tuning cost

[Jon Page]

I was wondering, on the institutional level; what is the average cost/piano 
tuning.

Being an independent contractor working for a school with 22 pianos,
I charge $40/piano tuning with technical work billed at $40/hr. This tuning
price is for bulk maintenance, concert or singular tunings are/may be bill
at a higher rate, especially on Sunday.

Of the other tuners in the area and the few newbies, I asked for assistance
with the tuning but they wouldn't think of tuning for less than $60, and this
was a few years ago when I was 35 / piano. One newbie even refused floor
tunings for a dealer for the $35 price, go figure.

I bumped it up to 40 this year.(at 35, that was still an hourly rate of 40; 
so now
it's per piano or per hour. Now when I tune 5 in four hours; they actually 
get a break.

Even though it's less money than last year for say 5 pianos (35 x 5 = 175 as
opposed to 40/hr x 4 = 160)  the use of the VT has made it that much easier.

Another aspect which I had been trying to get through the old 
administration was
a maintenance budget. But their policy was to fix only what is broken to 
keep it working.
The new director this year is different. On my first meeting with him I 
proposed a budget
and he immediately granted a $6k/yr discretionary budget dispersed at $500/mo.
Now I can do things as I see fit to keep things above minimal 
:-)  Rebuilding is billed separately.

It's a pretty good gig.

Jon Page