<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.3354" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>My understanding is that there is no problem discussing professional fees. As you suggest, the only time a legitimate concern arises is when the discussion turns to making any sort of agreements about how much to charge for particular services.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>I charge $95 for a standard tuning and $45 for a pitch raise. There, I said it. (I think I should raise my fees, but have been hesitant in this poor economic environment....)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>I don't think that is what John was referring to though - I think he was referring to cash payments that might not be reported as income. And of course I would never take a payment for services and not report it as income.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>Every now and then, this topic ( of rates ) comes up, and there are the usual bevy of cautions, warnings etc about Trade commissions, price discussions etc, mostly I think  of concern to the US practitioners.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>I can not believe, that with all the goings on in both our countries around, say the price of fuel,  and how every station mirrors every other one, matching every increase within minutes, that there would be any concern about a few crusty old piano tuners ( self included here ) having  a general discussion about what might be a fair cost . .  Note I said 'discussion', not an oath to agree to all charge the same !!! . . . Leave that to the gas companies.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>John, in far away Nova Scotia, does anyone in the provincial gov't actually give two hoots what you charge for your services??</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>I don't think there is anyone here in Ontario, other than the tax guys who want 'their share', that even knows, let alone is watching closely . . . </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>Are there gov't groups in the US that have nothing better to do ??</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>Amazing . . . </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>regards</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>Jim Kinnear</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>Collingwood, ON</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca href="mailto:jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca">John Ross</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, August 12, 2008 6:52 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Rates, etc</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial size=4>Remember, 'Big Brother' could be watching. :-)</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial size=4>That info is there forever.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com href="mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com">Farrell</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, August 12, 2008 7:25 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Rates, etc</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>That's what I do most of the time, although sometimes when it might be a future customer, and I didn't have to drive out of my way to get there (maybe just a few blocks over from another appointment), and it only takes five or ten minutes, I'll just suggest that they slip me a 20 and I'm on my way.......</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=fmurray@cruzio.com href="mailto:fmurray@cruzio.com">Fenton Murray</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, August 11, 2008 11:23 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Rates, etc</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Mathew, </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This is my how I charge for service calls, be it tuning, consultation or repair or a combination there of. A .5 hour charge for the service call, plus my time. So if I am at the house for 6 minutes, that would be .5 plus .1 equals .6 hour charge. It works for me.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Fenton</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=toddpianoworks@att.net href="mailto:toddpianoworks@att.net">Matthew Todd</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, August 11, 2008 6:25 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Rates, etc</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>Hello friends,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I will be going to a new client in a few weeks.  They have an upright they will be selling, but a couple of the keys do not work.  So I will be going to repair them so she can sell it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>When I go on a service call, I don't charge any less than my tuning fee.  My question is, what if the only problem with this pianos keys not working is a binding keyslip?  Would it be ethical to still charge my standard service call charge, whether I am there 5 minutes or one hour?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks,</DIV> <DIV>Matthew</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV>John M.Ross<BR>Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada.</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>