Charging for an estimate on a sled repair?
- Thread starter joks79
- Start date
polarisrider1
New member
It is standard procedure to charge for an estimate. Time is money. If you have the same people repair your sled then they most normally roll it into the repair cost. If it is totalled than it is also a legit charge to determine that for your Insurance. In the real world nothing is Free. It has to be built in somewhere for a Company to servive. $60 is cheap. Most charge $90 or 1 hr. shop rate if not more.
i have never been charged for an estimate here in mn for sled or auto
It's pretty typical. Most of the time they will waive the fee if you come to them for the work. It makes sense. Think about them spending an hour of a tech's time to check out your machine. There just isn't as much money in the work, so they can't eat that time. I don't like it either, but from their perspective, it's tough to give away that time...
I know Heinen's in Osseo, MN charge for estimate for damage repair for insurance purposes and if you have them fix it they wave the fee. Time is money and it is not a 5 minute job to give an estimate for a possible totalled sled. I have never been charged for a mechanical repair estimate anywhere yet, but usually I fix my sleds and just ask a question to a service manager or tech on how to do something and that is still free. I am pretty sure most of the dealers in the Twin Cities charge for damage estimates.
I agree with everyone else time is money and they have to cover their expenses.......my question to you is did they tell you up front that you would be getting charged? If not then I agree I would not be happy about the charge!
I agree with time is money, but just curious..... Any who agree with paying for an estimate. Have you ever called for some type of home improvement (painting, tile, carpet, deck,etc.) estimate? Did you expect to pay for that estimate? Did you call a few of the same trade and get multiple competitive bids? If you had to pay for those, would you get more than one? Not only is time money, but for those they also have to come to you, more time, gas, etc. At least in sled repair, you typically bring it to them. It's just odd that it's expected in one trade and not in others.
yamahauler
Active member
It's just the way it goes....some charge some don't. Maybe just ask them if they will wave the fee for you if you have it fixed there.
They did tell me up front about the charge. I understand time is money and it does take time to do an estimate. I did ask if I had the work done there if they would wave the fee. They said no. reviewing their estimate they have enough "extras" built in they would be making plenty of money if they did get the repair job. What I mean by extras is they have a part number of an assembly down and then a few lines down they have the items broke out of the assembly.
snow_monkey
New member
I try to negotiate the inspection fee if you decide to do the repairs with them.
crispyknite
New member
Can I charge to do A estimate on doing your finish basement? {not} thats time
that I took. and half the time I dont get it.
that I took. and half the time I dont get it.
I do not expect anyone to work for free. Especially on this type of work. Generally a damaged sled will take some digging into to make sure no items get missed. Then a parts man has to look up each part for a price. Then specific labor times need to be looked up and posted to the claim. It's not just a visual glance and write up a piece of paper. In the mechanical field charging is the "norm". Not so much in the construction biz. Why? who knows, just the way it is.
I think this has been covered before and it's pretty common w/ sleds. It takes awhile to list out all of the parts, etc. In most cases, sleds are totalled b/c of the high cost of parts and hours to repair- just not worth it. In that case, they get no work. So at least recoup their time spent providing that.
That being said, I agree that basement estimates, painters, etc- most usually don't charge. But that's b/c there is competition out there. Most advertise free estimates as a way to get in the door. And then hopefully, they land the work. Same for cars- in most cases, your car isn't totalled, so they want to provide a free estiamte, hoping you'll have the work done there.
Sleds are just generally totalled so they have to get something. Can't fault the business owner. If they were up front about it, then they weren't trying to be shady. The good news is, your insurance should cover this in their portion- it shouldn't be a totally separate, out of pocket thing for you.
Either way- no fun if you needed a repair estimate. Hope your ride is back to normal soon.
That being said, I agree that basement estimates, painters, etc- most usually don't charge. But that's b/c there is competition out there. Most advertise free estimates as a way to get in the door. And then hopefully, they land the work. Same for cars- in most cases, your car isn't totalled, so they want to provide a free estiamte, hoping you'll have the work done there.
Sleds are just generally totalled so they have to get something. Can't fault the business owner. If they were up front about it, then they weren't trying to be shady. The good news is, your insurance should cover this in their portion- it shouldn't be a totally separate, out of pocket thing for you.
Either way- no fun if you needed a repair estimate. Hope your ride is back to normal soon.
polarisrider1
New member
Are you refering to 40-50 hrs. a week doing estimates? When do you do the work? I don't buy into that. That makes you a pro estimator and someone is paying you? You have to be covering yourself some how. I find that I have to qualify my customers same as they qualify me. Then I know if I am wasting my time. With the sled repair estimate you get a parts list for your money. In construction you get a number of how much it will cost you. If you give a customer your parts list in construction that is total stupidity. That is part ofwhy we don't charge for estimates in construction. You have every reason to charge if you provide a crashed sled estimate. You provide the Insurance Company with Information so they can make a decission on how to deal with their Customer. And we give out so called "Free" estimates because some desperate upstart contractor figured they had to to land a job. I charge for tile estimates it is in the bid. Nothing is free.
this is why they charge
as someone that has been in the insurance adjusting business for over 30 years I know why the shops tend to charge for estimates on toys.. They know most people want every little thing on the estimate even if there is only a minor scuff on it and then half the time the customer will buy a few parts and cob the machine back together themselves or have the shop partially repair it. 99% of the shops will waive the fee back into the job if they get the work. The same reason shops charge for auto hail claim estimates, They spend an hour or 2 or 3 writing the thing up for some one to pocket the cash.
as someone that has been in the insurance adjusting business for over 30 years I know why the shops tend to charge for estimates on toys.. They know most people want every little thing on the estimate even if there is only a minor scuff on it and then half the time the customer will buy a few parts and cob the machine back together themselves or have the shop partially repair it. 99% of the shops will waive the fee back into the job if they get the work. The same reason shops charge for auto hail claim estimates, They spend an hour or 2 or 3 writing the thing up for some one to pocket the cash.