Rebuild: Estimates, Contracts etc.

[Mike and Jane Spalding]

Noel,

I remember several good threads here regarding what should go into the estimate/contract in addition to pricing:  warranty, surprises and overruns, insurance & cost valuation before during and after rebuilding, payment schedule, storage cost and liabiity if the piano is not delivered immediately after completion, expiration date of estimate, are a few that come to mind.

For estimating, you must list every small task, with estimated hours, then add them all up.  There's no shortcut, you'll have to do this on every job if you want an accurate estimate.  Keep a record of your time spent on the job, and after a while you'll have your own labor guide for the tasks you do and the way you do them. 

It's also good to do a reality check/ballpark estimate by looking at the big picture:  this is going to occupy me and my shop for 1 to 2 days per week for 9 months, what's that worth to me.  

My current job is a subcontract for a retailer, Could be described the same way you described yours, although there's a lot of detail not mentioned (i.e. termination point restoration of bridges, agraffes and v-bar, plate re-finishing, etc.)  Detailed estimate = 175, Ballpark estimate = 210, price negotiated down to 160.  I'm into it about 65 hours right now, and expect to come out pretty close to the detailed estimate number of 175.

To put all this in perspective, you can count my rebuilding experience on your fingers, but I do have 30 years of estimating and project management experience in machinery manufacturing.

hope this helps,

Mike Spalding RPT


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Noel Kaufmann <tunernoel@bigzoo.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, January 03, 2003 3:59 AM
Subject: Rebuild: Estimates, Contracts etc.


Hi List,

I know a ton has been written/offered on this subject, as I've seen here and there probably on this list as well as at conventions and classes.  But I'm new to full rebuilding jobs, and hence to the logistical technicalities, and would appreciate some quick pointers to info or samplers of advice (and maybe written forms!?) to use as guides for this process until I develop my own procedures.

My situation is that I've been referred by a happy in-home-work customer to another customer who's wanted to have his Steinway B circa 1895 rebuilt.  The happy fellow mentioned a rough price to this second fellow, and of course now I feel I must try to come up with a detailed breakdown of costs totalling somewhere remotely close, when I actually see and evaluate the piano myself.  I probably have a few weeks to mull this over, as this person is travelling and I haven't even spoken to him yet. 

I do have Joe Garrett's labor guide and can start from there, and thus have an idea of keeping it somewhere in the ballpark of the mentioned sum, which seemed fair for the likely work -- (a somewhat technically savvy eye had seen it before) --  pinblock, soundboard repair, strings, hammers, etc. -- and even if a little more is required to do the proper job, I can be flexible with my hourly rate and still be happy to do the work.  I realize too that I may end up pleasantly or unpleasantly surprised when I look the thing over.       

So my main questions: Where can I find some good estimate and contract samples to look at?  What should I be aware or wary of with a ca. 1895 or 1900 Steinway B?  I'm not all that conversant in Steinway yet, esp. old ones.  I'm sure I'll have more questions to post, but at the moment it's a very odd hour of the morning and my mind is a little fried.  Thanks for any responses....

Noel Kaufmann
Takoma Park MD