<div>            David</div> <div>  Well said.  I use the clause that any unforseen work will be discussed with my client before it is done.  I state that I know my business well & have tried to present a solid proposal/contract/estimate but that sometimes things come up.  I've had no objections to reseaonable language such as this.</div> <div> I'm not a charity but there are times when I goof & end up eating stuff but this is far and few between anymore.  I really try never to work for free but I do go the extra mile.   Dale </div> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 3px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"> <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" __doClobber__="true">davidlovepianos@comcast.net</A> <A href="http://www.davidlovepianos.com/" target=_blank>www.davidlovepianos.com</A> </div> </div> </BLOCKQUOTE> -----Original Message----- From: David Love <davidlovepianos@comcast.net> To: 'Pianotech List' <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Tue, 19 Feb 2008 7:59 pm Subject: RE: Mark-up (was Steinway parts) <div id=AOLMsgPart_2_a41b3f6c-1660-46dc-930e-93bf591b6232> <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-BOTTOM: 12pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0in">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-BOTTOM: 12pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0in">-----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; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><TT>Then why do you call it an "estimate"?</TT> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><TT>David Love</TT> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><TT><A href="mailto:davidlovepianos@comcast.net">davidlovepianos@comcast.net</A></TT> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><TT><A href="http://www.davidlovepianos.com/" target=_blank>www.davidlovepianos.com</A></TT> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><TT> </TT> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><TT>We have never, not once, raised our price on a job after the estimate is</TT> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><TT>signed. And we have eaten a lot of mistakes and unseen stuff over the years.</TT> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><TT>Keeps us on our toes!</TT> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"> </PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"> </PRE></div> <div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0in; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center> <HR align=center width="100%" SIZE=2> </div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0in">More new features than ever. 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