tuning cost

[Jeff Stickney]

Jon,
	I started contract tuning at UM (not a non-profit institution) in '91.  I
followed a tech who was charging $25-35 per tuning depending on where the
piano was (practice/classroom, faculty, performance).  I have been gradually
increasing my rates with one price fits all (actually the practice rooms
take longer since they get tuned less often), to the point where now I give
a small discount for "bulk tuning times" (August/Sept and January) when I go
through the whole building, but charge my market rate for tunings that
happen in between those times.
	I finally came to the conclusion that although there is a certain amount of
income security with this contract, I am not getting any benefits.  Also,
this contract was becoming a proportionately smaller and smaller part of my
total income, and I realized I was working more hours to earn that portion
at a discounted rate - in other words, at one point I was discounting 1/4 of
my total income at a rate of 25%.  As my outside work was piling up, it
became less and less worth it for me to accommodate that.  I was also ready,
if the university said I was becoming too expensive, to say goodbye to that
income.  I recently subcontracted half of the "bulk tunings" to another tech
so I could have more time for outside work, and have not missed the drop in
university work.
	It sounds like your situation is working for you, but I would not fault the
other tuners in the area for not wanting to work at such a discounted rate.
What do they get out of the deal?  Ironically, the tech I now share the
contract with was charging the same amount for market rate as my bulk tuning
fee, so he actually was being paid more than usual for non-bulk tunings.  I
think he has raised his rates since then.  So, just another perspective.  I
realize that by charging more for tuning, that leaves less of the budget for
maintenance, but the U needs to realize that's the cost of doing business
these days (I hope that doesn't sound too mercenary).
	By the way, how does your price compare to the typical market price for a
tuning?  My market price is on top of the heap for Missoula, but not near
the top regionally.  Just another point to consider when judging other's
willingness to work at that discounted rate.

Jeff Stickney, RPT
University of Montana
jpstickney@montanadsl.net


> -----Original Message-----
> From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org]On
> Behalf Of Jon
> Page
> Sent: Sunday, January 05, 2003 8:48 AM
> To: caut@ptg.org
> Subject: tuning cost
>
>
> 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
>
>
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