Overview
Machine repair is sold for getting the production line back on, and the diagnostic is the line that decides everything
Machine repair is the trade called when a production line stops. The customer is the maintenance team, the line manager, or sometimes the operator phoning the contractor's emergency line. The clock starts ticking the moment the machine stops, and the contractor's value is the speed of diagnosis plus the depth of mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic knowledge to actually fix it. A flat 'machine repair, $180/hr' quote without naming the diagnostic process, the parts sourcing route, and the commissioning test gives the customer no view on whether the repair will hold for a shift or for a year.
QuoteGenio gives machine repair contractors a quoting shape that fits emergency and planned work. Emergency call-out with the response time committed, diagnostic and root-cause analysis as the first chargeable line, parts at supplier price (with critical spares available immediately and longer-lead items quoted with the wait), labour by hour at the right competence level, rebuild or replacement options with the recommendation, commissioning and a 24-hour observation run, and a follow-up service or planned-maintenance proposal. Send via WhatsApp from the workshop or the customer's site, take card payment for emergency call-outs, raise progress invoices for bigger rebuilds, and the final invoice closes with the line running and a service record for the asset.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for machine repair specialists fixing production equipment in the workshop or on the plant floor.
The problem
The quoting problems every machine repair shop knows
Diagnostic time, parts sourcing, and repair labour all need different pricing logic. Verbal quotes get challenged the moment the invoice lands.
Diagnostic time gets given away free
You spend two hours stripping a gearbox to confirm the fault, then forget to bill for it because the repair quote came afterwards. That margin is gone.
Parts mark-up causes invoice disputes
Without a clear mark-up policy on the quote, clients challenge every parts line at invoice stage. You spend hours defending pricing instead of fixing machines.
Verbal repair quotes get rejected
Plant managers need a written number to raise a PO. A phone-call estimate gets second-guessed and the job goes to the shop with the cleanest paperwork.
The fix
QuoteGenio fixes that
A structured quoting workflow that splits diagnostic time, repair labour, and parts mark-up into clean lines that get accepted faster.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for machine repair
Line items for diagnostic, strip-down, parts, repair labour, reassembly, and test-run. Structured the way machine shops actually work.
Visible parts mark-up
Apply a clear mark-up policy on every parts line. Procurement accepts it because they can see what they're paying for.
Works from the workshop
Build and send a professional quote from your phone or workshop laptop in under 5 minutes.
Professional every time
Your logo, your terms, your VAT line. Every quote looks like it came from a workshop that runs serious industrial accounts.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how machine repair actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Machine Repair choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Machine Repair build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Machine Repair job pricing
A rough guide to what machine repair shops charge for common scopes. Pricing varies by machine type, tolerance requirements, and whether the work happens in your workshop or on the client's plant. Use these as a sanity check when building your own rates, not as fixed numbers.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic and strip-down (per hour) | R1,570 - R2,975 |
| Workshop repair labour (per hour) | R1,405 - R2,727 |
| On-site machine repair labour (per hour) | R1,818 - R3,636 |
| Gearbox overhaul (small to mid) | R29,749 - R107,426 |
| Hydraulic pump rebuild | R19,832 - R79,330 |
| CNC spindle service and alignment | R39,665 - R157,007 |
| Parts mark-up (typical workshop policy) | R1,240 - R2,479 |
Pricing converted from USD to ZAR at indicative rates. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
Workshop repair labour typically runs R1,405 to R2,727 per hour. On-site machine repair carries a 25 to 50 percent premium for mobilisation, tool transport, and lost workshop time. Always show on-site labour as its own line so the client understands the difference.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use hourly pricing (R1,405 to R3,636) for diagnostic, strip-down, and unscoped repair work. Use fixed pricing for known overhauls like gearbox rebuilds, pump services, and spindle work. Always quote diagnostic as billable whether or not the repair goes ahead.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here's what a clean machine repair quote looks like. Diagnostic, parts (with visible mark-up), workshop labour, on-site reinstall, and the test-run are all separate lines. Procurement accepts it faster because every cost answers a question before they have to ask.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Hydraulic pump rebuild and reinstall, on-site
Diagnostic and strip-down (workshop)
Replacement pump cartridge
Seal kit and bearings (with 25% mark-up)
Workshop rebuild labour
On-site reinstall and commissioning
Test-run and sign-off
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic and strip-down (workshop) | 3 | R2,314 / hr | R6,941 |
| Replacement pump cartridge | 1 | R27,270 | R27,270 |
| Seal kit and bearings (with 25% mark-up) | 1 | R7,933 | R7,933 |
| Workshop rebuild labour | 6 | R2,066 / hr | R12,395 |
| On-site reinstall and commissioning | 4 | R3,057 / hr | R12,230 |
| Test-run and sign-off | 1 | R3,636 | R3,636 |
| Subtotal | R70,405 | ||
| Tax (10%) | R7,041 | ||
| Total incl. tax | R77,446 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
Strip-down time as a paid diagnostic, freight on inbound and outbound parts, exchange-unit deposits, second trip if a part is back-ordered, the test-run after reinstall, and the standby hour during first production. Add these to your repair template once and you'll stop absorbing them.
Peer snapshot
How Machine Repair actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Machine Repair on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
27
Quotes sent per month
47%
Average quote acceptance
3 min
Median time to send quote
R77,446
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Machine Repair jobs like this, free
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Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of machine repair shops. The same diagnostic and parts mark-up mistakes come up again and again. Fix these and you'll protect your margin on every job that hits the workshop floor.
Mistake: Giving away diagnostic time
Better: Quote diagnostic and strip-down as a paid hourly line, billable whether or not the repair proceeds. State this on the quote so there is no expectation of free assessment.
Mistake: Hiding parts mark-up
Better: State the mark-up policy on the quote (15 to 35 percent typical). Visible mark-up gets accepted; hidden mark-up causes invoice disputes that cost you the client.
Mistake: Same hourly rate for workshop and on-site
Better: Charge a 25 to 50 percent premium for on-site repair labour to cover mobilisation, tool transport, and lost workshop time. Show it as a separate line.
Mistake: Forgetting freight and exchange-unit deposits
Better: Inbound parts freight and exchange-unit deposits are real costs. List them on the quote so they don't bleed your margin when the supplier invoice lands.
Mistake: No test-run line on the quote
Better: Always quote the test-run and sign-off as a separate line. It's the most important hour of the job, and it deserves its own paid time.
Mistake: Verbal scope changes mid-repair
Better: If a strip-down reveals more damage, issue a variation quote on the spot using QuoteGenio. Get it accepted via the online link before you order extra parts.
Mistake: No expiry on parts pricing
Better: Set a 14 day validity on machine repair quotes. Imported parts and exchange units move in price often, and an open-ended quote can wipe your margin overnight.
Mistake: No follow-up after sending the quote
Better: Most quotes that don't close, don't close because nobody followed up. Send a polite check-in 48 hours after the quote lands, and a second nudge at day 7. Two of every three accepted quotes get there because someone followed up.
Step by step
How to quote machine repair jobs
Run a proper diagnostic and strip-down before you quote a repair, because the number of machine repairs that turn out to be different or worse than the reported fault is close to 100 percent. On workshop jobs book the machine onto the bench and log the diagnostic hours against a paid line from the start; on on-site work carry a full diagnostic toolkit (vibration, thermography, micrometer, bore gauge) and log the time against a mobilisation line. Photograph every worn component, measure bore wear, coupling wear, and shaft runout, and check manufacturer service bulletins for the model and serial, because OEM-superseded parts can turn a $ 480 seal kit into a $ 2,400 conversion if the original part is obsolete.
Itemise repair quotes so procurement sees exactly where their money goes. Show diagnostic and strip-down at $ 95 to $ 180 per hour as its own line, billable whether or not the rebuild proceeds, with the policy stated in writing on the quote. Split workshop repair labour ($ 85 to $ 165 per hour) from on-site repair labour ($ 110 to $ 220 per hour, carrying a 25 to 50 percent mobilisation premium for tool transport and lost workshop time). List every part with visible mark-up (15 to 35 percent typical, higher on imported or exchange units carrying exchange-rate and warranty risk), show freight on inbound and outbound parts as separate lines, and add exchange-unit deposits where offered. Always quote a test-run and sign-off line even if it is only one hour, because the test is the most important hour of the job.
Set a 14 day validity on every repair quote because imported parts, exchange units, and seal kit suppliers move on price with the exchange rate, and an open-ended quote can wipe your margin overnight. State the mark-up policy in writing on the quote so it is accepted at acceptance rather than challenged at invoice stage. Take a 30 to 50 percent deposit on parts-heavy rebuilds at acceptance to cover supplier orders, because machine repair cash flow is destroyed by customers who accept the quote, wait for you to buy $ 3,000 of parts, then pay 60 days after collection. On warranty, offer 6 to 12 months on workshop labour and pass-through of OEM warranties on replacement parts, with the conditions stated on the quote.
Email the branded PDF to the plant engineer and the procurement contact the same day you complete the diagnostic, because machine downtime costs the client thousands per hour of lost production and the workshop with the fastest written number usually gets the PO. For on-site repairs build the quote on your phone at the bench and share it as a WhatsApp link before you leave the plant. Follow up with a short call after two working days if the PO has not landed, offering to walk through the mark-up or the parts list line by line. On strip-down scope changes (a scored bore revealed after the initial diagnostic, for example) issue a variation quote on the spot, get written acceptance through the online link before ordering extra parts, and convert the accepted quote to an invoice the moment the machine runs and signs off.
FAQ
Common questions from machine repair shops
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. Add diagnostic and strip-down as their own hourly line, billable whether or not the repair goes ahead. State the policy on the quote so there is no expectation of free assessment.
Yes. Use the line description and notes field to state your mark-up policy. Some shops show parts at a single rate (cost plus mark-up baked in), others show cost and mark-up separately. QuoteGenio handles either.
Yes. QuoteGenio works on your phone or workshop laptop. Build and send a professional quote in under 5 minutes without leaving the bench.
Yes. Every quote has a unique public link. The client accepts it on their phone, which gives you written approval before you order parts or start the rebuild.
Yes. Convert any accepted quote to an invoice with one click. All line items carry across, which keeps the billing clean even on multi-week rebuilds.
Yes. The free plan gives you 5 quotes and 2 invoices per month with no credit card required. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited quotes, invoices, statements, and reports.
Quote per hour for diagnostic, strip-down, and unscoped fault-finding. Quote per job (fixed) for known overhauls like gearbox rebuilds, pump services, and spindle work where you have done the same scope dozens of times. Mixing both on the same quote is normal and procurement teams expect it.
Most workshops apply 15 to 35 percent on parts to cover sourcing, freight, payment terms with suppliers, and the risk of holding stock. State the policy on the quote so there are no surprises at invoice stage. Higher mark-up is justified on imported parts and exchange units where you carry exchange-rate and warranty risk.
Issue a variation quote on the spot using QuoteGenio. A strip-down often reveals more damage than the diagnostic suggested, and procurement teams expect a fresh number once the machine is open. Get the variation accepted via the online link before ordering extra parts so the invoice never gets challenged.
Yes. On-site labour typically carries a 25 to 50 percent premium over workshop labour because you lose workshop capacity, transport tools, deal with site access, and work in a less efficient environment. Show on-site labour as its own line so the client understands the difference.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
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Guides
Guides for Machine Repair
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
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