Maintenance Costs

Ken Eschete k-eschete@northwestern.edu
Thu May 30 08:43 MDT 2002


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Avery,
I'm taking a break from stringing, so I'll give you a quick overview.

The figure you present will not be what you can expect to actually 
get, so you will want to have accurate enough figures that you can 
explain, but all these figures should be on the high side.  You may 
only get half of your estimate.

Use figures that are based on actual facts at your school.  While the 
Steinway Guidelines and CAUT Guidelines should be kept in mind when 
you do this, do not reference them in your report.  All the data you 
use should come from your own actual experience in order to stay 
completely credible.

  Use last year's calendar to figure the number of recitals.  This 
real number is often more impressive if you pick a very busy month as 
additional information.
Example:  600 concerts in 2000 -2001, but in the busiest part of the 
year, there were 59 concerts in 9 days.  (This actually happened at 
NU last year.)  Use the total number of concerts.  It doesn't matter 
if the piano was needed......

Every concert has a few rehearsals, and the instruments have to be 
kept in "concert-ready" condition, so add two or three tunings for 
each concert.
Multiply the total number of tunings by 2hrs to get the total 
man-hours spent on tuning.  Multiply this figure by your current 
hourly rate and add 20% for benefits.  This is the "Hard cost" to the 
University for tuning.  The commercial value of services you are 
providing as an employee should not be used in this case.

IN addition, you will need to figure the yearly maintenance, 
including cleaning the case, regulating, voicing, fixing the bench, 
etc. Again, your estimated hours X rate + 20%.

Also to be considered is the depreciation of the instrument. This may 
or may not be considered part of the maintenance budget, but someone 
in the Provost office may not realize that Steinway's don't last 
forever. The piano will need complete remanufacture or replacement 
ever 10 years (?).  Don't forget the cover, artists bench, stage 
truck.  Anything you can think of to increase that budget.

An important thing to consider is that you should be allowed to 
present your information directly to the Provost office, without the 
information being filtered  by the theatre manager.  Find out who 
required the report and see if you can meet directly with that person 
to deliver your report.

Back to work .... #15 wire.

Ken Eschete
Northwestern Univ.






>List,
>
>I've been asked to come up with an app. dollar figure on what
>it might cost on a yearly basis, to maintain the two Steinway
>D's in our major performance hall. This should include
>maintaining the instruments at a high level of performance
>capability plus eventual replacing of action parts, stringing,
>etc. that will be needed. I'm assuming they mean this to be
>based on the value of my services if they had to bring in an
>independent technician to do the work.
>
>The Provost's office has asked the theatre manager to come up
>with an estimated cost of what it costs to run the facility,
>independent of the remainder of the School of Music, with the
>idea of paying for some or all of it out the university budget
>instead of the music budget.
>
>One piano was purchased new when we first moved into our new
>facility about 5 years ago and the other was completely rebuilt
>(except soundboard) by the Rappaport's about 6 yrs. or so ago,
>including a new keyboard, frame and damper assembly.
>
>The hall is used primarily for guest artists, faculty recitals,
>large ensemble performances and occasional rentals to outside
>competitions, performances, etc. The Houston Symphony also uses
>the facility once or twice a year for a performance series their
>Chamber Orchestra does, sometimes using piano and/or harpsichord.
>
>This is a very performance oriented school, with app. 500 music
>majors, so the hall gets quite a bit of use, although not as much
>as our smaller recital hall that the students use.
>
>Since I've never had to do this type of thing before, I need any
>help doing this that anyone could give me today. The tuning part
>I can figure out but the rest is what I need help with. The report
>has to be submitted Friday and I just found out about it this
>morning.
>
>Any takers? Thanks.
>
>Avery
>University of Houston

-- 
Kenneth Eschete
Director of Keyboard Maintenance               Phone: 847/467-6970
Northwestern University School of Music	       FAX: 847/491-5260 
					    711 Elgin Rd.; Evanston, 
Il 60208

  EMAIL: k-eschete@northwestern.edu

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