Equipment tech salary Cancel The title field is required!

1. James Smith

   

   112 posts
   
   4/13/2012 2:04 PM

   After almost 10 years it seems like my equipment tech is going to retire. At age 70 I do not blame him I would too.
   
   So now I am asked by my board how much will another tech cost us per hour. In a way this surprised me because in the past they would always tell me what they are willing to pay and I would have to fit it in. Because of this I really have no clue what golf course equipment techs get paid per hour.
   
   Since I am at a smaller low budget course we do not have a large fleet to take care of and we try to maintain our equipment as best as possible. I like to believe that We get more years out of our equipment then other clubs and I do not keep junk.
   
   We do not offer insurance so I know this will run the salary range up some extent. can anyone give me an idea of what tech's are earning now/

   
   
   
   
2. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   4/13/2012 2:04 PM

   We are municipal and have good benefits, our pay range is $14.08 and tops out at $20.16. They actually top out higher then us superintendents.
   
   I don't have my last comp and benefit survey here at work to look at what La. is paying them but on this website, Asst. Super. were making mid to upper $30,000's.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
3. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   4/13/2012 3:04 PM

   The 2011 Compensation and Benefits Report from GCSAA lists Equipment Managers in Louisiana making a Mean salary of $36,086 and a median salary of $36,500. Or an average of $17.54/hour with 46% being salary.
   
   I have several mechanics that work for me now that wish they were making that, but, all also get full benefits to go along with it. So in the end, I'm paying about what the state average pay is, including benefits. My Equipment Manager that oversees all three courses including two shops and a very large fleet is the second highest paid person on the crew and with the pay comes more responsibility, skills and experience.
   
   In the end, you get what you pay for. An equipment tech making $12.00/hour may not be able to save the club money by being able to effectively troubleshoot and diagnose problems without purchasing and replacing parts. He also may not be able to reduce downtime or extend the life of the equipment with preventative maintenance. One with more experience and skills can, but also makes more money. If you can find the best of both worlds, great! If not, time to break out the wallet.

   
   
   
   
4. James Smith

   

   112 posts
   
   4/14/2012 5:04 AM

   I agree with the best of both worlds. My current tech was making about $13hr with full medical until a year ago when our club decided to cancel all full paid medical and only pay 50% or you could take the 50% they would pay and add it to your salary. He was costing us about 10 grand a year on insurance and was able to get medicare so he ended up with a better pay and still had insurance. He is great at trouble shooting and for the most part what he could not figure out I could so we worked well together. Really will miss him though.

   
   
   
   
5. Stephen Tucker

   

   0 posts
   
   4/15/2012 8:04 AM

   I would agree with Andy's assessment. You will find, I believe, when you start looking that their are not a lot of applicants like other positions you may hire for. While the unemployment rate is high equipment technicians can still find jobs and many times rather good ones. There is the occasions that you can pull a technician from another industry such as marine techs, automotive and such and with a bit of training and patience get them acclimated to our industry but if you are looking for seasoned technicians with experience they will cost you and rightly so. The job that is being asked is not one like being an automotive mechanic that may specialize in transmissions or engines its one that can specialize in welding, engines, cutting units, hydraulics, electrical, drive lines, sprayers and so on. I know of positions open now that pay 60k a year for an Equipment Manager and they are having a very tough time finding someone.
   I realize that this doesn't help much but hopefully gives some perspective on what you are up against. Obviously different areas of the country have different costs of living and pay rates but the equipment is not getting any less sophisticated and the more the technician knows the more he will be able to help save money for the club and help provide the conditions the members and guests want to see. At the end of the day you and your club have to decide what value that position holds and where that fits into the budget. You can only pay what your budget allows and the club can afford just realize that it could take some time to fill it.

   
   
   
   
6. Wahlin Scott B

   
   4/15/2012 11:04 AM

   These guys are the greatest. If it was me I would hire them to locate and train a mechanic. I hired them to set up my shop and train my mechanic and it was the best investment I ever made in my career. If you get behind, they can also get you caught up in a hurry.
   
   http://www.expressreel.com/

   
   
   
   
7. Dinger Greg

   
   4/15/2012 12:04 PM

   Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: These guys are the greatest. If it was me I would hire them to locate and train a mechanic. I hired them to set up my shop and train my mechanic and it was the best investment I ever made in my career. If you get behind, they can also get you caught up in a hurry.
   
   http://www.expressreel.com/

   
   
   
   Interesting site.... relief grinding $90-150/reel, before a bearing/roller/seal is ever replaced or HOC finetuned.
   
   Now consider a tech hired to protect the company's investment in it's equipment fleet. If you hire the "right" person, he eventually have intricate knowledge of your facility, practices/procedures etc. He'll be able to fill in just about anywhere in a pinch, troubleshoot, PM, etc etc etc... AND, properly equipped, can probably grind and set 1-2 cutting units an hour.
   
   What's this person worth to you?

   
   
   
   
8. Wahlin Scott B

   
   4/15/2012 12:04 PM

   Greg Dinger said:

   Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: These guys are the greatest. If it was me I would hire them to locate and train a mechanic. I hired them to set up my shop and train my mechanic and it was the best investment I ever made in my career. If you get behind, they can also get you caught up in a hurry.
   
   http://www.expressreel.com/

   
   
   
   Interesting site.... relief grinding $90-150/reel, before a bearing/roller/seal is ever replaced or HOC finetuned.
   
   Now consider a tech hired to protect the company's investment in it's equipment fleet. If you hire the "right" person, he eventually have intricate knowledge of your facility, practices/procedures etc. He'll be able to fill in just about anywhere in a pinch, troubleshoot, PM, etc etc etc... AND, properly equipped, can probably grind and set 1-2 cutting units an hour.
   
   What's this person worth to you?

   
   
   When I was an apprentice I asked my superintendent how much do you pay a mechanic? He answered, "As much as it takes." I am a certified mechanic, but being a mechanic is like playing a sport. If you do not do it regularly you lose it. One thing about hiring an outside company to do mechanical repairs, the moment they stop working is the moment they stop getting paid.

   
   
   
   
9. Kenneth Meals

   

   2 posts
   
   4/15/2012 6:04 PM

   The main factor is location of the course, my brother and I are both Equipment Managers. We live in 2 different areas completely, the cost of living is way different and the salaries are different. In his location no average course would pay the amount that is being paid in my location for Equipment Managers. If I made his salary where I'm at I couldn't afford the rent. Try to find out the average salary of Equipment Managers in your area. It will vary depending on the expectation of the course and responsibilities of the position.

   
   
   
   
10. Wahlin Scott B

    
    4/16/2012 10:04 AM

    Also, the guy who sold us our SIP Grinder was awesome about training the guys to use it. I sold that grinder for a couple years and it is great especially considering factory training that comes with it. Greg Norman bought two.
    
    http://www.sipgrinder.com/