The fact is there are very few people that can repair a pinball machine properly. Just like any specialized craft - your knowledge and skill are valuable assets. Don't be embarrassed to ask for what you feel your time and expertise are worth. If someone does not feel comfortable paying that much to repair their game, you now can make a fair cash offer to take the non-working game off their hands. $100 an hour plus travel is not out of the question.

Think of it like a mechanic, computer repair, hvac repair, plumbers etc.. They all are around 60-80 ( maybe even higher since it's been a while since I have had any service) per hour depending on location. That would be the fair price. It's essentially the same type of service.

I think 25 an hour in shop is a screaming deal. I would fully expect that calling a pinball tech to my house would cost me 80 for the first hour and 60 or so each additional.

Just look at what a professional mechanic charges. I think our skills could easily fall in that range.

i would ask for something in the range of what a "skilled tradesman" would charge... i don't think that 50-75 an hour (dependent on location) for on-site repairs would be unreasonable, given your warranty...

personally, i really really really really don't like paying someone a "travel charge"... getting to the job is part of doing the job... i would rather pay a slightly higher rate... purely psychological, i know, but charging me for "travel" makes me feel like i am being nickel and dimed...

side note: if you aren't going to "name names", don't bring it up in the first place...

I know a guy that was local that was an awesome EM tech. He quit doing repairs for people but used to charge $90 an hour. Personally, I can't imagine someone paying that. I'd be nervously watching the clock the whole time. I guess my frugality forced me to learn to do it myself or network with someone that can.

I charge $75 for a visit + $25/hour - EMs I like to do at home since it usually isn't something easy...

i wouldn't mind the "flat fee" for a visit, with a "per hour" fee tagged on... that sounds reasonable... that way you can cover your travel, and the customer doesn't feel nickel and dimed...

i guess i look at it this way... my employer (well, myself, since i'm self employed) doesn't pay me to drive back and forth to work...

I have seen others comparing Pin techs with other tech fields such as Plumbers , Carpenters , Painters Automotive etc.

When Pin techs are as numerous and as readily available as they are then the prices can be comparable to them.

Pin techs especially good Tech are very hard to come by. Off hand only a few professional techs come to mind that I would let work on my machines. Clay Harrel, Ray Brackins and a total of maybe 5 others in the country that I would even consider (Besides myself of course) . None however are close to me (3hrs one way) or the average Pinball Homeowner.

The lack of Pinball techs yet alone Good Pinball techs means that you are more valuable then the average HVAC mechanic.

You should charge a rate that is fair for your skills and you should charge a fair rate for the time getting to a location.
Gas and tolls are not cheap.

$100 per hour for a good tech is not out of bounds.

If the rate is deemed to high let the person in need shop for another tech and good luck with that.

Those on Pinside may not agree as many of us work on our own machines and our knowledge is more involved with the hobby. Pinsiders are not the average joe/jane that has a Pinball machine in their house and knows only how to press the start button. Just as the average person can't fix their TV or their other appliance.

@eddie...

you need to think that through again... hint: everyone needs plumbers... very few people need em repairmen...

write the sentence this way and you will see what i mean... "the lack of em pinball machines out there..." vs. "the lack of em pinball repairmen"... off the top of my head, i'd bet the ratio of "qualified em repairmen" to "em machines" isn't much different (if anything, less) than the ratio of "qualified plumbers" to "plumbing systems"...

if you really believe there are only 6 qualified people in the entire country that you will allow to work on your machines, i don't know what to tell you...

There are many pinball repair techs that can do a repair.

Doing it the correct way with attention to detail is another matter completely.

As in any field there are good and there are great I prefer the great.

The field for Pinball techs is very small and in that field only a few techs stand out.

Yes everyone needs plumbers and they are available.

If its your EM or SS pin and you need repairs, then the Pinball Tech is the most important tech at the time is he not?

Supply and demand and a good Pinball tech is the most limited in supply.

Just call a stern dealer that sell pins and video games and ask what they charge to get a base rate and charge less since you are independant shop

80+ per hour

Wow i had no idea that seems over priced

Scott's been at my house for repair work and definitely knows his stuff. I have no problem paying a fair wage for skilled work. Anything over 50 an hour, I think I would have just lived with the issues I had. I think if you charge much more than that, you'll get less work. Just an opinion.

Warrantying an EM pinball repair for a year is absolutely insane.

ANYTHING goes wrong with the game in that time - and it's an EM, so it probably will - and you'll be expected to repair it for free.

EM repair is a specialized skill. $100-150 for the first hour and $50-80 additional hour depending on location seems fair to me.

assuming the machine has been properly gone through, they don't break that easily... play it regularly, and other than changing the occasional bulb, it'll be fine... don't forget, these things were built to make money, and they didn't make money when broken... and they saw a helluva lot more use (and abuse) on route than they will ever see in your home...

at that "rate", 5 hours of repair would exceed the value of many machines...

i don't care what people charge, i have no skin in that game... but i know i wouldn't want to try to make a living doing it... its a very limited market, servicing a luxury item that generally has little value... read: it ain't plumbing...

One of the problems is exactly how much "repair" the game either needs or the owner wants. Some people already have a game that is working (or previously shopped out) and now it has a problem. I feel it is reasonable to charge a rate similar to if the "Maytag" or Sear's repair man comes to fix your Washer/Dryer etc. They charge for a service call, they charge an hourly rate, they charge a lot for parts, and they may even charge for a return service call to install the part. But no one should expect a game repair to only cost $25 just because they just picked the game up for $100 at a garage sale.

Other people have a basket case and want it repaired and fully shopped (and some are not willing to do ANY of the work themselves). It is these cases that could be difficult to charge a premium (>$75/Hr.) when the game may require 10+ hours of time to make operating reliably. In these cases, you may chose to discount the hourly rate, or quote a fixed fee for completing the repairs. Like $250 for a decent shop job (cleaning, new rubbers, bulb replacement and minor repairs, not major overhaul of assemblies). Obviously, if someone brings you a game that has either been badly neglected, or previously serviced by a total idiot, the cost could either be much higher, or the repair just turned down.

I tend to agree, that your in-shop rate is greatly underselling your services. Unless you chose and the owner agrees to pay you for "restoration work" that many worn EMs games require to make them operate properly and reliably. Then, it may be a good deal for both of you (due to the number of hours required).

Charging a premium for the first hour and a reduced rate for any additional hours seems to be the most reasonable approach to structuring service fees for pinball games. A per mile trip charge is reasonable, especially since you offer a "bring it to my shop" option. If the owner isn't willing to bring the game to you, it makes sense that your time spent driving to a distant location (both ways) is also worth something.

I don't mind paying a solid price for quality work. What drives me crazy is paying someone by the clock to learn how to fix something. I have had this experience more than once locally and now go about 75 miles for the service of a qualified tech whose education I do not need to subsidize.

It's a sliding scale...but generally I like to walk out of an EM repair with $200-$300. That's fair, at least in New York City - obviously it would be less elsewhere. If it exceeds the value of the game, that's a call for the owner to make beforehand. It can take an awful lot of work tracking down various EM issues.

The key is to make it clear - is this a game in decent shape that you've had for a while and something broke? Or is this a garage sale find that needs a complete reconditioning?

Cause bringing an EM back from the grave is gonna take a hell of a lot more time than just 2 or 3 hours, and I'm not taking on a project like that unless I have serious money coming my way.

^^^

all fair enough...

i bought my em guy 3 cases of his choice beer for his work