1 of 1- Guess I'll Try
- Platen Punisher
Offline - Registered: 09-5-2014
- Posts: 76
Professional repair men
Beware of rising costs! I took an Underwood standard to a repairman in Berkeley, Calif. (USA) for an ajustment, he charged $85 an hour. Another place in town charged $95 an hour. Later I took the carriage off a 1935 Smith Corona and could not get it back on. I took it to the other repair man in town for comparison. He said his price was $125 to put it on. As it is a fine maroon top- of -the- line portable for Smith, I relented and had it repaired. When I picket it up the price was $225. But, I said, you said it would be $125. He responded that his hourly rate had gone up to $125 an hour, and that the rate he had quoted me was the hourly wage, not the total price. He also said that the spring on the draw cord wheel was broken and he had to instal another one. Well, the spring was working when I brought it to him. I suppose it could have broke while he was repairing--how do I know.
Talking to the other repair man later I was told that he now had a charge of at least $100 for any repair. The lesson, beware of work done by the professionals; and,can us novices do our own repair?
- thetypewriterman
- Key Master
Offline
- From: Leiston, England
- Registered: 29-5-2013
- Posts: 900
Re: Professional repair men
It really saddens me to read that, as a professional typewriter engineer in England. Not only are my hourly rates, far, far lower but if I find an unexpected problem in the middle of a repair that I have already quoted for, I just go ahead and swallow the extra time at no charge to my customer. It is true that I work ridiculous hours just to make a living - but my conscience is clear. I always treat my customers the way I would hope to be treated myself. The way I look at it is - that most customers are not mechanically-minded, so I could tell them any old lie to make an extra profit. I am therefore on trust not to do that. Not all professional repair people are the same !
- Guess I'll Try
- Platen Punisher
Offline
- Registered: 09-5-2014
- Posts: 76
Re: Professional repair men
Thanks for the imput TOUCH TYPER. Could you answer this, what should a customer ask a repairman when bringing in a machine to make sure he gets only the problem fixed he intends on.; and at a predictable price? One time I asked a repairman to align the upper and lower case on a 1941 Underwood Standard. He did not fix it, but in 2 and one half hours he took the carriage off and found a loose screw on on the rails. At $250 I told him to stop. I put the carriage back on myself. He told me the charge was for the examination!
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Thread Starter- thetypewriterman
- Key Master
Offline
- From: Leiston, England
- Registered: 29-5-2013
- Posts: 900
Re: Professional repair men
I think that a lot of engineers would treat this with suspicion, but try to get a 'Quotation' before the work begins. An 'Estimate' is just that - an estimate. And of course the cost might be more than the original estimate. A Quotation is a binding agreement to charge an agreed price for a repair. Personally, I have to say that I always give 'Estimates'. But only under very unusual circumstances would I charge a customer more. Even then, I would contact them first to explain the situation and not just present a big bill when the machine is ready.
