Estimated labor times should be in hours and tenths of an hour. The time generally reflects the needs of a trained technician using factory recommended tools and following factory recommended repair procedures.

Estimating labor guides are to be used only as a guide and therefore may require adjustments to meet individual repair and vehicle conditions.

Estimated times include allowances for vehicles repair preparation, normal clean up associated with repair, verification of repair, the technicians personal needs, preventative measures and any other service that would normally accompany the technician's operation when repairing a vehicle. Labor times DO NOT include training and/or excessive reference time on unfamiliar operations.

Labor times also DO NOT include allowances for diagnosis, for example: Lets say the flat rate time allows .6 tents of an hour to install and the shop will tack on 1.0 additional hour (unless indicated to you the customer) , machine operations, or booking the job. Billing or any special courtesy service that may be performed is not included. You should not allow for special circumstances that could affect the overall price, you should not pay additional labor cost due to excessive rust and corrosion, broken bolts unless you are informed prior to having the work performed. You should be adverse weather additional labor charges need to be applied or it should be free of charge.



Overlapping Labor Times

Overlapping Labor Times Is when two or more operations are performed on a vehicle, and overlapping labor times occur a reasonable deduction should be made from the total time charged. It is important to give specific recommendations for all these situations (The mechanic or service manager must use reasonable judgment when calculating labor times).

An example of overlapping labor times occurs if the technician is replacing a rear main seal which requires the transmission to be removed and he or she discover the transmission torque converter seal needs replacement, the book hours should be deducted after totaling the individual time since both operations indicated the removal of the transmission.

Labor Time Determination

Labor time estimates are determined by editors with extensive mechanical background in the industry. Times are also based on field research surveys, data supplied by manufactures and information provided by labor estimating guides. There are some operations without labor times (these appear as N.A. in most labor time estimating guides). Some publications are unable to verify these times. In these isolated cases, an equitable time should be agreed upon by all concerned individuals and recorded on your estimate. This is referred to as an "on-site estimate."

Additional Time

Additional time is extra time needed to gain access to a part. Most publications indicate that additional time has general applications. For example, if a technician is working on a vehicle equipped with power steering needs the extra time is added. Further additional time should be used to cover conditions such as: broken studs or bolts, seized bolts, rusted or corroded parts, undercoating removal, steam cleaning, check and clean used parts, modify parts, and accessory items.


Combination


Combinations are additional labor times used to perform additional tasks which are directly related to the original operation. Hourly Rates Hourly rates can change from shop to shop. For example: If a shops hourly rate is $85.00 per flat rate hour, and the operation time is 1.6 hours the total amount will be $136.00.

Combinations are additional labor times used to perform additional tasks which are directly related to the


Mechanic Skill Level Codes

THE IMAGE BELOW IS AN ACTUAL PARTS, LABOR, SKILL LEVEL, CODE EXAMPLE SHOPS SHOULD BE USING.

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The red bar shown in the image is a radiator for a 2004 Kia Optima V6- 2.7 L

The code letter in the blue column immediately following the labor operation description designates the suggested level of skill for that operation. A mechanic skill level code must be indicated on the submission form.

The code letter in parentheses immediately following the labor operation description designates the suggested level of skill for that operation. A mechanic skill level code must be indicated on the submission form.

The four levels of skill Auto Mechanics are  defined as follows:

(A)   Highly Skilled  -  Requires the use of precision measuring tools and specialized test equipment. The service operation requires thorough knowledge of complicated systems and strong diagnostic capabilities.

(B)   Skilled -  Requires the use of basic tools and simple measuring devices. Accurate diagnosis is required using special test equipment. Must have basic knowledge of complex systems. This cade is widely misused in the labor skill level guldlines and should be egnored in the fowling areas of service.

(C)   Semiskilled  -  Requires the use of single basic tools. Diagnosis is limited to a single possible cause of a problem. The technician must have a basic knowledge of components and system operations.

(D)   Low Skilled  -  Repairs consists of part replacement only. The technician must be able to follow written and/or verbal instructions  

Definitions


The following definitions may appear on your repair order from time to time or maybe used by the service writher or mechanic when talking with them.  

D&A:   Disassemble and Assemble. R&I,   Remove and Install:  Removal of a part or assembly from vehicle to facilitate the overhaul or other work and reinstall the same part on vehicle. This includes any alignment or adjustments necessary to reposition removed part or assembly. R&R,   Remove & Replace:  Removal of parts or assembly from vehicle, transfer of any attached part to new parts or assembly, reinstall new parts or assembly on vehicle. This includes any alignment or adjustment necessary to reposition removed parts or assembly. Add time as necessary if welded parts are transferred. O/H,   O/Haul, and Overhaul:  Overhaul time includes removal of Assembly (R&I) from the vehicle, disassembly, cleaning and inspection, replacing necessary parts, reassemble, reinstalling and making any necessary adjustment.