<div> Point taken, David. As you say, it's all in the clear communication with the client. P </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> -----Original Message----- From: David Love <davidlovepianos@comcast.net> To: 'Pianotech List' <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Tue, 19 Feb 2008 9:59 pm Subject: RE: Mark-up (was Steinway parts) <div id="AOLMsgPart_2_c4a23e73-7900-4611-87d3-0aabfaa71e14"> <style></style> <div class="Section1"> <div class="MsoNormal">Wasn’t meant as sarcasm, sorry you took it that way.  If it’s a contract then you are right not to charge more than the contract states, though I would hope you have outlined the specifics well enough to not have to perform non-contracted items for free.  If it’s an estimate then it means just that: i.e. not a specified fixed price but a projection based on your pre tear down prognosis.  I think it’s better to work on most projects as estimates unless you are contracting to do absolutely everything and leave no stone unturned.  Most projects, however, are not that way and I would advise most people to leave room for discovery.  Communication with the customer is very important here.  But it’s sort of like being afraid to ask for what you actually might perform above and beyond tuning on a service call.  I’ve found too many things after the fact that couldn’t have been discovered beforehand to be willing to eat it for the sake of fearing offending someone.  People always get what they pay for and I don’t work for free, seems like a fair trade.    </div> <div> <div>David Love <a href="mailto:davidlovepianos@comcast.net">davidlovepianos@comcast.net</a> <a href="http://www.davidlovepianos.com" target="_blank">www.davidlovepianos.com</a> </div> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">-----Original Message----- From: <a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a> [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org?">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] On Behalf Of <a href="mailto:paulrevenkojones@aol.com">paulrevenkojones@aol.com</a> Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 7:30 PM To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a> Subject: Re: Mark-up (was Steinway parts)</div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0.5in;">David: Ahhh, common parlance, general business lexicon, the actual document that is signed is called a "Contract". The proposal, estimate, or whathaveyou that was presented for consideration is a part of the contract. I'm not sure what your point is, or, frankly why I'm responding to sarcasm. Paul </div> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0.5in;">-----Original Message----- From: David Love <<a href="mailto:davidlovepianos@comcast.net">davidlovepianos@comcast.net</a>> To: 'Pianotech List' <<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>> Sent: Tue, 19 Feb 2008 8:44 pm Subject: RE: Mark-up (was Steinway parts)</div> <div id="AOLMsgPart_0_690bb292-3571-4ff6-80ce-2e45340cbd77"><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><tt>Then why do you call it an "estimate"?</tt> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><tt>David Love</tt> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><tt><a href="mailto:davidlovepianos@comcast.net">davidlovepianos@comcast.net</a></tt> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><tt><a target="_blank" href="http://www.davidlovepianos.com">www.davidlovepianos.com</a></tt> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><tt> </tt> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><tt>We have never, not once, raised our price on a job after the estimate is</tt> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><tt>signed. And we have eaten a lot of mistakes and unseen stuff over the years.</tt> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><tt>Keeps us on our toes!</tt> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </pre><pre style="background: white none repeat scroll 0%; margin-left: 0.5in; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> </pre></div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;" align="center"> <hr align="center" size="2" width="100%"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">More new features than ever. 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