Repair costs?

[Bokken]

Hello, I had a quick question:
What, if any, methods are used to determine how much an armorer charges to repair equipment?

For example...
I used to be the GM of an auto dealership in Atlanta. We had a set labor rate and all jobs were billed as a combination of parts and # of hours multiplied by said labor rate. Typically, the # of hours (labor hours) for a given job were predetermined both by experience and certain industry standards. Same thing went for the dollar figure attached to the hour (for example, $57.00 an hour labor rate).

Does fencing have anything like this, or is it a charge what the market bears sort of deal? How does armoring work at larger tournaments insofar as renting tools, having them do it for you, diagnostics, etc?

And lastly, because you know I'd say it, can anyone who knows the answers to the above questions cite their sources?

Thanks!!

[remise]

I know an armorer that charged depending on several things:

1. how fast the parent/fencer wanted it done

2. whether or not the parent/fencer waited until right before a tournament to ask to have weapon rewired

3. whether or not the parent/fencer had the parts themselves


There was a base price, and the three things listed above affected how much, if at all, the price went up. Amazingly, there was little interest in the club by many fencers to do their own repairs, and this armorer was so busy, he had to issue numbers to his customers.

[Purple Fencer]

I'll give my straight answer...I charge $5 plus parts/shipping (if necessarry)...flat rate for all items. Since I only work on the actual fencer's gear (reels and boxes are beyond me at this point), and that's REALLY not that complicated, I don't feel comfortable charging more.

Often, if I'm given a bag full of stuff for a school team I don't charge for looking at a weapon that may only have a loose foil barrel as the problem...I'm, not going to charge a school team with a limited budget because the kids are too lazy to check for loose connections.

I also refuse to charge for things like tighening a barrel at a comp. I'll do it and people will offer to pay...I just blow it off...it's not worth it to charge for what is essentially non-work.

'Course, the same people often up giving me a tip larger than I would've charged for the actual work....which is another reason why I do it that way!!

I kinda learned this from Carl Oberg when I was competing regularly. Carl was armoring at a SoCal tourney and I brought him my test box (which had broken because a friend had dropped it). He resoldered the broken connection, and I asked him how much I owed him. He said "Forget it...it took me longer to warm up the soldering iron than to do the repair."

[KD5MDK]

Generally it's a basic fee + cost of parts. I know an armorer whose "to touch it" charge is $18, but you'd better believe you'll get a perfect weapon back from him.

It's absolutely not "what the market bears", because there's almost no competition. Armorers do this because they enjoy it, as far as I can tell.

[DHCJr]

There are no standards and as Sam and KD5MDK, we do it because we love doing it. There is also the problem of who is an Armorer? The USFA is trying to get certification going, but there are a large number of those who have been around who are fighting it. Also at the NAC's and Nationals, there is someone who pays to have a booth. Technically, someone else could not do any repairs for anyone else unless it is a team mate.

At the Junior/Cadet/Super Youth PCC's this weekend, there was no charge for any repairs, including rewires. There was over 1,000 entries. Some fenced multiple events of course.

For a rewire, when charged, I have seen anywhere from $5 to over $20 and that is parts not included. For example, for a Professional rewire, I charge $5. If you need it done quickly and don't care what it looks like, I charge at least $10.

[fencinman89]

AT big meets that I work at, I only charge for parts, (im still 15, and this summer i would go to get my certification, but becasue I miss the cut offf by 11) days I dont get to go unless there is a chance I can get petitioned in, even though I worked at Nationals, Atlanta, and briefly at JO's I dont get paid by the USFA) but thats another story. Thats why I charge for parts only. because i comes out of my pocket and because I love working with the armourers, I always learn knew things, and because I love helping people, especially the ladies....
-Tre'
P.S.- If anyone knows how I may be able to petition in to the Olympic Center this Summer, it would be greatly appreciated.

[remise]

I don't charge at all for my work, but then again I don't have much time to do it with the exception of events, which leaves others to do it in my local area/club.

I AM rather amazed, however, at the ranges in price.