Grand Regulation Fee

[Alan Barnard]

I use Joe Garrett's work estimating book (PTG publishes a similar booklet)
similar to the Chilton estimating manual car techs and body shops use. This
is based on the time an average experienced tech can do an average job,
etc., so might be fudged for special circumstances. I just multiply the
hours by my shop rate, whether I'm in the shop or the customer site.
Especially in the early years, I always took longer than the book said but
felt it was only fair to NOT penalize the customer for my inexperience and
learning curve. I don't know how accurate the book estimates are, but they
seem about right. Joe would probably appreciate feedback from "old hands"
if they felt anything was out of line.

To get it right and not cheat yourself, I've painfully learned, means to
take more time preparing the estimate because surprises invariably pop
up--like the time I quoted a flat rate on a grand action only to find that
I had a great deal of repinning to do. I'd rather not have to "sell" the
job twice and it's nasty for customer relations, so I've ended up eating
the fees I SHOULD have charged for surprises I SHOULD have found before
quoting the job.

Nice to see you in KC! 

Alan Barnard
Salem, Missouri


> [Original Message]
> From: Ray T. Bentley <ray@bentley.net>
> To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: 06/21/2005 9:48:47 AM
> Subject: RE: Grand Regulation Fee
>
> Since it's impossible in every case to estimate how many hours it would
> take, then how to you write a proposal and get it approved by an
> organization such as a church or school?  I've been doing a flat rate
> for years.  Each client gets a piano action that is much improved,
> though each action requires something different in the shop.  It all
> comes out in the wash for me, some more difficult, and some easier.  But
> each client receives the benefit of a better performing piano.  How do
> others approach this situation?
>
> Ray
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Ray T. Bentley, RPT
> Registered Piano Tuner-Technician
> Alton, IL
> ray@bentley.net
> www.ray.bentley.net
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On
> Behalf Of David Love
> Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 9:17 AM
> To: 'Pianotech'
> Subject: RE: Grand Regulation Fee
>
>
> By the hour.  
>
> David Love
> davidlovepianos@comcast.net 
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On
> Behalf Of Ray T. Bentley
> Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 6:57 AM
> To: Pianotech
> Subject: Grand Regulation Fee
>
> I've read a lot about tuning fees recently, but what about a complete
> grand regulation that takes anywhere from 10 to 20 hours depending on
> the original condition of the action?  These all seem to come to my
> direction since there are no other techs nearby who wish to do this
> work.
>  
> Ray
>  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Ray T. Bentley, RPT
> Registered Piano Tuner-Technician
> Alton, IL
> ray@bentley.net
> www.ray.bentley.net <http://www.ray.bentley.net/> 
>
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