Pricing Policy

This work requires skill, judgment, historical knowledge and integrity.  Not only that, but to do the highest class work requires a major investment in equipment and tools.  Finally, there is a major investment in time in learning and perfecting skills.

As an illustration, the cost of materials that goes into a $250 clock restoration typically amounts to less than $5 worth of brass.  However, it takes skill to turn that brass into the needed bushings.  The remaining $245 of charges is ALL labor.

On a "standard" clock, this $245 accounts for about 5 hours of work.  Given that it costs $40 an hour to have an untrained high school student swap out parts on my $1200 garden tractor, which has no historical value; $50 an hour seems reasonable.

My pricing is based on a "value added" approach.  This means, I have done enough of the various styles of clocks to KNOW what I will need to do on an "unabused" timepiece.  The work and parts covered by the "basic" charge is explained in the sections describing the various restoration charges.  These charges will be the final charges in 90%  of the cases.  They are based on labor and parts required to be certain the timepiece will not "come back".

If a timepiece needs work beyond the "basic" overhaul, the additional charges will be included in the repair estimate; and based upon the rates quoted on the Custom Parts page.

My rates are adjusted so that I can devote my entire attention to that timepiece while I am working on it.  I am not thinking about the next job, or taking short cuts.  For example, EVERY pivot is burnished on the Jacot tool.  Every "botched" screw is refinished.  This kind of work is as much psychological as it is physical.  In my opinion, it is impossible to do good work "on the cheap"

For this reason, I have no such thing as a "trade discount" for labor.  Unlike parts and material, once labor is expended, that time is gone forever.  It is a non-renewable commodity.  So, unless the workman is willing to discount his standards as well as his  labor rates, I fail to see how "trade discounts" work in the restoration field.