MarginWorkshopCrew Mix Economics (Apprentice vs. Journeyman)
Sending an apprentice-journeyman team costs more in raw labor than a journeyman alone, but frees up the journeyman's time. See the real breakeven, not just the hourly-rate difference.
Cost delta at other time-savings levels
| Scenario | Team labor cost | Cost delta | Net value of team |
|---|---|---|---|
| No time saved (0 hrs) | $315 | $120 | -$120 |
| 1 hour faster | $262.5 | $67.5 | -$22.5 |
| 2 hours faster | $210 | $15 | $75 |
| 3 hours faster | $157.5 | -$37.5 | $172.5 |
| 4 hours faster | $105 | -$90 | $270 |
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Next Decision
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Methodology
Formula: solo labor cost = solo hours × journeyman rate. Team labor cost = team hours × (journeyman rate + apprentice rate). If you enter what the journeyman's freed-up time is worth elsewhere, we also compute the net value of sending the team: the dollar value of the hours saved, minus the extra labor cost of running two people instead of one.
Assumption: apprentice loaded rates commonly run 40%-55% of journeyman scale. A two-person team almost always costs more in raw labor dollars than a solo journeyman, the real decision is whether the freed-up time is worth more than that gap, not whether the team is "cheaper" on paper.
Limitation: doesn't account for apprentice training value (a slower job today can mean a faster, more capable apprentice on future jobs), only the immediate labor-cost and time tradeoff for this one job.