Richard, Considering inflation/cost of living increases, etc. (a loaf of bread cost 15 cents then?) What does this tell us about today's prices?? I guess there are many other factors to consider ie, (they didn't have to pay the same taxes or drive in the same traffic or deal with the same global economy or government oppression, just kidding-sort of.) How do techs establish their rates today? I hear it's by comparing what other service people charge (mechanics, a/c repair, etc). I'm not sure this is the best way when you consider the time spent training to be "competent",overhead, special skills, cost of college for kids, current inflation when saving for retirement. (our business is so unique) Where are our financial analysts?? I'm too busy making a living to think about such trivial things as how much to charge. (hehehe) Intersting info. Thanks. Lance Lafargue, RPT Richard M wrote: > > "Scientific Piano Tuning and Servicing" Alfred Howe, 1947. > > In 1943 The American Society of PIano Tuner Technicians, Inc., appointed a > committee of ten to study prices and wages in the piano service field. > The men were selected from the ranks of independent tuners, employed > servicemen and service shop executives. The purpose was to determine what > prices would have to be charged the public to enable the tuner to earn a > weekly salary commensurate with his skill and length of apprenticeship and > at the same time return a reasonable profit to the employers of tuners. > After eighteen months of careful research the committee returned the > accompanying price list as the one most likely to meet the requirements. > The logistics are as follows: > Working days per year -- 255. (This allows for 52 Sundays, 6 legal > holidays, 11 working days as vacation, 11 days sick leave, 4 working days > for emergency leave such as funerals, weddings, etc., and Saturday > afternoons off.) > Statistics were consulted for the foregoing compilation. Records of large > corporations show that few persons are able to accomplish 255 working days > per year. > Work quota per man -- 765 tunings per year, or quivalent. From this > figure 5% was deducted for cancelled appointments, re-calls, traffic > delays, orders that result only in estimates and other unavoidable > obstacles. This leaves 727 tunings, or for an even figure 725. That > number is theoretically possible but no record was found of a tuner having > equalled it in outside service work. > Time alloted per tuning -- 2 3/4 hrs. This covers the actual work, time > in transit, ascertaining the nature of the customer's complaint, a brief > sales talk and incidentals necessary to building good will. Taking eight > hours as the standard working day there would be 2040 working hours per > year. 725 tunings at the recommended price of $7.50 would figure out to a > bit less than $3.00 per hour. [$2.66] Out of this sum the piano dealer, > or employer, would have to pay the tuner's salary, all overhead costs, > including rent, light, heat, taxes, insurance and other very numerous > items, and still show a profit. > In working out these details the committee has figured only on the > services of the competent, experienced help. No allowance was made for the > cost of training new help, or for labor turnover, both of which enter very > largely in the cost accounting of carefully managed businesses. The figure > of $3.00 per hour is a very conservative one, whether for tuning or repair > work. An analysis discloses that even at this figure the profit margin > will be small if the tuner is paid at the rate of other skilled workmen, > and it is the committee's opinion that a salary of at least $50 per week > will have to prevail to retain the skilled men now available and to attract > new men to the profession. [725 tunings times $7.50 pays the employer > $5437.50] > > Price List: Tuning > > Tuning all styles of > pianos...................................................................... > .........$ 7.50 > Raising pitch, each additional > call.....................................................................> 7.50 > For institutional work (schools, churches, etc.) 15% discount on contract > for 4 or more pianos in one place. [$1.12] > Note: On new pianos, or pianos tuned frequently, the tuning price is > meant to include minor adjustments. Where pianos are seldom > tuned an extra charge should be made. > > Voicing > > Voicing > ............................................................................ > ................ . . . . . . . . . 5.00 > and up, depending on condition of hammers, whether grand, or > Upright, and quality of workmanship required by customer. > > Grand Action > (for work only, material extra) > > Action regualting only > ......................................................... 24.00 > Regulating action, when new front, center and back rail felts have > been installed > ............................................................. 36.00 > New back checks > .................................................................. 20.00 > Trimming hammers [filing?] > .................................................. 10.00 > Install new set of hammers > ...................................................... 39.00 > Install new shanks and flanges [butts also?] > ............................ 18.00 > Install whippens` > ...................................................................... > 18.00 > Install set of new damper felts > ................................................. 20.00 > Rebush damper rail > ................................................................. 21.00 > Install set of new hammer rest felts > ............................................ 6.50 > > Upright Action > > Action regulating only > .............................................................. 15.00 > Regulating action, when new front, center and back rail felts > have been installed > ......................................................... 27.00 > Installing set of new back check felt > ......................................... 12.00 > Install set of new butts, flanges and shanks > ............................... 36.00 > Install set of new damper felts > .................................................. 20.00 > Install set of new butt felt squares > ............................................. 15.00 > Install set of new briddle straps > ................................................. 15.00 > > Regulating drop action, charge per hour > ...................................... 3.00 > > Keys > > Keys recovered with Ivorine > .......................................................19.00 > Set of new celluloid fronts > ......................................................... 8.50 > New key buttons, charge per hour > .............................................. 3.00 > Replacing single ivories > ............................................................. .50 > > Restringing > > Restringing whole set > ............................................................. 100.00 > Bass only > ............................................................................ > .. 40.00 > New pin block > .......................................................................... > 55.00 > Replacing broken bass string at time of tuning > ............................ 5.00 > Treble string at time of tuning > .................................................... 2.50 > > Refinishing > (bench and cartage extra) > > Refinish grand > .........................................................................> 125.00 > Refinish upright > ....................................................................... > 75.00 > > Miscellaneous > (for work only, material extra) > > Treating pin block with patent formula > ....................................... 15.00 > All kinds of repinning, charge per hour > ....................................... 3.00 > Replacing broken hammer shanks per hour ................................ > 3.00 > > >From Scientific Piano Tuning and Servicing, by Alfred Howe pp 236 - 239. > > Words appearing in [ ] are mine. > > If this posting is scrambled on your mailer, I can email you a copy done > on > Word Pad in Windows 95, or paste it into Microsoft Works for Windows. > > Richard Moody ptt
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