Under an hour tuning (was labor rates)

[Tom Cole]

Richard Brekne wrote:
> 
> I solve this by simply selling 1.5 hour time slots. I make sure and use up any extra
> time after tuning with cleaning and regulation or small repairs..perhaps some
> lubrication of trapwork...etc. There is always plenty of things to do. In cases where
> I need more then an hour and a half to take care of a piano I talk it over with the
> owner and we decide what to do.

And if additional work is agreed to, you would charge an additional fee,
yes? My approach is not so different than yours; the majority of times I
charge the basic tuning rate. The climate here is mild and I can
frequently do a one-pass tuning on a regularly serviced piano and
there's usually time to look after the noises and regulation problems.
But if the piano is not regularly serviced and I have to work harder to
get all the notes playing, up to pitch, stable tuning, fix the broken
string... within the 1.5 hour time frame... it is, therefore, reasonable
to adjust my price upwards.

I try to educate new customers when I make the appointment, that if they
have neglected to maintain their instrument (I don't put it in those
words, of course), extra effort is required to do a respectable job and
I expect to be paid for that. One price doesn't fit all.

My point was that if you establish at the very outset that you have a
range of prices, depending on what you discover on the job, then you
have the flexibility to adjust your fee without fear of complaint
because the customer has already agreed to your price structure. What
does it matter that different customers have paid different amounts?

Tom Cole