Tuning price

[Avery Todd]

Wow. Makes me glad I live in Houston! :-)

Avery

At 09:12 AM 6/21/05, you wrote:
>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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>
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