhunter]

Hiya Squirrel!

Hey there

 

[squirrelhunter]

Hey SH!s Just working/sleeping/eating, repeat! Lol

Same here pretty much lol

 

[The Innkeeper]

Nope haven't really had much this winter,more rain than anything and it sucks.

iv3 shovelled enough for bo5h us and them some

 

[Meerkat]

Reading news and cleaning house and about to retire for the night.

 

[squirrelhunter]

iv3 shovelled enough for bo5h us and them some

I don't shovel,I plow :thumbs up:

 

[The Innkeeper]

I don't shovel,I plow :thumbs up:

I snowblow, and I shovel and roof rake and sweep and chip ice and spread traction aid. The bulk is just blown with my three stage blower, but our b&b sign needs to be dug out, steps swept and out buildings cleared off... so when I said I shoveled snow it was a generic statement. I will confess that I am looking forward to spring’s arrival

 

[Meerkat]

I was listening to MoTown and this came up.
What a difference a era makes. These pics tell a lot about where we were and where we are headed. When I worked on GM the line in 1973-74 if anyone had the nerve to pull into parking lot with a Toyota or foreign car they at best got keyed or beat up. Fair trade destroyed this nation and made alot of politicians very rich from payoffs. Now we don't produce anything but rich corporations.




"Don't forget the motor city" lyric

 

[Dutchs]

I was listening to MoTown and this came up.
What a difference a era makes. These pics tell a lot about where we were and where we are headed. When I worked on GM the line in 1973-74 if anyone had the nerve to pull into parking lot with a Toyota or foreign car they at best got keyed or beat up. Fair trade destroyed this nation and made alot of politicians very rich from payoffs. Now we don't produce anything but rich corporations.




"Don't forget the motor city" lyric

Hopefully that's changing. But you speak truth. Speaking of Detroit. I drove through with my parents back in the 70's....man....scary even back then. Right after the riots.....

 

[squirrelhunter]

Another gloomy day in NE Indiana.

 

[The Innkeeper]

Well, time to try to sleep. Good night all

 

[Tank-Girl]

Tomorrow I get fitted with a holter monitor for my heart.

I have to wear the beasty for 24 hours.
I'm already uncomfortable just thinking about it.

 

[gumpy]

Tomorrow I get fitted with a holter monitor for my heart.

I have to wear the beasty for 24 hours.
I'm already uncomfortable just thinking about it.

I pray everything is OK! Be careful.
My wife had to wear one last weekend (48 hours) and didn't like it.

 

[Sewingcreations15]

Better to be safe than sorry @Tank-Girl and if they do find a problem then at least it can be rectified.

 

[Amish Heart]

The monitor is not bad. Husband had to wear one for a month. Took it off for a shower. Had extra sticky circles to put on, too. Then I mailed it back in UPS postpaid. You're in my prayers, TankGirl.

 

[buildit]

Just stopping by with a general update on the life and times. I am working part time again doing low voltage installs and the schedule is as unpredictable as it ever was. Off Monday, 3.5 hours yesterday and off the rest of the week. I did get my five new fruit trees and with the warm weather last weekend got them in the ground just in time for this snow and cold which will be great for them to acclimate to their new homes. Been taste testing goose and Muscovy duck eggs from my neighbor and am developing a taste for them. Of course I did a little research on them and came to an interesting conclusion from learning ducks and geese were much more widely used than chickens until around the 1900's. Duck and geese do not lay in the winter so in the spring they begin laying and often not even in nests but just secluded spots in the shrubs. This timing leads me to hypothesize they are the reason for easter egg hunts of modern Christianity as surely children were encouraged to hunt for these first eggs of the season to supplement the meager and diminished food reserves of winter. The inclusion of this event, which is so close to the Passover and Easter celebrations of Rome, surely is another example of how the traditions and rituals of non-christians were used to produce inclusion and acceptance of Christian dogma in Europe and the Americas. ( So please sent your donations so I can begin my PHD in this study. LOL)
Other than that life goes on as we wait for better weather to ride motorcycles again. Be good and take care.
(Photo of neighbors ducks and geese, AKA breeding stock for my future eggs)

 

[Weedygarden]

I finished watching an episode of a show called “First Time Flippers” at 8pm. I’m now watching a second episode. It’s about people buying a house to refurbish then resell.

It’s abundantly clear why none of these people ever pursued a career in construction.

I have known people who have bought such homes. The homes that are purchased and refurbished and then flipped are often given a cheap veneer finish.

 

[Resto]

I take 1 Naproxin every day for bursitis and it really helped me.

Massage is better, I haven't taken Naproxin in the past 10 years. Naproxin IS cheaper, but I consider this a "Quality Of Life Issue".

 

[Resto]

$50 to $75 an hour is too low for a shop rate in my experience. Most all the shops in the greater Seattle/Tacoma area were charging between $120 and $150 an hour. The mechanics that worked there got between $18 and $30 an hour. When I started my last business I was charging $125 an hour shop rate. When you consider I paid for all the equipment, rent, gas, electric, water and all the miscellaneous costs of the business plus the $30/hr for my employees plus their benefit package I ended up with a net profit of about 5%. I was kept busy because we had a reputation for good quality and we kept that reputation intact.
My employees were making $240/day plus holidays, vacation time, sick leave and medical and I got about $150 - $160/day as the owner after all the bills. My net worth was considered higher because I owned the equipment and supplies but that didn't pay the mortgage or my bills at home.

My Dad worked for Gorgenson Steel back in the 60s-70s, I hear Ya.

 

[Resto]

Well. I went to town, got a MAN A Cure. Stopped by Tractor Supply for a Hog Panel. Set the panel up on T Posts for Ms Chens Squash. Its thriving. Ordered a New Stihl Chainsaw, 20". Met a new China Doll at my Fave Restaurant, same same. Guess Ill drink Beer and sleep.

 

[squirrelhunter]

Goodnight all.:green man:

 

[Weedygarden]

I was listening to MoTown and this came up.
What a difference a era makes. These pics tell a lot about where we were and where we are headed. When I worked on GM the line in 1973-74 if anyone had the nerve to pull into parking lot with a Toyota or foreign car they at best got keyed or beat up. Fair trade destroyed this nation and made alot of politicians very rich from payoffs. Now we don't produce anything but rich corporations.



"Don't forget the motor city" lyric

Fair trade has wreaked havoc in America, but it is hard to beat the miles you will get on a Toyota or a Nissan with any American made vehicle. American made autos were mass produced in a hurry and needed to be better made, IMHO. An American made vehicle would get around 100,000 miles before it was really in bad shape, while a Toyota is good for 300,000 + miles if well maintained.

I appreciate Trumps recent decisions about trade to help balance out our trade with the rest of the world. I just want well made goods, and I know that there are some great things made in America. My daughter only buys well made goods. She doesn't want to buy something that has to be replaced again and again, if she can help it.

 

[Peanut]

Sitting on the porch waiting for sunrise, except there isn't going to be one. It's heavily over cast this morning, but the weather is mild, probably going to rain later today. I think something is on my camera lens, this pic look blurry.

 

[squirrelhunter]

Sitting on the porch waiting for sunrise, except there isn't going to be one. It's heavily over cast this morning, but the weather is mild, probably going to rain later today. I think something is on my camera lens, this pic look blurry.View attachment 5645

Probably shaky hands