Mechanics tool allowance

[RedF]

I'm doing some research for work.

How many of you in "the trade" get a tool allowance, and if so please elaborate as to dollar figures and guidelines.

Furthermore, what good reason is there for (or against) a tool allowance?

 

[ladrones]

My past employer gave 500.00 per annum for tools and an interest free loan of up to 2000.00 that could be paid back in bi-weekly payments and could be used at any tool truck or vendor.

 

[Hpozzuoli]

Back when we had our gas station we had 2 other mechanics that were not family. We gave them $100 per month or $1200 per year. We supplied the heavy stuff like welders, torch set up, and some specialty stuff. We also supplied uniforms and had them cleaned weekly.

 

[Nortonscustom]

The last plant I worked at would reimburse 5% of your tool cost a year. 100% for safety items and boots.

The outfit I'm with now will extend a $300 interest free line of credit for tools. And reimburse 75% on boots and outerwear.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I get nada. I've never know or heard of anyone who has had the shop help with tools.



Racks, press, tire machines, air supply, basic nuts and bolts, cotter pins, a crummy scan tool, etc. most shops will supply.



Most shops have way too high of a turn over rate. Imagine if I took out a loan from my employer, spent 2k on tools, and then quit the next day. I don't make 2k a week, so they'd be under water. I do support PAYING mechanics a reasonable wage with the understanding that they are supplying their own equipment.

 

[countryroad82]

I voted yes that I do get an allowance. But it's sorta an allowance, I have free reign to buy what I want anytime I need as long as it is in reason. Say if I need to buy an axle socket, I will go buy one. For my job I won't buy truck brands due to I won't abuse the system but in the past I have bought truck brands because nothing else will do, like my tap and die set. I do however buy SK when I can for my truck, not the shop, too many sticky fingers in my shop and I only have a community box not one of my own. I know many guys that have an allowance and it's great as they get thier tools bought free and clear.

 

[Haveblue]

nope. Uniforms are paid for, and the shop supplies the heavy equipment. I cant really complain though, because we are a NAPA auto care center, so I can charge tools interest free to my account with a 20% discount. You have to work there a few years before they take off the finance charge.

 

[Fedwrench]

When I worked for the city, techs would get $600 a year as a tool allowance. The only downside was that they took taxes out of it. However, no receipts were required, no one checked to see if you even bought tools for that matter.
My current employer provides all tools and equipment.

 

[jethro29]

no tool allowance here,but enough compensation to allow the necessary tool needs.

 

[crewchief888]

last dealership i worked at our safety award was paid directly to a tool truck
if i recall it was $50/quarter, and an added $100 at the end of the year if you stayed accident free for 12 months.

current dealership i'm at, our safety rewards are paid via a visa gift card @ $75/quarter.

 

[chris142]

ive never worked where we got a tool alowance.my employer wont even buy the needed scanners,abs,tpms or even an aldata subscription

 

[RV77]

I voted yes but Im not sure how much we get per year.Its figured into our contract and was there when I started...15 years ago.

We buy hand tools etc.. and they supply A/C machine,axle sockets/Laptop,scanner etc..

However there is only six of us and we are provided uniforms and a clothing allowance ( Carrhart stuff/ Boots ).Also in the event of fire or theft...they will replace everything.
Fortunately we havent needed that one.

 

[toyoguy81]

Tool allowance???? LOL whats that??

 

[56FordGuy]

The company will buy some specific stuff we need, scanners and special sockets. It's left up to the techs to provide our own boots and all the other tools. No tool allowance, but the pay is fair.

 

[Alienbaby17]

At our shop we have no tool allowance. However like lots of others reported the shop does buy the heavy equipment, scanners, and often specialty tools for certain jobs.

Example: around a year ago we had a BMW X5 that needed head work done to it. The job was going to pay around $2000 to the shop however the job was only going to pay the mechanic around $250 to do it. The job also required a nearly $500 specialty tool to do the repair. There was no way the mechanic was going to buy that tool to do that job. He would have been just as happy to send them down the road and not do it all. So the shop paid for the tool to do the work. Part of the shops thinking was that once we own the tool we could do this repair on other BMWs and eventually come out ahead. One year later it's still sitting in the box collecting dust. I'll buy my daily use tools but no way would I buy a tool like that to lose money on a job.

 

[Rossco]

You guys get a raw deal.

I get 60% back on new purchases and 100% replacement cost, that is a total of the bill including tax. This goes on my cheque as a tax free benefit as I've already paid tax hummmm

Anything over say $1000 for instance needs to be authorized prior to purchase.

The total celing amount annually is $15'000

The company supplies allot of tools as well, all air tools, 3/4 drive and up.

When I worked for CAT they supplied all the tools. CAT tools, its part of the OEM standard of repair required by CAT dealers to provide warranty, PIP's and PSP programs.

Maybe some of you need to look for other employment ..

 

[CJM8515]

Shop buys all the heavy equipment and you supply your own tools. But since we run service trucks mostly its not to bad. ive had the same set of tools for eons, just this past 3 months have I finally had to replace a few things cause they wore out or I lost them. Someone got a stanley 1/4 ratchet and 10mm socket in there car the other day...

 

[Onyx Cobra]

I have just started as an adult apprentice -
My employer gives each Technician a weekly tool allowance in our pay
I have just bought my tool kit (through dealership interest free on their trade account - take as long as I like to pay it off - within reason)

Federal Govt gives each apprentice Tools for your Trade allowance - $800 after 3 months then at the completion of each year of apprenticeship a "bonus" (tax free) of between $1000, and $1500 to buy additional tools- total investment by them is $5,500 across the apprenticeship!

Not to shabby at all!

M@

 

[RedF]

You guys get a raw deal.

I get 60% back on new purchases and 100% replacement cost, that is a total of the bill including tax. This goes on my cheque as a tax free benefit as I've already paid tax hummmm

Anything over say $1000 for instance needs to be authorized prior to purchase.

The total celing amount annually is $15'000

The company supplies allot of tools as well, all air tools, 3/4 drive and up.

When I worked for CAT they supplied all the tools. CAT tools, its part of the OEM standard of repair required by CAT dealers to provide warranty, PIP's and PSP programs.

Maybe some of you need to look for other employment ..

If you don't mind me asking, who do you work for? I presume you are in Alberta as well. PM me if you would prefer not to advertise.

 

[monomach]

Zilch. Zero. Nada.

I've worked for three dealerships in my time, none gave any tool allowance.

 

[shaune]

Aviation trade.....I get $500 per year but it is taxed. No monitors on what you are purchasing. Hangar buys any specialty stuff or big items. $100 per year for boot allowance and hangar supplies coveralls and a cleaning service.

 

[AndrewV]

Not a damn thing.
Unless the service manager lets us grab scrap, but never has.

 

[JD6619A]

Zero.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Not a damn thing.
Unless the service manager lets us grab scrap, but never has.

We could actually get fired over that when I worked for Mr Tire. How pathetic is that lol

Never had an allowance. Mr Tire allowed us to buy whatever we wanted through the company and they took it out over 10 checks. Say I could buy a $1000 welder, and they took $100 every two weeks.

I brought most of my stuff off the trucks. I brought disposable tools from the company.

 

[adblink]

millwright in the food industry. Get $400/year, but has to be approved by the manager and proof has to be shown.

 

[AndrewV]

Why do you guys need a tool allowance? Can't you write off the cost of tools as a business expense?

It only goes so far, tax wise($5k a year, and $1.5k returned with clothes, expendables not included) is ****. Tracked allowence, or any would benefit them.
I have $20k in tools, and it's on my back for specialty tools, to make me, and the company money. They could pitch in at least $50 a month, and mabey we'll do a job that covers the cost of future jobs. Smart buisness wise, teribble lack of oversite on them.

 

[AndrewV]

We could actually get fired over that when I worked for Mr Tire. How pathetic is that lol

Never had an allowance. Mr Tire allowed us to buy whatever we wanted through the company and they took it out over 10 checks. Say I could buy a $1000 welder, and they took $100 every two weeks.

I brought most of my stuff off the trucks. I brought disposable tools from the company.

Same here, we have a corprate approved scrapper, i've seen 2 times in 4 yrs. More **** gets stolen than scrapped by them. We sit it outside, in barrels. Why can't we take it?

 

[dtt454]

0.30 cents per billable hour. they keep it in an account and when you buy something from wherever you want, you turn in the receipt and they write a check. you dont pay taxes on it that way and dont have to fool with trying to claim it on tax return.

 

[rowerwet]

Aviation Industry- my employer gives us a new pair of red wing boots each year (steel toe), and pays all but $3 a week for uniforms from the worst uniform co. I've ever dealt with (unifirst).
When I first started 9 years ago they paid to have tool solutions depreciate our tools for us to give us a nice tax break. The check from TS was tax free and about 1/3 of my income. after two years I was the last guy on the program and they dropped it
One way they will pay, if I'm on a trip to fix an broken plane and need any tool to get the job done they will reimburse me for it, so far both times I kept the tool.

 

[Bruce57]

No tool allowance. We get uniforms paid and boot allowance. The company has tools you can use, but I prefer my own.

 

[j-guenth]

Worked at a city garage in Illinois - Mechanics were receiving $70 a month to upgrade their tools.

 

[RedF]

Thanks for the input thus far gents! Keep it coming.

 

[Forest Road]

I work for an electric power company. They buy all of our tools and uniforms.