This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Comments below. Terry Farrell =20 ----- Original Message -----=20 From: "David Andersen" <bigda@gte.net> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 7:43 PM Subject: Re: Renner Back Action > >I'm looking for two numbers. I need to zip (fast) out a rebuild = proposal=20 > >on a 1973 Steinway L. Did the Teflon disease progress to the back = actions?=20 > >I have never put in a new Renner Back Action. I know there was a good = > >guide presented in recent Journal articles, which I will be = reviewing.=20 > >What is the cost of the Renner Back Action? And about how many hours = can=20 > >be anticipated by an experienced tech (not that that has anything to = do=20 > >with me, but it is useful for calculating fees) to install the Renner = Back=20 > >Action. > > > >Thanks. > > > >Terry Farrell >=20 > Dude.....slow way, way, down. Step away from the computer. You are=20 > letting yourself in for the biggest, > most nightmarish Murphy's experience you could ever imagine with this = '73=20 > beast. Email Steve Bellieu, my shop partner and a list member, about = our=20 > '70's Steinway horror stories. Talk to Dale Erwin. You're biting off = > way, way more than you can chew. Can you state some general examples of the problems you have = encountered? > And why are you doing this so fast? =20 They asked me more than a year ago for a proposal. I seem to never have = time for these administrative tasks. I have been playing telephone tag = with them about a tuning appointment for several days now. The secretary = left a message yesterday and asked if I could tune the piano at 2 pm = this Friday (I can) and to please bring the proposal with me. So I guess = it is about time to do it. I have shop work booked up until next = Christmas, but no outside work after that. So I need the work. > Competing bids?=20 Not that I am aware of. But I suppose they may well check into that = after they see my fees! > You better add 30% of the total bid as an afterthought,=20 > or you'll get killed. Familiar with change orders? YOU WILL BE AFTER=20 > THIS. I am very familiar with change orders. I don't like them. I have been = writing proposals for complex jobs for 20+ years. I can nearly always = avoid a change order. I put enough in the estimate to cover most = surprises. > Slow down.=20 Can't! > Get some help. Boy, if I could find some good help, I would be all set! This list is = certainly an asset. > May God have mercy on your soul. Thank you.=20 I'll bet, over the past three years since I have had my shop, I have = spent half that time doing non-billable tasks. These would range from = building the shop and fixtures itself, tools, tables, jigs, and you name = it. I have no doubt that so many things I am getting involved in take me = five times the amount of time that a more experienced tech would need. I = have no fear of running into something that is going to take me a lot of = time. I schedule my projects knowing that I'll run into all sorts of = challenges. I'm in this for the long run. I don't want to turn away from = something because it may not be as profitable as something else. I am = finding that there is much works out there. I prefer to do the type of = work that interests me and challenges me. If I run into a '70s Steinway = backaction that is a real bugger and takes me 50 or more hours to do = properly, then rather than getting 50 hours of pay, I get 50 hours of = education. To spend 50 hour being educated would be a bonus for me. I = don't loose either way. Of course, I may decide to avoid it next = time......... =20 > David Andersen > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/21/dd/36/0f/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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