<html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space;-webkit-line-break: after-white-space'> <div class=Section1> Bit of an overreaction David.  Padding was your choice of  words not mine.  Catch your breath and calm down. There was no disrespect expressed or intended.  You expressed a concern of customers objecting to profit margins on parts.  They may also object to overestimating labor in order to cover contingencies.  Choose your poison I guess.   I don’t really do things on a bid basis so it doesn’t affect me.  People get a detailed (and I mean detailed) estimate/proposal which includes parts and labor broken out.  That way, if something needs to change for some unexpected contingency—i.e., additional parts, additional labor--I can add it in and it’s clear where it’s coming from and that it wasn’t already included in the original estimate.  I do offer a protection clause for them which says that the final price won’t exceed the estimate/proposal by more than 5% without their written authorization.  If something comes up, I talk to them about it.    Why don’t you ask Dale how he structures his pricing on contract work, you might be surprised (off list would probably be better).  Typically, refinishing has no significant “parts” costs      <div> David Love davidlovepianos@comcast.net www.davidlovepianos.com </div> -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of David Andersen Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 9:08 AM To: Pianotech List Subject: Re: Mark-up (was Steinway parts)     <div> <div> On Feb 13, 2008, at 7:30 AM, David Love wrote: </div> <span style='orphans: 2;text-align:auto;widows: 2;-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0;word-spacing:0px'> If you are “padding” your labor to some would find that as objectionable (or more so) than adding a reasonable mark-up on parts.   </div> <div> Well...it depends on how you're holding it, David Love. If my team did less than our best on every bid, if we didn't put countless extra hours into the job, talking and thinking and experimenting about it when we're "off the clock,"  if it was a "pad" like defense contractors or Mafia guys put on, just because they can, then your point is taken and processed. If you're talking about me and my colleagues Dale Erwin, Steve Bellieu, and Phenoyd Ezra, then please, please don't disrespect us by putting our love, our passion, our artisan's fierce dedication, our natural and constant "overtime," into that same smelly, thuggy basket. I hope you're not doing that. </div> <div>   </div> <div> David Andersen </div>   </div> </body> </html>