cost 0f tune up for oil burners

Biged

Just curious, I work in the Boston communuties Dorchester, Mattapan, Roxbury etc. and I have heard prices from $65 - $350 (that was not a service plan). I charge $100 and will be going up this year because I'M spending more and more time on new accounts because even some of the big companies still think replacing a nozzle, filter, and using a soot stick is a tune up.

Paul Mitchell_2

Good question

Companies around me...Monmouth & Ocean cty NJ....are all over the place. We currently charge 90.00 plus parts. Usually ends up to be around 125.00 with nozzle filter and pump strainer. I would love to raise the price to 105.00 plus parts. Maybe next year. But I hear what you are saying. We do usually say that our charge covers a routine cleaning. If the unit is neglected or has not been serviced properly we tell them before we start and adjust the price accordingly. Hope this helps
Paul

heatboy

$230.00 flat rate residential......

for existing clients. Before any applicable discounts. First time client is that, plus $111.00 per hour if extra work is needed.

hb

Paul Mitchell_2

Now that sounds correct

but I am not sure we would have much to do. Where are you located?
Paul

J.C.A._3

To beat a dead horse a few more times....

You've got to figure out what YOUR costs are to provide this service, and charge accordingly.

Don't GIVE it away, because you've also got to eat! There are so many variables involved in this equation and the answers can only come from YOUR assesment of your "cost to do business". I can't think of any other way to say this.

It costs a LOT of money, to keep all the parts you "need" on your truck. If you don't have 1 part, does the "fixed price", have a trip to the supply house built into it? This is a big loser in a "fixed price contract". All the equipment serviced isn't neccessarily the "latest equipment", and I find myself searching for parts quite a bit.(when I do, it's STILL time!)

If you take on new accounts, your shooting in the dark also. 1 customer could be meticulas about the service on their system, and the next one could call when "it don't work". Which one takes longer to service? For the later, I would quote time and material, for the unknown "service concious customer",(you will know them when you show up to the job), I would be willing to give them a price, after looking at the job,but it still comes down to your costs.

It takes lots O time to figure this out, but I have always been from the "glass half empty" class, when going into a call blindly. I wouldn't quote a price till I've looked at the job.JMHO.Chris

Mike Kraft_2

Guess #'s on the Wall....................

are tabu.I feel your pain though Ed!Trying to compete and keep can be difficult.Especially with a commodity service like a tune up and cleaning.Bottom line is what I know you know.That would be what you base your rate on.Also how your service is superior than the competitions.

This is easy to say on the net.Applying it is the hard part.Most people call and shop.These are the ones we don't need.The ones that reckognize the superior service are the ones we want.

Prime example : Today I went to a home that I did a major conversion in last year.Electric BB heat.They wanted more hot water,AC and heat.I sold them a Hi-V system complete with boiler,indirect,two air hadlers etc.The system is working fine.But when I layed it out I put the 1st floor t-stat in direct solar gain location.In the winter the sun never hit it through the skylight.But this summer it beamed in.My mistake.Also the suspended air handler from the floor joist in the crawl vibrated the kitchen table.

So today I corrected both punch list items.After I packed up the HO asked me what he owed me!Imagine that!!!I said nothing.........my fault.He then chased me(not far..:) ) with a C-note.I finally graciously accepted:)

Point?Point is he reckognizes that I am there for him.I terrorized his home.Whenever he pays me he always writes the check for extra.These are who we want.I know your dilema.Stick to your guns.You know what you do.Let the HO's that won't pay your price go.Perhaps a puff claim will bring em back.You are the professional..........just gotta convince them:)Sometimes you need to add on more $$ just for the trouble of the sale!

cheese

heatboy

You really didn't say...........

"Especially with a commodity service like a tune up and cleaning." Maybe that's why you can only get $100.00 for a preventative maintenance?

hb

Mike Kraft_2

Not sure if your'e dissing me!

I meant that from a "shoppers"POV.;)

cheese°

tommyoil

Paul


I work for what is probably the biggest fuel dealer in Ocean/Monmouth. You can probably guess(in two words) without much trouble, who it is. And let me tell you $90.00 dont even get us in the door. Contracts are $220.00, that includes everything(24 hr service and all). Otherwise, its $95.00 plus parts( noz, filter, pump strainer). Anything over 2 hrs is T and M at around $100.00/hr. I rarely do a $95.00 cleanout. The rate decreases slightly the longer we're there, but not much. I personally have done $1000.00 cleanouts but they were the ones neglected for 5 to 10 years or more. You may have even picked up a few of our account from time to time.Sounds harsh, I know, but I think its because they really want most people under contract.

heatboy

Never.

Mike,

It was more the fact that the oil industry considers preventative maintenance unimportant. Maybe that's why they perform these tasks at no profit or worse, a loss. "Oh, it's just something to keep the guys busy when we are slow."

I consider the preventative maintenance as important as anything else I would do for that client. I can't loose money doing them though.

hb

Firedragon_4

I agree, we've missed the boat

on that one big time. What do you pay to have your vehicle 'tuned'? How often?

A true PM with a pre and post combustion test is not only money in the bank for the homeowner, but should have been where the industry focused it's attention.

A new noisy piece of equipment that needs servicing as much as the old quiet one is just something I fail to get excited about, sorry, JMO again!

Weezbo

You can work for free...free is good:)

everybody like it when we come by and work for free. only thing is who gonna pay the bills? we jumped outta the F-350 6 by $X$ Yanked out 1000's$ worth of tools gizmoes and buckets of pieces ran up and down to the basement for extra parts ....oh yes They like Free:) what did you pay for your soot devil? the manufacturer like you bettern me?....what i am saying is this,every year you need to appraise yourself of where you are going and what your own goals are. if you want to work for free there wont be many people undercutting you:) if what you are looking for is a paycheck,then you are probbly not in the right line of work.This year the cost of materials and gasoline and just about every commodity and service went up..if you are a oneman shop you have to think about the future too.license insurance and bonding cost me August ...um...so what should i charge?..........thats sorta a rethorical question..i wish you the best of luck however i will open you to some new perspective..some guys have a 4 hour minimum...395$ minimum.....then there is another I worked for this one FOR FREE...somebody has to be the most expensive..so why cant that be You?