Robert Osborne’s New Repair/Alterations Prices

[Mark187187]

I know it's more expensive than some, but I still don't think it's ridiculously expensive. It depends what value someone puts on their time.

A plumber would probably charge you £50 an hour on top of a call out charge. I'd imagine that RO has plenty of work with his reputation, and would get swamped if his prices were lower. I don't know exactly how long each of those services offered would take him, but I'd estimate he's charging £30-40 an hour, so £60-80k salary on average full time hours before expenses. In any other specialist profession, someone of Osborne's experience and reputation would be earning that if not significantly more.

I'd use him if I was local. I've never heard any criticism of his work, and would happily pay a little extra for his experience, reputation and that peace of mind.

[narl]

On the other hand Parris will make you a cue to your needs, Osborne only provides the Chinese agents with that option, no good calling yourself the name of the worlds finest cues if you aren't providing the world with 'said' cues!!

Has a very clean workshop as well from what i hear.

[cueman]

Has a very clean workshop as well from what i hear.

Yes like many around these days but Parris will still get more criticism as usual!!

[TooDark]

Heres prices at GBL and Stu would just use anyone

Craig Fitzpatrick will be making bespoke cues to order.
All types of alterations and repairs will be undertaken.

Re-Tip From – £5.00
Re-Ferrule – £10.00
Titanium Ferrule Supplied & Fitted – £50.00
Re-Align Joint – £10.00
Re-Place Joint – £25.00
Extension Joint Supplied & Fitted – £15.00
Weight Alteration – From £20.00
Re Taper Shaft Including Re-Finish – £30.00
Straightening From – £10.00
One Piece To ¾ Including Joint – £40.00
Lengthen Cue Using 4 Splice from – £70.00
Total Re-Finish – Clean,Re-Grain, Oil,Wax & French Polish – £30.00
Part Re-Finish – Clean,Oil & Wax – £20.00

* Please note – Craig Fitzpatrick is independent from Green Baize *
When buying cues from Green Baize cues can be alterred to specification by Craig.
Payment for alterations are to be made directly to Craig Fitzpatrick.

* Buying a cue from Green Baize and want an alteration *
Before buying online please contact Craig to talk through what alterations you want doing. Craig will check the cue to see if the requested alterations are suitable for the selected cue and give you a quote. When details are confirmed it’s fine to proceed to buy the cue online. Once alterations are complete we do final quality checks before sending your new cue.



Fitting a ferrule £10 and read somewhere on forum but can’t find now that it can be a 20-30 minute job. Unless Robert means referrule and cut down shorter included?

[jrc750]

I know it's more expensive than some, but I still don't think it's ridiculously expensive. It depends what value someone puts on their time.

A plumber would probably charge you £50 an hour on top of a call out charge. I'd imagine that RO has plenty of work with his reputation, and would get swamped if his prices were lower. I don't know exactly how long each of those services offered would take him, but I'd estimate he's charging £30-40 an hour, so £60-80k salary on average full time hours before expenses. In any other specialist profession, someone of Osborne's experience and reputation would be earning that if not significantly more.

I'd use him if I was local. I've never heard any criticism of his work, and would happily pay a little extra for his experience, reputation and that peace of mind.

Blinking hell, you can't go making assumptions like that, and yes I think his prices are way over the top now!

[TooDark]

Blinking hell, you can't go making assumptions like that, and yes I think his prices are way over the top now!

Hallelujah John!:biggrin::biggrin:

[narl]

We carry out these repairs using the same quality materials & standards of craftsmanship used in the production of our own cues

There's deffo an obvious joke to be made here.

[Mark187187]

Ha ha, my estimates might be way off. But still, even if he's earning twice that, people are paying for his experience and reputation. He's earnt the right to charge what he wants, like Parris has, and we have the right to pay someone with way less experience a fraction of the price. Can't expect someone like RO to charge the same the same as someone no-one's heard of and/or is relatively inexperienced. Same as we don't expect JP to charge less than £300 entry level, even though you can get a decent 'Ultimate' type cue for that elsewhere.

I feel like I've been ripped off a bunch of times by builders, plumbers, car mechanics, driving instructers, my kids music lessons, all of which have comparable hourly rates to RO but are nowhere near being the best at what they do. I guess if I was paying for the best, first invoice would give me a heart attack.

[DeanH]

I feel like I've been ripped off a ... my kids music lessons, ...

oh! been there!

[Ninja.cues]

I wouldn’t Colin as can see a lot more work coming your way mate:encouragement:

Was joking and not putting my prices up but does make me laugh when some think I'm charging to much...

I keep my prices fair and even small jobs like ferrules are coming in, so word is getting round.

Good luck to him.

[Shockerz]

Let me tot up the work I did on Mathias' cue at Osborne prices

shortening shaft for bigger ferrule, lets say new ferrule fitted & tip £40
lengthening shaft with four lower splices, same as lengthening cue so £150
remove badly fitted joints and replace with my own £80
re taper shaft £50
solid ekki mini butt, OK not ebony but as good or better call it £30
sand, refinish and oil whole cue £60

total of £410 and I charged £95 and he paid £100 for going the extra mile

I just made a small nine inch extension for a bloke who wanted something to screw onto his 3/4 shaft when in a certain pub with restricted space around the pool table. Made it so it balanced like a small cue so properly weighted and all that, charged £25, what am I doing wrong

£25? I'll send all repair work to you I reckon!

[narl]

Question is..does he even want to do this work considering the price increase? Almost seems to be a way to put people off coming to him for any of that so he can concentrate on whatever he does the rest of the time. You can only really buy one of his cues if you see one on ebay or go directly to his shop. Bit of a weird business model he does, the "i don't have packaging materials" excuse seems a bit flimsy to say the least, every other cue maker can get them, since he's allegedly producing the "world's best" then why not him?

He could just put them on his site specced as they are and not accept custom work, he did that once before several years back and the cues sold out in a matter of hours....that's at a time when the mythical and incredibly hard to buy plastic tubes and cardboard boxes were plentiful it would seem...

[ADR147]

Any of you guys ever had to pay a lawyer - Robert is cheap!!

[vmax]

£25? I'll send all repair work to you I reckon!

The wood I already had, the joint cost a fiver and it took me an hour so I earned myself £20 which is fine for a woodworker.

Any of you guys ever had to pay a lawyer - Robert is cheap!!

Yes I have, £800 for a barrister for an hour and he walked into court knowing nothing about the case, but he 'knew about court procedure' as my solicitor pointed out. Yet he didn't justify his fee in any way at all as it was me who pointed out that my adversary was lying and got him to admit it under oath, case closed and an extra £800 in costs to him.
I watched enough Crown Court on tv in the 70's to have handled it all myself, I prompted him yet he asked the questions after I had calmed down after he asked what the case was all about
It's a club for sure, but RO is a woodworker who specialises in cues, just like myself, ninja, sanman, rogibear, j6 and all the other 'amateurs' on this site. Sure we don't have a shop and all the business and tax gubbins that goes with it but those prices are either a reflection of the financial difficulties of running a shop in london/anywhere after the recent business rates hike, or simple profiteering.

[DeanH]

Question is..does he even want to do this work considering the price increase? Almost seems to be a way to put people off coming to him for any of that so he can concentrate on whatever he does the rest of the time. You can only really buy one of his cues if you see one on ebay or go directly to his shop. Bit of a weird business model he does, the "i don't have packaging materials" excuse seems a bit flimsy to say the least, every other cue maker can get them, since he's allegedly producing the "world's best" then why not him?

He could just put them on his site specced as they are and not accept custom work, he did that once before several years back and the cues sold out in a matter of hours....that's at a time when the mythical and incredibly hard to buy plastic tubes and cardboard boxes were plentiful it would seem...

I think this is the reason, he says you can send a cue to him for work but he wont send it back.