Mileage

[John Formsma]

A piano starts to go out of tune the day after you tune it, or when the
weather changes significantly. Granted, it will be slight, but that's what
happens. Otherwise, why would concert instruments need tuning after a
rehearsal?

So...3 1/2 months? Maybe 3 1/2 days, or maybe 3 1/2 weeks (for a regular
customer), but I'd charge full price after 3 1/2 months. Definitely.
Particularly when there's been a pitch correction (which leaves the piano
less stable than if it had been at pitch).

Now you might have to explain on the phone why a piano goes out of tune and
that you'll be charging for this trip. (Unless you've already promised to do
a freebie - then be a man of your word, eat this service call, and count it
as beneficial education. You still will deduct your mileage as a business
expense, but you won't get to make any $.)

An old piano tuner once had on his invoice that any tuning complaints needed
to be made within 5 days. I think that's reasonable for a general home
tuning. We can't control the temperature and humidity in the customer's
house.

JF


On 3/6/07, daniel carlton <hacicspe at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> hi list
> i'm going out of town to work on a couple of pianos that i tuned about 3
> 1/2 months ago. on one piano, A4 is wickedly out of tune, but everything
> else is just fine, apparently. on the other, the bass has gone flat a little
> (i did a pitch correction when i tuned it last because the bass was flat and
> treble sharp).
> i normally charge mileage for travelling to that area, but i'm wondering
> if it would be right of me to charge either customer. my gut instinct is to
> not charge them, but i just don't know. it's my responsiblity as the
> technician to make sure those notes don't go out of tune early. anybody have
> any opinions on what would be fair?
>
> daniel carlton
>
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