<div class="gmail_quote">On Feb 15, 2008 6:50 PM, David Love <<a href="mailto:davidlovepianos@comcast.net">davidlovepianos@comcast.net</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"> Unfortunately, it's more complicated and regional than Ric or David A are<br>suggesting.  You have to make assessments based on where you are in your<br>career, where you work, what kinds of opportunities there are.  For me, an<br> established tech in one of the highest markets in the country with high<br>density urban benefits (San Francisco), where the median priced house is<br>$750,000, I can (and must) charge $225 for a 1.5 hour appointment or $160<br> for a Basic Service appointment (1 hour) which puts me at the higher end but<br>not out of bounds.  Someone in rural Mississippi or Alabama would be crazy<br>to ask those kinds of prices.</blockquote><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"> </div><div>Thanks for injecting this into the mix, David.  Using the cost of living calculator that Bob posted, $160 in SF = $81.77 in Tupelo, MS (one of my areas).  Since I'm charging $85 there, I'm within range of what the market will support.</div> <div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">The other issue to consider is what function<br>service calls play in your entire business plan.  The reality is, you make<br> more money when you don't have to travel and when you can benefit from value<br>added, i.e. rebuilding, more extensive shop repairs, action rebuilding,<br>etc..  </blockquote><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"> </div><div>I'm moving in that direction. </div></div><br>-- <br>JF<br><br>