Free estimates

[Clyde Hollinger]

Friends,

I usually tell clients that businesses which offer free estimates are usually
those which sell big ticket items, such as builders, but that I can't afford to
give a free estimate on what might be a relatively inexpensive job.  Do those of
you who rebuild pianos give free estimates?  I would consider that a bigger job,
but I would guess clients frequently abandon the idea of rebuilding when they find
out what it will cost.

Generally I suggest that unless they are planning to discard their piano, we may
as well schedule an appointment for a tuning, and while I'm there I'll check it
out to see what else it needs.  I can't recall ever charging for the estimate in
that case.

Regards, Clyde

P. S.  Of course there was the little lady last week who wrangled a free call out
of me to look at her Steinway grand afflicted with vertigris, but that was an
exception!

Leslie W Bartlett wrote:

> Lady called me to say they'd been given a player piano, wanted me to come
> look at it, free estimates......   Finally had the whatever to say,
> "Ma'am, it'll take me 25 minutes to your place, same back to mine, and at
> least half an hour to tell you what I see. I just can't do that for
> free."  Husband a mechanic.............  She doesn't work, volunteers at
> school all day. Grudgingly she told me to come out, and I insisted I not
> get there till husband was home.  Jabbered about what I saw- bass had
> been restrung, most other tuning pins tight, someone had done a lot of
> work on the player mechanism, put a motor in it, etc. , let husband feel
> tight/loose etc........   I gave them a discount on the 150-cent pitch
> raise (three passes, still not good), and asked the guy- "Being a
> mechanic, can you tell me where to get a cheap 3/8 inch drive, inch/pound
> torque wrench?"
>
>         "Yep, he could."  I was to come by the shop where he worked, and he'd
> just give me his. He doesn't use it much these days, and would be glad
> for me to have it...............   I'm not getting very wealthy at this
> business, at least not the wealth of dollars. But there seem to be other
> forms of wealth, which have  sought me out with abundance........