Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Piano Tuning Quotes - What To Look For

Continue reading below, but I no longer give quotes. I cannot give a quote on something I've never seen.

Like most people nowadays, we are always trying to get the best value for our money. How do you know which piano tuner/technician to choose?

Here is a list of items that I would look for if I was a customer.

1. What are the tuning fees:
Fine-tuning (2 HOUR APPOINTMENTS that include minor adjustments and vacuuming UNDERNEATH KEYS), my fee is $185 GST included. That price is for Vancouver, North, and West Vancouver. For Richmond and Burnaby, the fee is $195.

Pitch raising or lowering IS INCLUDED, but you must understand that if your piano has not been tuned regularly, 2 times per year, every year, you should schedule another appointment in about 1-3 months. There is no way a piano can stay in tune after many years of neglect. When you attend a piano concert, you'll notice that the piano tuner comes on stage during intermission to make minor adjustments. So, if a piano goes slightly out of tune during the first part of a performance, imagine how far out of tune it will be in 6 months!

2. Qualifications: Make certain that the tuner/technician has credentials or trade papers. My trade papers are here. If they cannot produce documentation proving they are a skilled tradesman, look elsewhere. When somebody just says that they are certified and professional, it does not mean that they are. Anybody can say that.

3. Make certain that they are tuners and technicians. If they only know how to tune a piano and something goes wrong, they have to have the knowledge to repair things that are broken or recommend a colleague who can.

4. After fulfilling the first 2 requirements I have mentioned, you might want to choose the tuner/technician who lives nearby. I am amazed at the number of people who hire out of town tuners when an equally qualified technician lives only a block or two away.

5. Word of mouth is excellent for referrals. When you have done good work for a number of people, your name gets passed along and no other advertisement is necessary. Other people do the advertising for you.

6. Be very wary of tuning quotes that seem too good to be true. Some of these people get into your house at a cheap price only to add things on as they start working. If you insist on a quote, make sure you get it in writing before any work is started!

https://www.paulbrown.org  Email: paulbrn@telus.net 
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.