The people we know best
Not a promise that one named person is sitting on a shelf. This is the work Engine Rocks is built around: contract mechanical design, PLC, commissioning, maintenance project cover and the documentation that stops a handover turning into folklore.
Discipline
Practical
Rate stamps show typical contractor pay before Engine Rocks margin.
Mechanical
£36 to £48/hrFixture design, tooling, guarding, conveyor mods and drawings a fabricator can actually price.
Mechanical
£38 to £52/hrSpecial purpose machinery detail work, frame layouts, guarding and mechanism changes during build.
Electrical CAD
£38 to £50/hrPanel drawings, terminal schedules, cable numbering and as-built tidy-up after a rushed install.
PLC
£45 to £62/hrSoftware mods, HMI screens, drives, Profinet faults and support for automation cells under pressure.
PLC
£48 to £62/hrCompactLogix and ControlLogix support for production changes, breakdown patterns and line moves.
Controls
£45 to £58/hrServo tuning, inverter changes, motion diagnostics and support where mechanical and electrical faults overlap.
Commissioning
£46 to £60/hrStart-up, I/O checks, snag lists, operator handover and client-side calm when a machine is late.
Commissioning
£44 to £58/hrSupport for conveyors, packing kit, washdown areas and hygiene-sensitive handover windows.
Maintenance
£36 to £52/hrBacklog engineering, planned shutdown tasks, line moves and contractor supervision beside a stretched team.
Maintenance
£40 to £55/hrShort cover for electrical faults, panels, sensors, drives and planned work where agency temps are too general.
Documentation
£34 to £46/hrManuals, spares lists, risk assessment support and CE or UKCA file tidy-up for machinery handover.
Mechanical
£40 to £54/hrFactory layouts, access platforms, pipe routes, utilities interfaces and install packs for cramped plants.
No cards match those filters. Email hello@enginerocks.com and Hannah will tell you if the brief is close enough to search properly.
Comparison ledger
| Role type | Typical lead time | Minimum contract | Client setup needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical design | 2 working days for shortlist | 4 weeks | CAD version, drawing standards, site access, approval route |
| Controls or PLC | 3 working days for shortlist | 4 weeks | PLC stack, laptop or licence plan, backup files, safe access |
| Commissioning | 3 to 10 days when scope is clear | 4 weeks | FAT or SAT dates, snag ownership, travel and digs agreement |
| Maintenance cover | 24 hours attempted for signed clients | 4 weeks | Shift pattern, permits, safety induction, named supervisor |
| Documentation | 1 to 3 weeks | 4 weeks | Source drawings, BOMs, image access, handover standard |
What is not kept in stock
Engine Rocks does not chase general labouring, warehouse picking, security guarding, visa sponsorship campaigns or safety-critical nuclear, defence and rail work where clearances cannot be verified. The business is narrow by choice, because a vague “industrial person” is not the same thing as a contract engineer you can put near a live line.
Email A Real Brief