Buck and Laurita on sat 31 oct 98
To date, I've been adding what I figure will be an adequate amount
of $ to my overall charge for the work, and not charging
an additional fee for design, color rendering, and color
test tiles. This is not working for me any more, plus I don't
think it's very professional. Do those of you working
in "painterly" mode a) have a set, non-rebatable design
fee, b) charge a fee and rebate it against the order,
c) design/test fire away and hope for the best (this is
the chicken's way, and what I've been doing but NO MORE),
or d) sumpin' else? The "earnest money" concept works in
real estate - I've been thinking $75 - 100 is not too much
to charge for a design fee . . . and I really don't want
to rebate it. But so far I've been a wimp, and done a lot
of work for free. HELP PLEASE
Laura Chandler
Kensington MD
Paul Lewing on mon 2 nov 98
Hi, Laura,
I do 45-50 tile commissions a year, and have for over a decade.
Usually I work directly with the retail client. I charge a flat
square footage fee that is fairly high compared to other artists
around here who do tile. I don't charge a design fee, but many of my
peers do.
My reasoning on this is that all my jobs are one-of-a-kind custom
jobs, so there are proposal drawings or color test firings for almost
every job. So I just include it in the price. You don't owe me
anything until you approve the drawings, even if I have to make
several generations of drawings. At that point, you owe me half the
money, with the balance due when you're happy with the result. If
you're not happy, I do it over.
If, however, I do drawings and a tile job does not happen, then I
expect to be paid for drawings, and I charge $50/hour to draw, with a
$100 minimum. I almost never have to do this, and I often don't even
explain that setup to my clients. I also never have a contract with a
private party. Never been burned because of not having a contract,
and I do drawings and don't get paid for them about once every two
years.
But I like to keep this real simple, because I get most of my jobs
from the Home Show, and when people see me there, and this is the
first time custom tile painting has even occurred to them, one of the
first things they want to know is the cost. And they want a clear
answer without a lot of stipulations. Also I believe people don't
want to pay money before you've done any work.
Would you care to elaborate on why you feel you need a new policy?
What has happened to make you feel taken advantage of? And are you
dealing directly with clients, or through designers and architects?
If it's the latter, a design fee might be more necessary.
Good luck,
Paul Lewing, Seattle
Linda Blossom on mon 2 nov 98
Dear Laura,
Are you trying to match a color or design that the client brings to you or =
are
you presenting a drawing and showing colors that you already know you can
produce. If it is the former, then you need to estimate what it will take =
to
produce something close to what is being requested and not only should you
charge for it, you should get a deposit for it. Already knowing that it can
require much too much testing in the first case - I would try to get the =
people
to go with something I already have in my studio. If they still want =
something
that needs development, then give them a price that shows them what the
difference is between the two. In the case of the second, even though we =
can
use familiar methods and materials, every commission has its own =
complexities
and besides a design fee which you should charge, your prices should take =
into
account the risk and research and development factor in each one.
Linda Blossom
2366 Slaterville Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850
6075397912
www.artscape.com
blossom=40lightlink.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Buck and Laurita =3Claurachn=40erols.com=3E
To: CLAYART=40LSV.UKY.EDU =3CCLAYART=40LSV.UKY.EDU=3E
Date: Saturday, October 31, 1998 10:53 AM
Subject: Tile mural design fee question - HELP
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
To date, I've been adding what I figure will be an adequate amount
of =24 to my overall charge for the work, and not charging
an additional fee for design, color rendering, and color
test tiles. This is not working for me any more, plus I don't
think it's very professional. Do those of you working
in =22painterly=22 mode a) have a set, non-rebatable design
fee, b) charge a fee and rebate it against the order,
c) design/test fire away and hope for the best (this is
the chicken's way, and what I've been doing but NO MORE),
or d) sumpin' else? The =22earnest money=22 concept works in
real estate - I've been thinking =2475 - 100 is not too much
to charge for a design fee . . . and I really don't want
to rebate it. But so far I've been a wimp, and done a lot
of work for free. HELP PLEASE
Laura Chandler
Kensington MD
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