Refractories, Furnace Linings & Foundry Consumables worked example

Patch Repair Cost at 58% billable share of patch work: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop billable share of patch work to 58%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Patch Repair Cost totals what a batch of refractory patch repairs actually costs, combining the number of patches, the material-plus-labor rate per patch, a capture factor for the portion that is billable or effectively worked, and a fixed mobilization cost that applies once per job.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Number of patch repairs performed: 100 units (held at the documented default)
  • Refractory material and labor cost per patch: 45 $ / unit (held at the documented default)
  • Billable share of patch work (capture factor): 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)
  • Fixed mobilization and setup cost: 250 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Patch Repair Cost cost = quantity × rate × capture factor + fixed cost.
  • Weighted cost works out to 2,860 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Per piece value works out to 28.6 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Captured value works out to 2,610 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed adjustment works out to 250 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where billable share of patch work sits at 80% and the headline result is 3,850 $, this scenario comes in 25.71% below the baseline at 2,860 $.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to billable share of patch work, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. The capture factor is a single blended percentage; if some patches are far cheaper or costlier than others, a flat rate hides that spread and the per-piece figure will mislead.

Results at a glance

  • Weighted cost: 2,860 $ (headline result)
  • Per piece value: 28.6 $ / piece
  • Captured value: 2,610 $
  • Fixed adjustment: 250 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Patch Repair Cost calculator, set billable share of patch work to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.