[pianotech] shop rate vs house call rate

[tompiano]

David
From the sounds of the thread I'm understanding the term shop to be at  a home vs a rented shop space. No doubt, once you start renting space, paying additional utiliities, insurance, etc, you have to cover the nut to justify the costs of off-site shop. But for sake of debate, having a home-shop vs what you are doing, A lower home-shop rate is reasonable.
Tom Servinsky




________________________________
From: David Renaud <drjazzca at yahoo.ca>
To: Pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Wed, June 30, 2010 9:12:52 PM
Subject: [pianotech] shop rate vs house call rate



  I'm considering charging more for shop time.

  The justification:

  I find I'm more efficient in the shop and give more value for time.
  
    If I can do 12 hours a week in shop on top of road time, that 48 hours a month has
to cover the actual shop cost. Shop use  to be in my home and I would discount this 
consideration; now shop is elsewhere. I need $10 per hour on that 12 hrs per week  to cover space, heat, electricity, insurance on the seperate location now. Road car costs are not
$10 per hour/$80 per day.
  
    Shop work carries with it more liability in some respects. I have two Boesendorfer grands
in my shop this summer.......lots of money sitting there(insurance). And the finished product
carries greater responsibility then a tuning for a longer time. Quality rebuilding demands a much larger skill set then tuning and basic road repair. Not to belittle the high skill level and
years to become a concert tuner, but there is a whole other additional broad skill set to being a rebuilder. 
    So I conjecture that good effecient shop work should command a higher rate. Then again I think concert tuning in a substancial hall for orchestra and recording and such should command a higher rate; but in my town it is all discounted on account of "commercial  volume"  Concert work is also often at 6-7am, weekends, and other odd hours, and requires
dealing with large administrations that can take weeks to months to pay.

    So do others charge extra for concert and/or shop work VS.  9am-5pm meat and potato
road tuning.

                                                                        Dave Renaud
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