Tuning price

[Aart in America Piano Services]

Hi All.

$120.00 in Hoboken NJ. Soon to go up to $135.00. Hoboken is one mile 
square on the Hudson River, densely populated and NO place to park, No 
mass transit. Taxis are $7 in town and if you go to the neighboring 
cities that are spitting distance away the fair jumps to $15 to $20. 
Last week I got a $45 dollar ticket and almost a boot. (immobilizes 
your wheel, cost about $120.00 to have City Hall remove)  My customer's 
wife insisted her husband pay my ticket. much appreciated, however I 
think the husband was none too happy. (the wife did advise me it was OK 
to park in front of her home) A parking permit in the next town (Jersey 
City) is $250.00 per year. A parking permit is needed for each town
in Hudson County. ( Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken, Union 
City, North Bergen, Secaucus, West New York, and Kearny) Plus the cost 
of renting my shop. Let's not forget the gas prices. Most customer's 
pianos require some repairs before tuning so I must always have my tool 
box with me. I will however, make minor repairs and adjustments at no 
additional charge.
So I have no choice but to raise my rates, however I will give a 
discount to customers and studios who book multiple tunings. I have to 
cover my expenses and pay my bills.

My best to all and good luck.

Aart M.
Hoboken NJ

On Jun 21, 2005, at 8:24 AM, Michael Gamble wrote:

> Hello David and Listers
> Right you are to rant. I recall someone on the List saying the other 
> day he went 80miles only to be turned away by the Hubby. No-one seems 
> yet to have brought car mileage, maintenance, insurance, depreciation 
> etc. into the equation so far.
> You guys go long distances and boil in the sun doing it - to get 
> peanuts for that is ludicrous isn't it! Here in the UK my furthest is 
> about half-an-hour drive away. I get a fair number in the vicinity and 
> then head home. The London guys have the parking and inner London 
> driving bans to contend with. Even Bluthners told me the other day 
> they frequently have a ticket just off-loading or on-loading pianos at 
> their premises off Berkeley Square. All this is COST to the business 
> and must be reflected in the charge PLUS the time it takes to do the 
> job. For myself I reckon on £40 to £45 an hour. Tuning takes about 50 
> minutes or 90 minutes if it's a pitch raise (using my Quadrant System 
> - it is very speedy) So I get home after about three or four tunings 
> with £160 (plus parts!) have lunch and take the rest of the day off. 
> Don't know off-hand what the rate of exchange is but simply multiply 
> by 2 gives an approximation in $. I used to tune 8 - 10 pianos a day - 
> but I'm trying to take it easy now as my pre-war status dictates. (I 
> don't mean the Boer War!)
> Regards from a Sunny Sussex-on-Sea and Sports Day at the School this 
> afternoon. Take the Video Camera.....
> Michael G.(UK)
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Andersen" 
> <david@davidandersenpianos.com>
> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 7:35 AM
> Subject: Re: Tuning price
>
>
>> So I thought I was gonna just let this one go, shock everybody with 
>> my high
>> LA prices, and leave it at that, but I can't.  Thank you, Brad Smith, 
>> for
>> saying eloquently what I'm going to say a little more forcefully.
>>
>> Most of us have an unbelievably varied and custom skillset; we are 
>> honest,
>> and careful, and do the best job we can; why the HELL do some of us 
>> persist
>> in thinking we're not as worthy as the plumber or the cable guy of 
>> getting
>> paid what we're worth?  Fifty bucks for 60-90 minutes of focused, 
>> difficult,
>> custom professional work? That's pathetic, in Minot, ND, or anywhere 
>> else.
>> $91.00 in London or Amsterdam is pathetic. Can I vent?
>>
>> We have spent our entire history as piano artisans, by and large,
>> undervaluing our skills and work; I see it all over; if I hear another
>> pianotech tell me they can't charge any more because people don't 
>> really
>> give a s**t, or can't hear the difference, or whatever excuse they 
>> come up
>> with, I think I'll throw up. I work my a** off to do the highest 
>> quality
>> work, provide my customers with beauty and enjoyment, educate them, 
>> and
>> allow them to relax and trust that they will be taken care of.  How 
>> much is
>> that worth?
>>
>> I heard a guy teaching a class at a national convention say that a 
>> pair of
>> pliers that cost maybe $60 was the most expensive tool he ever 
>> bought, and
>> that he just can't see spending money on tools for "just pianos."
>> What can I say? What if your doctor felt that way?  Or your 
>> accountant?
>> Or your gardener, for God's sake?  Wake up, ladies and gentlemen.
>> You need to take care of your families and get paid what you're worth.
>>
>> You caught me in a cranky, preachy mood....rrrrrrrr.
>>
>> David Andersen
>>
>>
>
>
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