Cost of Clock Repair
Time is money, says the proverb, but turn it around & you get a precious truth:
Money is time.
~George Gissing
This article was written and published by John Tope the owner and creator of Tick Tock Productions.
Did you ever wonder what it cost to have a clock repaired, or how much to charge if you want to do repair work? Here are 2 sources that break it down in detail. These prices are based on U.S. repairs. They are not specific to any state or city. It is to give you a general guide to understand the cost of doing various repairs on different clocks. The site airtasker.com does give clock repair cost information in other countries. If you search from your country, you should receive market pricing in your currency. Otherwise, perform a search on google.com for “clock repair prices near me”. You are likely to receive several listings of repair experts in your area with pricing.
Updated below as of 09/19/2023 clock repair costs according to airtasker.com
Have your clocks stopped working and need a repair job? It would be a waste to store or put them away. Grandfather clocks and similar timepieces can be valuable antiques, so perhaps it's best to repair them instead!
Clock repair costs range from $35 to $2,500. Most clock specialists provide warranties that can last up to three years, and these already cover part replacements and labor fees. Here are price estimates for clock repair and restoration:
Different clocks and their repair costs
Time-only clock $180 to $300
Clock with an hour strike $320 to $400
Clock with an hour strike and tune $380 to $500
Anniversary clock $145 to $200
Cuckoo clock $150 to $400
Wooden works clock $300 to $400
Fusee clock $250 to $450
Ship's bell clock $200 to $350
Carriage clock $250 to $400
Specific clock services and their costs
Cuckoo clock overhaul. $150 to $400, depending on the number of weights
Bushing replacement. $10 to $30 per bushing
Pivot replacement. $65 to $110 per pivot
Excess oil removal. $30 to $50
Grandfather clock cleaning, calibration, and reassembly. $150 to $850
Grandfather clock setup. $60 to $150
Grandfather clock overhaul. $550 to $2,500, depending on the number of trains
Spring replacement. $10 to $30 per spring
Damaged tooth repair. $10 to $30 per tooth
Gear manufacturing. $50 to $250 per gear
Mechanical movement setup. $150 to $350, + the cost of a brand-new movement
Home-call or at-home clock repair. $55 to $100 for the first 25 miles. $1 to $2 per extra mile
Priority repair
If you need to repair your clock for a special occasion or holiday, asking the professional to prioritize it can increase the overall clock repair cost.
Clock repair costs below according to yelp.com as of 02/23/2024
Total costs of clock repair
Clock repair costs vary according to the type of clock and the complexity of the repair. Repair prices can run from less than $100 to several thousands. The average price for all clock repair jobs is about $240.
Repair costs by type of clock
Anniversary clocks, $125–200. Also called torsion pendulum or spinning pendulum clocks, anniversary clocks are powered by a weighted disk suspended from a thin wire torsion spring. Anniversary clocks are typically ornate with brass works enclosed in a glass dome.
Carriage clocks, $250–500. Small, rectangular spring-driven clocks designed for portability when traveling. Carriage clock maintenance usually includes polishing and lacquering the brass case.
Cuckoo clocks, $150–400. Thought to have originated in Germany in the 1730s, cuckoo clocks feature a mechanical bird that pops out of the case and issues cuckoo bird-like calls on the hour.
Fuseé clock, $250–450. The term fuseé refers to a conical pulley used in certain clocks to compensate for the gradual reduction of power transmitted to the gears by the mainspring as it unwinds in order to maintain timekeeping accuracy.
Grandfather clock, $60–2,500+. Six to seven feet tall, floor-standing clocks driven by weights and regulated by a pendulum were originally called long-case clocks. Shorter clocks of similar design are commonly called grandmother clocks. Setup of a grandfather clock after it has been moved typically costs $60–150.
Mantel clocks,$100–500. Relatively small, spring-driven clocks designed to rest on a fireplace mantel or shelf. Repair costs for mantel clocks with chimes run toward the higher end of the range.
Regulator clocks, $500–1,500. Wall clocks, weight-driven and regulated by a swinging pendulum. Regulators usually have separate movements for minute and hour hands.
Ship’s bell clocks, $200–350. Instead of chiming on the hour, ship’s bell clocks have eight bells, one for each half-hour of a sailors’ typical four-hour watch period.
Wooden works clocks, $300–400. Clocks with wooden gears were in wide use prior to the 1840s, when virtually all clockmakers switched to brass gears. Wooden works clocks are still being made by hobbyist craftspeople.
Repair costs by service type
Bushing replacement, $10–30 per bushing. Clock bushings are brass liners inserted in pivot holes where gears are mounted on a metal plate. When wear causes pivot holes to go out of round, clocks run erratically and require new bushings.
Chimes, $300–500. Repairing chiming clocks that sound on the hour typically costs $300–400. Clocks that sound on the hour with chimes and melodies usually cost $350–500 to repair.
Face restoration, $20 per hour. Costs vary depending on the decorative method. Engraved clock faces often need re-silvering, which is the application of silver chloride to make the brass look like silver. Printed markings are usually restored with black shellac.
Gear repairs, $10–250. Repairing a broken gear tooth typically costs $10–30. Replacing a gear pivot costs from $65–110. The cost to make a new gear ranges from $50–250.
Mainspring, $10–30. A spiral torsion spring is the power source in some mechanical clocks. When a clock is wound, the spring is twisted to store energy to run the movement.
Moving a clock, $300–1,500. Clocks mechanisms are complicated and delicate and usually require special packing and handling when being moved. Moving large grandfather clocks can be especially pricey.
Movement setup, $150–350 plus the cost of the movement. A clock’s movement is the assembly of all its moving parts—springs, gears, pulleys and in the case of pendulum-regulated clocks, the pendulum and weights. The cost range quoted is for labor only. A new movement can cost from $200–2,700.
Oil removal, $30–50. Mechanical clocks should be cleaned and oiled every 3–5 years. Oil used to lubricate the gear pivots tends to attract dust and get gummy and sticky, causing unwanted friction.
Overhaul, $150–1,000. Overhauling a mechanical clock mechanism typically involves disassembling the movement; cleaning, inspecting, and repairing defective parts; adjusting the regulator; and reassembling the clock. Overhauling a cuckoo clock usually runs from $150–400. A grandfather clock overhaul can cost from $150–1,000.
Cost factors
Here are factors that can affect clock repair prices.
· House call, $50–100 plus mileage. This is the typical cost to have a clock repair technician visit a home to assess a clock’s condition and estimate repair costs. Expect additional charges for labor and parts.
· Priority service. Most clock service technicians have a three-month backlog on repair jobs. If you need to have a timepiece repaired within a shorter time frame, expect to pay up to 50% more for the repair.