What costs so much that it takes $6K to break even? John Ross Rent is $2100. Between my electric bill, water, yard work, etc, I pay another $300 a month. Food is generally about 25% higher. Gas at Costco is going for $3.00 a gallon, and I drive about 350 miles a week in a car that gets 20 mpg. (It gets more on the highway, but when I check my odometer what my average speed is after driving 300 miles, it says 25. That's because although there are a few interstates, it's so crowded here, that most of time I sit in traffic going 10 - 20 mph.) To send a small package from Schaff weighing less than 2 pounds costs $25.00. Car payment, car, rent and health insurance, etc etc., are all about 20% - 25% higher than on the mainland. But we can't charge 20% - 25% more, because the people just aren't used to paying that much. I'm one of the highest paid tuners at $115. The average is about $90, and there is a guy here doing it for $65. I've got over 530 customers, of which more than 60% are pre-scheduled, which is the only thing that's keeping me busy right now. I haven't had a "new" customer, much less a customer for whom I've tuned before, call me in over a week. Any of you want a helper? Wim -----Original Message----- From: John Ross <jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca> To: pianotech at ptg.org Sent: Sat, Oct 31, 2009 6:03 pm Subject: Re: [pianotech] Workload What costs so much that it takes $6K to break even? John Ross Windsor, Nova Scotia. ----- Original Message ----- From: wimblees at aol.com To: pianotech at ptg.org Sent: Sunday, November 01, 2009 12:58 AM Subject: Re: [pianotech] Workload I was wondering how the economy was affecting tuners. , luckily, haven't noticed any appreciable difference. orry it is having such an effect on you. Hopefully things will pick up oon. It's really been bad here in Hawaii. The first five months of this year I averaged over $8300 in income a month. The last five months I'm averaging only $5000 a month. SInce it takes about $6000 a month just to break even, it's been very hard on us. The only good news is that Jan is now teaching 20 students a week. Hopefully the economy will turn around soon. Hey, I know, why don't all of you guys come here for vacation, and take about 2 dozen freinds with you. That will help our economy. (No, I'm not putting you at our house.) Wim -----Original Message----- From: John Ross <jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca> To: pianotech at ptg.org Sent: Sat, Oct 31, 2009 5:48 pm Subject: Re: [pianotech] Workload Good money in player rebuilds. was wondering how the economy was affecting tuners. , luckily, haven't noticed any appreciable difference. orry it is having such an effect on you. Hopefully things will pick up oon. ohn Ross indsor, Nova Scotia. ---- Original Message ----- rom: "Duaine & Laura Hechler" <dahechler at att.net> o: <pianotech at ptg.org> ent: Saturday, October 31, 2009 11:19 PM ubject: Re: [pianotech] Workload > At 4 or 5 a month, you must be doing something wrong. You aren't trying to change them all to Linux, are you. That is supposed to be a joke. Sounds like you should move, unless this is just a recent happening because of the economy. Sorry to hear of your lack of work. John Ross Windsor, Nova Scotia. It's called a sluggish economy. However, I do have player piano rebuilds ined up to 2013. -- uaine Hechler iano, Player Piano, Pump Organ uning, Servicing & Rebuilding eed Organ Society Member lorissant, MO 63034 314) 838-5587 ahechler at att.net ww.hechlerpianoandorgan.com - ome & Business user of Linux - 10 years -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20091101/dceeea3c/attachment.htm>
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC