What we charge? (Shuush!)

[Jerry Hunt]

In 1995, in connection with one of the chapters in my
Randy Potter course, I did a business survey. I got
out the phone book and called a number of tuners in
the area and asked how much a tuning costs. The range
was $45 - $90. The $45 quote was from what sounded
like a crusty old codger (apologies to the crusty old
codgers on the list). As I recall, the mean was around
$60-65. When I started tuning for pay, I charged $55.
I was then and still am a moonlighting tuner.

My standard tuning/service fee (which includes
checking out the piano, tightening plate screws,
adjusting the damper pedal, tightening bench bolts,
easing a few keys...) is $60. Most of the RPT's I know
charge $75-$90 (I also know another associate who
charges $75). I give a discount to piano teachers
(most of my business comes from piano teacher
referrals) and churches.

I charge an additional $30 (1/2 of standard tuning
rate) for each pitch raise - most of my tunings are
pitch raises. I love pitch raises - they increase my
cash flow. 

I've done tuing for a couple of dealers. Usual
arrangement is $25 for floor tunings, $50 for outside
tunings and $40 for warranty tunings.


--- BSimon999@AOL.COM wrote:
> Interesting thread.
> 
> Somebody asked what people charge for a tuning , and
> the only people who 
> respond with a dollar figure were two Canadians, a
> guy in New Zealand, and 
> somebody in Austria. I am sure this will be very
> useful to the person posing 
> the question if he ever tunes in Canada, Austria, or
> New Zealand. 
> 
> HOLD ON!  ---I just re-read the responses and saw
> that Brian Trout actually 
> did answer the question of what he charges.
> Congratulations  to this fellow, 
> who actually has some guts, and to anyone else who
> answered the question with 
> a dollar figure. 
> 
> Seems like Big Brother has got the Americans cowed.
> (To their credit, they 
> did turn the thread discussion to one of the
> unfairness of sales tax and to 
> how much plumbers charge. )
> 
> Bill Simon
> Phoenix.
> 
> P.S. - I do not have a set fee.  It starts at $55.00
> and varies with distance 
> to piano, type of piano, when last tuned, on a
> week-end or not, 
> inconvenience, if it is in a church, etc. Not much
> of a conspiracy there, Big 
> Brother.
> 
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