Can I advertise "small engine repair" if not mechanic?

[shopteacher]

I am pretty good at figuring out problems, but have alot to learn. Can a person like me own a Lawnmower repair shop? I would assume so....But
You never know
How much could a person like me charge per hour??
I have people asking me to fix their stuff all the time.

Let me know.

[DBL]

first off you can advertise what ever you want but when people call they want it done right im not sure of pricing that though but our dealer charges i think $70/hour to work on our mowers

[shopteacher]

I forgot to add my original question.
Without being a certified mechanic, are there any legal considerations while opening up a repair shop?
What does it take to become a certified mechanic anyway. I am not interested in going through a long and expensive process to do it, as I already have a teaching career.

GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks

[shopteacher]

Thanks DBL,
I guess I would have to guarentee my work like a dealership to get satisfied customers and return costumers.
I have seen such shoddy workmanship by dealerships that are multimillion dollar establishments, like a local Toro dealer I know of that can't fix anything.
Thanks

[khouse]

can you fix mowers? have you fixed them? do you have several places to buy your parts? do you have the tools? do you have a shop? if the answer is yes then go for it. all you can say is that you tried if you fail. i would suggest doing it part time first. if you get stuck on a problem them have this forum up and running at all times. if you repair a mower from advice given here and make money then please divide 50% of your net profit equally to all the people who reply and help you.

[djsp24]

I own a small engine repair shop.... Do you need to be a certified small engine tech to open a shop? Not really, unless you want to do warranty work and get dealerships. I worked for 4 years in my own business and if I had something that needed to be fixed under warranty, I just told them to take it to the dealer... Next thing i knew, EVERY dealer in the area was asking if I would either come work for them or if they could dump there extra work off to me to do!! I started in my garage with a solid background in automotive repair and 12 years of fixing cars under my belt, fixing small engines was a piece of cake.... I began by charging 30/hr. after my second year in business i bumped it to 50/hr which was still 20 less then any local dealer, I went in and got dealerships for MTD, Murray, LAwnboy, Briggs and Ariens... cost anywhere from 1k to 6k for licensing and blah blah blah, but man was it worth it!! once i became an ariens and briggs dealer, I had about twice the amount of clients in 2 years OVER NIGHT! I was so booked up I hired my father, also a auto mechanic to come and work with me and we established an excellent business and were clearing over 75k a year each after everything was said and done.... If you know the basics of small engine repair, then all you need to do is keep banging out machines and you will soon know everything you need to know without taking any special classes, believe me.... they really are simple, I only ever had ONE machine i couldnt fix, and the owner just told me to keep it for parts..... I destroyed it with a 20lb sledge hammer......So no, you dont need any special certifications to open your own shop, the most important part of this business is telling the client you can take care of that and then by god you better figure it out! After 6 years in the business we grew so rapidly we took an offer from a major small engine business in our area and sold out..... made a GREAT profit and to think.... we only started out with hand tools and a couple sets of saw horses and an old snow mobile trailer...... Better be ready for the spring and winter rush when it happens, because if its anything like my business I started part time on weekends and had 60-80 lawnmowers every weekend after 1 ad in a local advertiser! Good luck with it if you decide to do it, great money maker but does get boring after awile! If you ever have a question just shoot me an email.

[newz7151]

I forgot to add my original question.
Without being a certified mechanic, are there any legal considerations while opening up a repair shop?
What does it take to become a certified mechanic anyway. I am not interested in going through a long and expensive process to do it, as I already have a teaching career.

Do what you will. There are industry certifications like EETC and such.

You would not be able to say you are a repair center for the particular engine/equipment lines without going through their factory required schools. I guess you could say you work on such and such brands, but would not be legally allowed to use any respective corporate trademarks/logos in any of your advertising.

If you're not going to do it "the correct way", but would still like to do it along with your teaching career, then find a local established dealership in your area and see if they are looking for a shop trainee that is interested in working part time.

To do it correctly is a "long and expensive process".

[djsp24]

To do it correctly is a "long and expensive process".[/QUOTE]

Can you clarify what you mean by this? For most of the dealerships you need to log in like 20-40 hours of tech time within a year or two and cost is relatively nothing compared to what the return is...... Not disputing your comment, just curious as to why you said that??? I thought it was way easier then getting one of my ASE certifications..... maybe its because I am using that as a reference??

[newz7151]

To do it correctly is a "long and expensive process".

Can you clarify what you mean by this? For most of the dealerships you need to log in like 20-40 hours of tech time within a year or two and cost is relatively nothing compared to what the return is...... Not disputing your comment, just curious as to why you said that??? I thought it was way easier then getting one of my ASE certifications..... maybe its because I am using that as a reference??[/QUOTE]


Well, ok, "can be". I meant opening your own place from the ground up. I guess it would depend though on how much you have in the bank to start with, and if you are retired or starting because you've been laid off and lost your retirement.

If you want to avoid headaches, don't bother with the MTD stuff (from a warranty standpoint). I'm still waiting for going on 2.5 months now for a height adjuster assy. for one of the new MTD push mowers with the MTD engine on it. The factory was FINALLY made to understand that they were sending out "left side" assemblies in the packages with the "right side" part number and description. I've had 4 mispackaged parts sent to us just on this issue.
MTD usually doesn't listen and they don't care once the machines are sold.

[shopteacher]

Thanks djsp
I had a hunch there was some money to be made. People do not and will not care for there mowers. I don't know what it is, but the simplest things cause people to assume their moweri is junk. Most people don't have anyone who will come to their house for less than a couple hundred bucks. They don't have the means to fix it or to bring it to a dealer, so they are stuck.
I wonder how a mobile repair shop would do?
Thanks for the info.
I tell my students this same stuff all the time.
Thanks again

[fixer67]

I have just one word for you to remember. "LAWSUIT"
The first time some fool gets you to sharpen a blade and then they hit a rock and it flies out and hits them you could have a lawsuit on your hands. Do not laugh about that. It happened to my boss a few years back. He sold a Echo trimmer to a man. A Echo metal blade was installed when the man bought it. The man takes it home and hits a rock with it and a bit of rock and/or blade hit him on the leg and cut him. He filed a lawsuit against my boss. Echo picked up the lawsuit because a Echo blade was installed but if any other make or brand blade had been use Echo would have stood back and let him take care of it the best way he could. So remember all of that that can happen. And how to you plan to get rid of the used oil and gas? If not done right which can cost a lot the EPA will be all over you. And what about insurance in case something left at your shop gets stolen or your shop burns down or something else happens to the machine while it is in your care? That is way I work for someone and gave up on the idea of my own shop.You can advertise for any thing you want just be sure you are not advertising for trouble.

[newz7151]

You can advertise for any thing you want just be sure you are not advertising for trouble.

:clapping: :clapping: :drinkup:

[olderthandirt]

I am pretty good at figuring out problems, but have alot to learn. Can a person like me do heart surgery and be a cardiologist??? :dizzy: :dizzy: :laugh:

[General Landscaping]

Spent a few years in residential mower repair.
The problem is that you can't write a ticket big enough to make $$$ with out the customer wanting to scrap it and buy a new one.
You need a big customer base for those little jobs to pay off.
Put 2 spindles and a OEM belt on most residential mowers and you double it's value.

I remember the first decent sized job I priced out after switching to auto repair, after years in the OPE repair. Standing there with a $550 dollar estimate was just weird.... I'd never written a ticket that big. Previously, anything over a few hundred meant the customer would be making a trip to Sears or WalMart for a new one.

[shopteacher]

Being a cardiologist and fixing mowers...................SLIGHTLY different (????)
Regarding getting sued
I could get sued doing just about anything, including teaching my students to use a table saw, and they lose a finger. It's called "risk" and it comes with life. Especially with sue-happy society these days.

I will state the truth here: My faith in the Lord may not prevent bad things from happening, but He promises to be with me WHEN life brings its difficulties.

Thanks to those who answered, your responses were all appreciated...... I learned a lot.

[tomo]

hello, small engine eg two strokes/ 4 strokes chain saws brush cutters push/ride mowers domestic stuff etc OR the commecial stuff eg all over 20 hp. As u would expect different set of tools .Typically bigger stuff requires way more expensive tools . As there r different clients which do u pick. As i see it ,in the off season most retail will drop off and the commecial [if a smart operater] will over haul at this time. Need a good marketing mix..
You will need a comprehensive tool kit "" EVERYTHING""
OEM special tools as required
shop tools -mig welder
oxy/ acet gas welder
press and press tools
parts washer approved type
at least 3 good benches
at least2 vices
Enviromentally appoved oil waste and new oil storage system
Enviromently approved wash down area
Drill press
jack and stands
hoist 2 post
Creepers
lead light
Work shop special tools
efi fuel pump flow/ pressue guage
optional air fuel ratio meter
efi trouble code checker
[can be done manually]
very optional injector cleaner and spray pattern /volume checking machine
cooling system test equipment
temp guage
pressure tester
glycol checker
oil preesure guage
vacumn guage
comp tester
leak down tester
advance timing light
good multi meter
transport trailer 4 equipment with a winch
There is heaps of other gear
TOMO:waving:

[Jason Pallas]

I got all that crap - and I only repair our own equipment. Man, I've been doing this too long!

[DJL50]

Sounds to me you will be doing this part time and not going big. A lot of guys do this type of work on the side and have more work than they know what to do with. Just get insurance and move on. NO different than mowing grass. And by the way. Funny people think you have to do something wrong to get sued. In business for long and you will get sued. Some people make a living that way.

[Restrorob]

A lot of guys do this type of work on the side and have more work than they know what to do with.

You got that right DJL, I done it here at home for one season on the weekends only. I started with just a few neighbors units and it spread like wild fire, I was swamped working 12 hrs both Saturday and Sunday but would double my regular job pay check in those 2 days. I had to stop because working 7 days a week was taking it's toll. (family)

Anybody with the mechanical ability and know-how can make good money doing this part time to supplement their income, But the work must be done correctly to prevent returns and or possible lawsuits.

[newz7151]

You got that right DJL, I done it here at home for one season on the weekends only. I started with just a few neighbors units and it spread like wild fire, I was swamped working 12 hrs both Saturday and Sunday but would double my regular job pay check in those 2 days. I had to stop because working 7 days a week was taking it's toll. (family)

Anybody with the mechanical ability and know-how can make good money doing this part time to supplement their income, But the work must be done correctly to prevent returns and or possible lawsuits.

How many of those customers followed you back to your dealership job when you stopped moonlighting? Also, that must have made for a heck of an income tax return with all that extra personal income. I bet withholding your own taxes out of that drove you crazy too!

[Restrorob]

How many of those customers followed you back to your dealership job when you stopped moonlighting?


Well, I live in a tri-county area and believe it or not I would not solicit too nor take any customers from my full time job. Most of the customers I had did not like my boss and were not his customers therefore did not return.