Spiralling costs of maintenance

[MarkSF]

I had a look back through all my maintenance records, which go back to 1998. I was struck by the rise in costs of maintenance work, for example a bottom job.

Haul, sand, 2 coats of Trinidad SR, re-launch. It costs $1800 today, $1500 in 2009, $1200 in 2006.

That's a rate of rise way ahead of inflation. The rate the yard charges is $110 an hour, and it was $92 in 2009.

Is this rate of rise normal in the industry, or just in California? What will work cost in another 10 years?

[olddog60]

Bottom job in Kemah, TX is now $1932 for 42 ft Bene.

[casey1999]

It seems like everthing is going up faster than inflation: Property taxes, Auto insurance, Home owners insurance, Car registration, water and sewer fees. It is hard on us working stiffs, but must be much harder on fixed income ederly folks, or the unemployed/under-employed.

[WouldaShoulda]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

Is this rate of rise normal in the industry, or just in California? What will work cost in another 10 years?

Wait until Cali bans every brand of bottom paint that actually works!!

[BubbleheadMd]

Uh, one of the big complaints in this country, is that pay hasn't kept pace with inflation, and the lower and middle classes are being left behind.

I feel that your costs have kept pace with, or perhaps even lagged inflation. Labor is expensive because the worker's housing, food and fuel costs have made huge leaps over the last 10 years. Sure, the yard is angling for a profit too, and their costs have gone up as well (electricity, overhead, facilities maintenance).

I feel your pain, but unless you're hiring illegal immigrants, this is the reality.

[kd3pc]

Originally Posted by WouldaShoulda

Wait until Cali bans every brand of bottom paint that actually works!!

see the latest on the copper research...seems the science is not quite as settled/accurate as some would have us believe. The Navy sure was not happy that San Diego had "issues" turns out that only a few of the diapers actually had leaching...

RBC provides this:

Presentation questions copper ban in California

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by BubbleheadMd

Uh, one of the big complaints in this country, is that pay hasn't kept pace with inflation, and the lower and middle classes are being left behind.

I feel that your costs have kept pace with, or perhaps even lagged inflation. Labor is expensive because the worker's housing, food and fuel costs have made huge leaps over the last 10 years. Sure, the yard is angling for a profit too, and their costs have gone up as well (electricity, overhead, facilities maintenance).

I feel your pain, but unless you're hiring illegal immigrants, this is the reality.

I have read that the overall inflation measure doesn't give a very accurate picture, as the economy has recently had the highest inflation in core costs (food, fuel) but the inflation measure is a broad average.

[kd3pc]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

I have read that the overall inflation measure doesn't give a very accurate picture, as the economy has recently had the highest inflation in core costs (food, fuel) but the inflation measure is a broad average.

OR, as with the CPI, they just swapped out the steaks for cheap burger in the 80's to make it look better...and in 2007 switched to chicken....

the best bet is to save a few grocery store tapes from this year and look at this time next year....

butter - up? Yep - Just 4 days ago – BUTTER HIGHLIGHTS: The current CME cash price of $1.6050 ... Early in 2011, the cash price increased to $2.1000 by January 7 and ...
Corn - up? Yep Feb 9, 2011 – Updated 2/14/2011 11:28:23 AM | ... Corn prices have almost doubled, from $3.49 a bushel in July to $6.10 in January.
Pbutter, yep that too....Oct 2011 Kraft (KFT, Fortune 500) will raise prices for its Planters brand peanut butter by 40% starting Monday, while ConAgra (CAG, Fortune 500) has instituted increases of more than 20% for its Peter Pan brand that went into effect this month. J.M. Smucker (SJM, Fortune 500), which makes Jif, will introduce price hikes of around 30% starting Tuesday.

I think the only thing we buy that has gone down in the past year was cranberry sauce.

Coke has gone from $2.30 a six pack for large bottles to $4 on sale at walmart... cans a tad cheaper...

You would think Americans would throw a fit like the farmers and truck drivers did with diesel a few years back...

but now it seems we all just take it!!!

[aeventyr60]

Not sure why you have to pay somebody to do your bottom paint job. A week ends work at most...then you'll have enough left over to buy some Skippy crunchy....

[CorvetteGuy]

Here in Canada the cost of a bottom job at the right club cost aboat $200 + 12 tall boys and some conversation with other members. The economy hits hard world wide but i guess some more than others...from a small town on a great lake..... cheers