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What to charge!? ...again.. sorry!
Hello all.
My first day here and I think I need some advice (sorry this is mostly waffle!)
My background:
HND & BA in art design & multimedia
4 years in-house designer
3 years freelance (current)... it just happened! - not planned.
Anyway:
I mostly design & visualise exhibition stands but also fill in my time with graphic design and print supply work.
The reason for this post, cutting a long story short - people say I'm cheap & I don't like charging lots of money... I'd rather be a busy fool.
However I nearly fell off my chair when I found out an 'older' designer is charging £65per hour to end users and £45per hour to contractors - I think this is SILLY money.
Yesterday:
I was asked to produce a quote for a logo design - I usually produce about 3 sides of ideas then let the client choose one... they picked two.
For this I charge £50 ex vat to get the ball rolling.
Data sheets:
Basically, double sided, A5 sized sheets with same background image that I developed - logo - data and a few pictures & specification lists.
These have also been designed to be produced at A4 at a later date.
There is 5 in total - I was thinking about £50 ex vat for each
Also need to produce comp slip & letter head - £15 each?
Background:
It a client just starting up - but from a long history working with me - its a cheep job but looks hi-tech... I just didnt want to go in expensive from the start :eyes Also - a couple of meetings at the clients home.
I know its VERY hard to make comparisons - but what are you guys charging?
Also I'm going to quote for the print - and add a slight mark-up on this too.
My first day here and I think I need some advice (sorry this is mostly waffle!)
My background:
HND & BA in art design & multimedia
4 years in-house designer
3 years freelance (current)... it just happened! - not planned.
Anyway:
I mostly design & visualise exhibition stands but also fill in my time with graphic design and print supply work.
The reason for this post, cutting a long story short - people say I'm cheap & I don't like charging lots of money... I'd rather be a busy fool.
However I nearly fell off my chair when I found out an 'older' designer is charging £65per hour to end users and £45per hour to contractors - I think this is SILLY money.
Yesterday:
I was asked to produce a quote for a logo design - I usually produce about 3 sides of ideas then let the client choose one... they picked two.
For this I charge £50 ex vat to get the ball rolling.
Data sheets:
Basically, double sided, A5 sized sheets with same background image that I developed - logo - data and a few pictures & specification lists.
These have also been designed to be produced at A4 at a later date.
There is 5 in total - I was thinking about £50 ex vat for each
Also need to produce comp slip & letter head - £15 each?
Background:
It a client just starting up - but from a long history working with me - its a cheep job but looks hi-tech... I just didnt want to go in expensive from the start :eyes Also - a couple of meetings at the clients home.
I know its VERY hard to make comparisons - but what are you guys charging?
Also I'm going to quote for the print - and add a slight mark-up on this too.
- Contact in PM
dmd
Messages count : 22Likes count : 0Registration : 4 January 2007"... I'd rather be a busy fool." A dangerous rut to get into. In my experience people (and agencies) who charge so little only do themselves harm. you're not running a charity don't forget! You're dealing with businesses here and you have to treat yourself and your design skills as a business too!
I think you'll find it a lot more satisfying knowing that you're getting paid a respectable rate for your work and not because you work for next to nothing.
I wouldn't charge anything less than £15 per hour, and maybe negotiate with the client for larger jobs that may take weeks to complete.
As for the designer charging £65 an hour, are you sure? That sounds like a (small) agency rate. Maybe he knows something we don't?
Be warned though, I had a working relationship with a client and even offered them a discounted day rate, but they have stabbed me in the back somewhat, so now I'm not willing to work for anyone who won't pay my basic hourly rate (which is still competitive considering my experience).
I hope this has helped(?!?!)
Oh, and print managing is a great way to make a decent mark up. Don't forget that you will be the one liasing with the printers and organising delivery etc, so don't be afraid to add extra on the invoice for this. - Contact in PM
stovey
Messages count : 12Likes count : 0Registration : 16 June 2007Thanks for reading through my rather long post there DMD 🙂
That helps loads - £15 sounds decent.. and your right about working in the 'busy fool' rut - Thats why I'm here - in a bid to break that!
As for the designer that charges £40 - £60 per hour, that was for exhibition work and to be honest I think he is from a slightly different era to most of us!
Just as a bit of a follow on question - what do people charge for a logo design these days? (excluding the recent london 2012 project!) - Contact in PM
matts1
Messages count : 2Likes count : 0Registration : 22 June 2007Charges per hour really mean nothing. I charge £45ph for artworking and £65ph for creative design. But I may do a job 5 times quicker than someone charging £20 per hour.
I tend to say to a client that it is better for them that I quote them for what they want and that way they know what they will be paying from the start.
A logo design is £150 - £500 for general business depending on what they are and what they want.
For this they get 3-4 concepts, then from this will get a couple more stages moving a logo onto a final design.
If your working freelance for a design firm, then I would say you need to speak to them and see what they would like to pay, and see if that is a figure your happy with. Then suggest that you do a couple of jobs for them and see how things go.
The alternative if for them to set a budget for the job and see if you want to do it. - Contact in PM
stovey
Messages count : 12Likes count : 0Registration : 16 June 2007Thanks for the advice... I've been doing logo designs for £50 a pop... this usually includes a few sides of concepts then the client picks one to be worked into a final design 😮 Maybe I should rethink this price guide!!