NOTICE

 REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMUNICATION

7th Street Shops cannot receive text messages.

Our primary means of communication is thru email. All alerts, comments, status memos, invoices, tracking numbers, initial communications, etc. will be through email. We will talk on the phone when you call if we are available but phone calls are not recorded and nothing said on the phone by us is binding.

PLEASE RESPOND TO OUR EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS IMMEDIATELY UPON RECEIPT. This is very important and often time-sensitive. Even if the response is just the "subject" returned to us we will know you received our message. In most cases failure to respond will simply delay any progress and if we have not heard from you within a reasonable time we may need to set your project aside; getting back to it may take some time. If there is billable time on the project, we may simply issue an invoice for whatever time is outstanding and come back to the question when you have time to respond. If the communication includes an invoice, it is very important to acknowledge the message right away and pay the invoice as soon as possible. 

We try to alert you when your project is to start immanently. If you will be absent while we are working on your project please let us know so we can effectively manage our billing cycle. 

ESTIMATES

There are no exceptions to this; we DO NOT offer estimates. It is not possible to be accurate or foresee how a project may develop. If you feel we have told you something different - by email or phone - you have misunderstood. We are sorry for that but we require that you read our policies before engaging our services. We assume that you have when you ship your model.

MARKET VALUE

We are happy for our clients when they experienced an exceptional bargain. However, when attempting to "negotiating" price for our services, whatever you paid for a model has no bearing on the conversation. When the term "Market Value" enters a discussion about "Custom Work", "market value" is meaningless. "Custom Work" is very simple to understand; what are we willing to do for what you are willing to pay. 

ALL that we do is Custom Work. Our best clients understand that value of a model is its capability to fulfill dreams and promote the fun of the hobby.  If cost is a concern, we ask that you seek another service. 

ENGAGING OUR SERVICES 

Please read our policies first. Contact us by email if you have questions and when you decide to use our services. Upon approval by us, pack the model well (see our instructions below) and ship via private carrier such as UPS or FedEx.Please (you must) supply us with a tracking number. Do NOT use the USPS! 

Include the following:

A brief statement of what work you wish or expect.

Any specific instruction that may be out of the ordinary.

The complete model in its original box if available.

All contact information. (This must be inside the shipping box. Sending this separately is not a fair option because the information needs to be with the model at all times while we have it to prevent losing track of it.)

DO NOT send separate parts or an incomplete model. (We do not quarter drivers without the frame and ALL of the Driver Sets and mechanism.)

 
Do NOT include any payment with the model unless it has been pre authorized by us. 

Be patient. We have one technician and one administrator and a shop full of work. It may take 6 months to a year to get to your job. You are quite welcome to check with us periodically for status information of your model. We appreciate keeping in contact.

CHARGES AND PAYMENT

We charge all labor by an hourly Shop Rate. Depending on the type of job the following rates may apply.

• Shop Rate 1 - $60 per hour . The 12 Hour Rule; the first 12 hours of all jobs (except as noted)
• Shop Rate 2 - $55 per hour . Applies to all remaining time charged after the first 12 hours (except as noted)
• Shop Rate 3 - $50 per hour (Applies to ongoing Custom Building  - kits, scratch, Patterns making. Rules of Shop Rates 1, 2, do not  apply)
• Shop Rate 4 - $40 Drafting Services - model railroading ONLY.

BILLING SCHEDULE

Typically, your project will follow certain course of progress. We will bill around apecific tasks as they are completed depending on the circumstances. Our Major tasks are;

• POWER TRAIN (motor, gear box, mechanism, *model balance, brass repairs) 
• PAINT & FINISH (prep, colors, lettering, finish, glazing) 
• DCC / SOUND INSTALLATION (we will NOT  install electronics in an unpainted model)
• * model balance is now mandatory with motor replacements as this can significantly alter its pulling effectiveness.

(* See our Blog for information on balancing models)

CUSTOM WORK (10 to 15 hours at a time) is ongoing. This includes custom decals, custom manufactured parts as well as advanced work such as drivers, bearings and side rod mechanic that include machine work. It also includes the research and any drafting required to obtain custom parts.

We routinely execute minor repairs (brass only) at our discretion and without specific consent as it may occur.

INVOICE & PAYMENT

YOU MUST IMMEDIATELY RESPOND TO EMAIL WITH AN ATTACHED INVOICE; We bill by email and your response is needed to know you have received that invoice. Failure to acknowledge may effect our attention to your project and repeat failure will cause summary cancellation of the project.
ALL INVOICES ARE DUE IMMEDIATELY; Late payments will be subject to penalty and interest after the 15th day. Repeat late payments will cause cancellation of the job.

PAYMENT METHODS 

Please read everything on the invoice. If paying by check, follow the instructions on the invoice concerning how to fill out the check. We now offer Zelle as a means of bill payment. Payment by Zelle to 7th Street Shops is made to the phone number provided on the invoice. We encourage our clients to contact their bank about this service. If you choose not or cannot use Zelle you must pay by check made out as instructed on the invoice and send by FedEx or UPS. NO form of USPS is acceptable as our service is very unreliable. Please provide a tracking number immediately. If we do not receive payment within 15 days, we consider the invoice late and WILL apply 15% interest and penalty with the option to CANCEL the job. If this is a second occurrence the penalty will be applied immediately and the job WILL be summarily canceled. WE will take action after 30 days to recover our losses.

No Model is released until every invoice is satisfied. A model is considered abandoned when an invoice is 30 days late. We may do with it as we see fit with no obligation to the "former" owner.  Again, communication is fundamental to our service. If for any reason you cannot meet our requirements, PLEASE CONTACT US! We understand circumstances and are willing to help you work thru them. NO COMMUNICATION CONSTITUTES NEGLECT!

We do not take credit cards.

If a credit is due, 7th Street Shops will first apply the credit over multiple invoices on the same job. This is usually 2 or perhaps 3 invoices. We avoid taking money in advance and we try to avoid debt. If nothing is outstanding we will issue a check at our earliest convenience

SHIPPING & SHIPMENT SUGGESTIONS

Your model is at greatest risk in the hands of a shipper. We have the following suggestions

• Where ever possible always use the original (manufacturer's) box
• If the original foam is wimpy, stuff it with additional bubble wrap 
• Close the box tight (NEVER USE TAPE DIRECTLY ON THE ORIGINAL MODEL BOX! This is damage to a valuable mode!) and vigorously shake it the length of the model. If any movement is felt STUFF it some more. 
• Place the box in a larger box with at least 3 inches of padding around the model box.
• Never ship a model without an inner box - even if it is a substitute. (Do not place any parts loose in the outer box.) 
• Always insure your model.
• Do NOT ship USPS. No matter what you pay for insurance you probably won't collect. We use FedEx.
• You are responsible for ALL shipping costs.

If you receive a model damaged in shipment you must submit all evidence including photos to 7th Street shops as quickly as possible. The window for filing with FedEx is 15 days from the SHIPMENT date. A model can be in transit for a week or more which may leave only a week to file a claim.

GUARANTEE

We guarantee our work with the following limitations;

• Paint, lettering, and finish - 90 days (this is subject to a variety of handling conditions and modern paints that are increasingly  inferior under government regulations).
•  DCC Installations - Labor only - 1 year. The manufacturers guarantee their parts. (Note; any guarantee by 7th Street Shops is void if the model is opened by any other service during the warrantee period. Please Do NOT open our  installation without contacting us first.
• Power Train - labor and only parts we made  - 1 year. Please keep  the gear box and mechanism lightly lubricated. Parts are guaranteed by  the Manufacturer. 
• General Guarantee;  we are always willing to work with you. Please contact us about specific issues.
• We do not pay for shipping. WE try to make use of all that we charge for shipping (estimated). We do not have any handling charges or other compensations for shipping a model. Even if the model is returned under warranted you are expected to pay shipping both ways.

OUR VALUED CUSTOMER

We understand the client's "need" to know what our services will cost. The following are ball park expectations offered only as a "feel" for what your project may cost

• Power Train replacement, Steam, rigid frame +/- 7 hours plus parts (model balancing is mandatory with motor exchange)
• Power Train replacement, Steam, articulate +/- 16 hours plus parts (model balancing is mandatory with motor exchange)
• DCC / Sound  +/- 12 hours plus parts - we do not accept customer supplied parts.

Our product is our service and many decades of self-taught experience. We work for the model as if it were our own. For this, we often charge a lot of money; but you get the very best available. No model is ever out-shopped because if we can't do it, it can't be done.

We value your patronage. We will always listen and we will work with you within the parameters of these policies. We pay close attention to your record with us and we will give our best clients preferential treatment. Not fair? We do NOT like this symbol ( - ) showing up in our bank balance! Our best clients help keep that from happening. Thank you for choosing 7th Street Shops. WE are in our 15th year and hope to serve you many more to come.

We reserve the right to penalize or cancel an order upon violation of these requirements.