wHAT to eXPECT
WHAT TO eXPECT
WHEN YOU come TO MASTER Clock Repair for an estimate
Whether you have a problem with your car, furnace, refrigerator or a clock, it is often frustrating to have a mechanical item in your home break down. You may have to live for a time without its function or convenience, and you may not be sure who you can trust to give you an honest diagnosis of the problem. Since we have experienced our own mechanical items breaking down, we understand this disappointment. Therefore, here at Master Clock repair, we try very hard to offer our customers a superior experience. How do we do this? By providing a friendly personal service and an honest assessment of your clock’s needs.
We never try to “sell” our customers a repair they may not need. We are blessed to be a very busy shop. We do not need to create work for ourselves or pad our bottom line by providing unnecessary services. Usually in fifteen minutes or less we can provide you with an estimate and get you on your way. We may even be able to offer you more than one way to approach the repair.
Master Clock Repair appreciates your business!
This page is designed to help you understand our process so there are no surprises. We place a high value on creating a clear understanding between us and our customers by setting proper expectations through our web site, email or text communications, our face-to-face discussions and our estimate forms and receipts.
Regarding Battery Operated Clocks
When it comes to estimating, most of what you will read below deals specifically with mechanical clocks that are weight or spring driven. For clocks that are battery operated, estimating is simplified. If the hands are not bent and the battery is good, but the clock still does not work the movement will need to be replaced. battery operated clocks are not designed to be repaired; they are designed to be replaced. Therefore, the estimating process is very simple. The estimate depends on the cost of the replacement and the labor to install it. Once we advance beyond the estimating section below, the take-in process will be the same.
The Art of Estimating
Diagnosing the cause of a clock’s problem is a very specific skill that is refined through decades of experience. No one in Central-Ohio has more experience than we do, forty-six years and counting. When you visit our shop, you will most often speak directly to one of our two clockmakers, Michael or Christian. Our customers like being able to speak directly to the clockmaker instead of a counterperson so they can get a clear understanding of what is needed for their clock. Unfortunately for us, this takes the clockmakers off their bench where they are performing repairs on other customer’s clocks. Because of this, and the fact that we offer free estimates on most clocks, we must get through the estimating process as efficiently as possible. for this reason, we will often begin by giving our customers a “best-case scenario”. This is our lowest priced, lowest level of repair. the price will vary depending on clock type, age and sometimes brand. Once we have determined that you might be willing to approve this lowest cost estimate, we will begin to ask you a few questions such as, what problem are you experiencing, how long have you had the clock, how much has it been used, has it been sitting idle for a long time and what is its repair history? Depending on your answers our next approach may vary. If the clock is fairly new (under fifteen years for example) the clock will likely have very little wear and need only our base level, tune up or best-case scenario repair. This includes light, non-chemical “cleaning”, re-oiling, adjustment and testing. We may also check for broken mainsprings or failed ratchet systems as these are common issues that may increase the cost of the base level price. We will also look at how clean or dirty the clock movement may be.
Your Clock’s Mechanical condition
Many clock owners never consider that their clock, being a machine, will actually wear itself out over time but clocks are no different than any other mechanical device. All machines will wear out eventually. The average life span of a clock can vary widely depending on what type of clock movement you have, the brand of the movement and when it was made. Some clocks, unfortunately, have relatively short life spans of 10 to 20 years. Others can last 20 to 40 years and some that were made 100 years ago may still be running without ever having been rebuilt. Because we are aware of these radical differences in life spans, we know when it is important to look closely at the clock’s mechanical condition. The amount of wear present in your clock’s bearing surfaces is a large factor in determining which repair will be the most cost effective one for you. As the wear in your clock increases, so does the chance that your clock may need a repair beyond a simple “tune up”.
The amount of time it takes for us to determine the clock’s state of wear can vary depending on how the movement is held inside the case. sometimes it is quite easy to remove a dial or open a back door of the clock to see whether a clock is worn badly or not. other times the clock movement will need to be removed completely and the clock unwound (if it is spring driven).
The state of a clock’s mechanical condition often falls into three main categories. Clocks that have little or no wear, clocks that are worn very badly and clocks that are somewhere in between.
Estimating the clocks at the two extremes is pretty easy. Clocks with little or no wear will most often need a lower cost, base level repair. Clocks that are worn badly will need a more expensive rebuild or overhaul, assuming the movement is out of production. Generally speaking, antique clocks will be rebuilt, and modern era clocks will have their movements replaced with a newer version of the same movement, unless the customer requests that their modern movement be rebuilt.
It is those clocks that fall somewhere between not worn and badly worn that present a dilemma for the clock owner. Will the customer save money by choosing the lower priced repair that we cannot guarantee, or will they choose the higher priced repair that we will guarantee? It is always their choice!
Guaranteed Versus Non-Guaranteed Repairs
It is very important for all clock owners to understand that no clock shop can guarantee a repair if there is significant wear present in the clock. The reason for this is it is very difficult for the clockmaker to determine how much wear is “too much” or how much life may be left in a clock with a “medium” amount of wear. Different clocks will tolerate differing amounts of wear and wear in some areas of a clock may be more or less critical than the same amount of wear in another part. This is where experience really matters and what makes us different. When there is even a slight amount of wear, most shops will only give you the higher priced option, even when it is possible that the clock may work fine with a lesser repair.
Our goal is to educate, not “sell” or force our customers one direction or another. We will often show you the wear in the clock while describing which areas of wear are critical, and which areas may be less critical. We will explain the differences in cost between the base level repair and the rebuild and we will also discuss the risks, the rewards and the cost benefits of both options. Our customers are then able to make their own choice based on their love for the clock, any sentimentality they have for the clock, their ability to afford either repair or their tolerance for risk. Some customers are more cost conscious, choosing the lesser repair and others prefer to eliminate any risk by choosing the higher priced, yet guaranteed repair.
See “Our Estimating Philosophy” page for a more in-depth discussion on this subject.
Written Estimates
Once you decide on your course of action, we will give you a written estimate and claim check. The estimate form will include your contact information, the clock type, the clock’s aesthetic condition, which loose parts are present and the estimate. If you bring us a clock, we do need weights and pendulums; we do not need winding keys or any loose decorative components that can be removed. We will obtain your signature on the estimate form as proof of authorization to proceed.
The estimate form will also act as your claim check; therefore, it is very important that you remember to bring it with you when you pick up the clock.
Deposits
for most clocks we require a deposit of half the amount of the repair before beginning. It is very unfortunate that we need to do this, but some customers never come in to pick up their clock and leave us holding a clock we do not own and a repair that we did not get paid for.
If you have asked us to perform a repair that we cannot guarantee, we will have you sign a form showing that you understand the risk and we will ask for full payment for the repair in advance.
Unlike some other repair shops, if for some reason you decide not to have us perform the repair and we have not already started the repair, ordered parts or spent extra time providing a more detailed assessment, we will return your deposit or prepayment in full. If we have already begun the repair, we will refund any amount of your deposit, if any, that is over and above any work we have already completed.
There are some situations where we will begin to perform a “no guarantee” repair and discover during the process that the level of repair previously chosen is not going to be sufficient to make the clock run correctly. When this situation arises we will call the customer before proceeding further.
Picking Up Your Clock
Once your clock is completed, we will call, email or text you to let you know your clock is ready. We do work by appointment so you will need to call to schedule the appointment if we text, email or leave you a message. It is very important that you pick up the clock within thirty days of your notification that the clock is ready. Ohio law does not require us to hold the clock for you after that time period. If for any reason you are having trouble getting in to pick up the clock you can mail us a check for the repair or call us to give us a credit card number over the phone. if you do this, we will hold the clock longer. The key is keeping in contact with us. If you do not answer your phone or return our messages we will assume that you have abandoned the clock. Our goal is to get the clock back to you, the owner, not to sell it to recover costs, but you must remain in contact!
