Rate Structure

At Sarah’s Shipshape Services, we believe in transparency, fair pricing, and clear communication—starting with our rates. Our work is tailored, thoughtful, and meticulous. We are not a yard or a volume-based operation. We’re a specialized, mobile marine electrical service focused on quality, safety, and long-term reliability.

We bill by the hour, with separate rates depending on which member of our team is performing the work. This allows us to give accurate estimates based on real labor hours, and ensures that you see exactly where your investment is going.

Lead Electrician – $230/hour

Sarah Scott, founder and lead technician, is ABYC and Victron certified with over a decade of experience. This rate applies to all work Sarah performs—whether she’s troubleshooting a complex issue, designing a lithium battery system, or installing components by hand.

Even during hands-on installation tasks, Sarah is continuously holding the full system architecture in mind—making design decisions in real time that affect performance, safety, and longevity. Every hour of her work reflects a combination of skilled craftsmanship, advanced technical knowledge, and total responsibility for the outcome of the system.

Junior Technician – $120/hour

Erinn Floyd is a developing marine electrician who performs technical installation work under Sarah’s direction. Her tasks include cable prep, routing, mounting, labeling, and other hands-on aspects of system implementation. She is not yet responsible for diagnostics, design, or independent troubleshooting.

When Erinn is working independently or alongside Sarah, her time is billed at $120/hour.

How Labor Is Billed When We Work Together

When Sarah and Erinn are both working on your boat at the same time, you will see both of their hours billed separately on your invoice:

• Sarah’s time is billed at $230/hour

• Erinn’s time is billed at $120/hour

So for one hour of simultaneous work, the combined labor cost will be $350. However, we do not bundle this into a single “team rate.” Instead, we itemize each person’s time to provide clarity and transparency.

This also allows us to estimate projects based on actual labor hours, rather than compressing the numbers to fit a flat team rate. For example, if a lithium install takes 80 labor hours—40 from Sarah and 40 from Erinn—that’s exactly what we quote and bill.

Example Estimate

• 12 hours Sarah @ $230/hr = $2,760

• 10 hours Erinn @ $120/hr = $1,200

• Total labor: $3,960

Additional Costs

In addition to hourly labor, the following charges may apply:

• Travel: $1.50/mile each direction from South Lake Union

• Parts: Retail pricing for components supplied by us

• Sales Tax: Based on the location where work is performed

• Transit Fees: Parking, ferry fares, and mileage for parts runs

• Lodging: For projects 50+ miles from Seattle, if overnight accommodations are required and not provided by the client

If you have any questions about our rates or how they apply to your project, we’re happy to walk you through it. Clear communication is part of what makes a system truly shipshape.