How to figure out how much to charge for your service. Vivian Brooks and I give similar classes on this subject. Basically, the best way to figure out how much to charge is to look at it from a yearly or monthly point of view. Considering the typical work week of 40 hour, you work 2080 per year. Subtract from that: vacation time, office time, drive time, sick days, non tuning time. 2 weeks of vacation = 80 hours, (80 hours per year); drive time = 10 hours per week, (500 hrs per year); 5 days a year out sick = 40 hours per year; office time = 5 hours per week, (250 hrs per year). Total hours: 870. Actual hours working: 1210 per year, or 100 hours per month, or 23 hours per week. Next add up all your business expenses, and average them out per year.(Don't forget taxes, savings, and retirement). Then add personal expenses. (the personal expenses are you "profit"). Add all of these together and divide by the number of actual hours spent working. You'll be surprised what you will come up with. The average is around $55 - $60 per hour. That doesn't mean you have to charge this, you can charge more, but you need to charge at least that much to break even. And don't forget, this amount should be charged whether you are tuning, tightening screws, installing a pin block, or giving advice on buying a piano. Willem Blees RPT St. Louis
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC