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tile pricing help please!

updated wed 12 oct 05

 

claybair on sat 8 oct 05


Earl..... you are never speechless! ;-)
We all approach things in different ways.
Some of us need to prove we are determined to succeed by
walking burning embers barefoot.
Ingeborg is taking the plunge and since she hasn't gotten
a request I think she has time to work out the details.
Besides, depending on the complexity of the commission
I prices would vary.
I wonder if anyone makes the teapot spout or lid before the body?
I think breaking customary sequences help break static patterns.

Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island, WA
Tucson, AZ
http://claybair.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Earl Brunner

Speechless, just speechless, I can't use any of the words I want to here.

Hell, why would you make that kind of offer without knowing what you were
doing in the first place?

Ingeborg Foco wrote:
Hi,

I've just finished my annual customer mailing and have made suggestions they
decorate with tile. I just realized I don't have a clue on what I will
charge if someone comes into the shop and asks. I've done lots of tiles but
have never done the marketing and this time I don't want to take on jobs
unless I make money. You know, the plumber makes a ton, the car repair guy
charges a lot (even when he doesn't actually fix the problem) and so I want
to make a lot as well:)

I hand cut tiles, fire to cone 10 Reduction. If there is a drawing or mural,
I do the drawing in low fire glazes and refire in the electric kiln.


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Ingeborg Foco on sat 8 oct 05


Hi,

I've just finished my annual customer mailing and have made suggestions they
decorate with tile. I just realized I don't have a clue on what I will
charge if someone comes into the shop and asks. I've done lots of tiles but
have never done the marketing and this time I don't want to take on jobs
unless I make money. You know, the plumber makes a ton, the car repair guy
charges a lot (even when he doesn't actually fix the problem) and so I want
to make a lot as well:)

I hand cut tiles, fire to cone 10 Reduction. If there is a drawing or mural,
I do the drawing in low fire glazes and refire in the electric kiln.

Do you charge design fees or just a total square foot cost? How much do you
charge per square foot? If there are field tiles within the mural, do you
charge field tile prices for the blanks or do you just include them in the
per square foot cost?

I would sincerely appreciate your input. If no one bites on my tile
designing suggestions, I will just continue making the items that are
presently sellers in the gallery. In other words, I don't want to spend
time on a losing proposition. Sounds rather callous doesn't it but hey...

Thanks in advance for any inputs and I for one have really enjoyed the $600
teapot discussion. Very interesting to be sure.

Sincerely,


Ingeborg
the Potter's Workshop & Gallery
P.O. Box 510
3058 Stringfellow Road
St. James City, Florida 33956

239-283-2775

Earl Brunner on sat 8 oct 05


Speechless, just speechless, I can't use any of the words I want to here.

Hell, why would you make that kind of offer without knowing what you were doing in the first place?

Ingeborg Foco wrote:
Hi,

I've just finished my annual customer mailing and have made suggestions they
decorate with tile. I just realized I don't have a clue on what I will
charge if someone comes into the shop and asks. I've done lots of tiles but
have never done the marketing and this time I don't want to take on jobs
unless I make money. You know, the plumber makes a ton, the car repair guy
charges a lot (even when he doesn't actually fix the problem) and so I want
to make a lot as well:)

I hand cut tiles, fire to cone 10 Reduction. If there is a drawing or mural,
I do the drawing in low fire glazes and refire in the electric kiln.



Earl Brunner
e-mail: brunv53@yahoo.com

Earl Brunner on sun 9 oct 05


Well, that's true. I can open my mouth and insert foot with the best of them.
My wife, Vickie says I have an alter-ego when I get on clayart.
Sorry Ingeborg, I don't know why I do these things.


claybair wrote:
Earl..... you are never speechless! ;-)
We all approach things in different ways.
Some of us need to prove we are determined to succeed by
walking burning embers barefoot.
Ingeborg is taking the plunge and since she hasn't gotten
a request I think she has time to work out the details.
Besides, depending on the complexity of the commission
I prices would vary.
I wonder if anyone makes the teapot spout or lid before the body?
I think breaking customary sequences help break static patterns.

Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island, WA
Tucson, AZ
http://claybair.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Earl Brunner

Speechless, just speechless, I can't use any of the words I want to here.

Hell, why would you make that kind of offer without knowing what you were
doing in the first place?

Ingeborg Foco wrote:
Hi,

I've just finished my annual customer mailing and have made suggestions they
decorate with tile. I just realized I don't have a clue on what I will
charge if someone comes into the shop and asks. I've done lots of tiles but
have never done the marketing and this time I don't want to take on jobs
unless I make money. You know, the plumber makes a ton, the car repair guy
charges a lot (even when he doesn't actually fix the problem) and so I want
to make a lot as well:)

I hand cut tiles, fire to cone 10 Reduction. If there is a drawing or mural,
I do the drawing in low fire glazes and refire in the electric kiln.


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Earl Brunner
e-mail: brunv53@yahoo.com

Ingeborg Foco on sun 9 oct 05


Earl said:

"Speechless, just speechless, I can't use any of the words I
want to here.
Hell, why would you make that kind of offer without knowing what you were
doing in the first place?"



Dear Earl,

I can't imagine why my request for input on tile prices should cause you to
want to use words that you can't in this forum.
I find that most peculiar!

We are still in Hurricane mode down here and the tourist season doesn't
really kick in for another month or so (if we in fact have a season at all)
It would seem that I have plenty of time to figure out what I might want to
charge, if anyone even bites. I only do one time consuming mailing per year
and
it has to go out the first part of October.

I've done lots of tiles; know how to make them and what the pitfalls are so
I would say I know what I am doing.
I simply wanted to get input from tile makers so that I don't undervalue my
work or under cut anyone else's. It is nice to know however, that I still
have the ability to leave men speechless!!

Best wishes


Ingeborg
the Potter's Workshop & Gallery
P.O. Box 510
3058 Stringfellow Road
St. James City, Florida 33956

239-283-2775

Gene & Dolita Dohrman on sun 9 oct 05


Very classy response, Ingeborg!
Dolita

It is nice to know however, that I still have the ability to leave men
speechless!!
>
> Best wishes
>
> Ingeborg



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katetiler on sun 9 oct 05


Hi Ingeborg,

there are two ways to approach this - The quick & dirty way is to
check out what other people charge for similar work and copy their
pricing structure, on the basis that then at least you won't be
undercutting them and hopefully these are professional people who are
earning a living at that rate...

Or figure out how much you need to earn a day to live on, work out how
many days it will take you to complete the project and then add
materials and firing fee on top, plus extra if they want you to
install it.

In assessing the project, you can guage during the discussion whether
this is a similar job to ones you have done before or whether this
will require you to do extra research, drafting work, research & site
visits etc and add these on accordingly.

The biggest issue is whether you are prepared to stick to a price once
you have worked it all out and it is more than the customer wants to
pay...

I do sympathise as working on a bespoke project is more difficult to
guage than your standard usual tilework, but remember if you are
working for individuals or small businesses you will have to ask for a
non-returnable deposit that at least covers your materials and firing
costs, in case they change their minds or go bust before you get the
final bill to them.

I have just gone through this learning curve myself and it is a bit of
a wake up call...

Ingeborg Foco on mon 10 oct 05


Earl,

Apology accepted. I will have to check you out on the Rogue Gallery. If
my memory serves me right, you were the one with horns (no pun intended) or
am I thinking of the Mayor?

Ingeborg

the Potter's Workshop & Gallery
P.O. Box 510
3058 Stringfellow Road
St. James City, Florida 33956

239-283-2775

> Well, that's true. I can open my mouth and insert foot with the best of
them.
> My wife, Vickie says I have an alter-ego when I get on clayart.
> Sorry Ingeborg, I don't know why I do these things.
>

Ingeborg Foco on mon 10 oct 05


Hi Kate,

Thanks very much for taking the time to reply to my question. I appreciate
the input. Have received some replies but not nearly as much as I thought I
would. Either there aren't that many tile makers or they want to keep a low
profile. I am doing the detective work. Funny, if you underprice anyone,
they get really worked up but don't seem to help out in the pricing matter.
Oh well, I shall figure it out. Again, thanks.

Sincerely,


Ingeborg
the Potter's Workshop & Gallery
P.O. Box 510
3058 Stringfellow Road
St. James City, Florida 33956

239-283-2775
----- Original Message -----
From: "katetiler"
To:
Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2005 4:19 AM
Subject: Re: Tile Pricing Help Please!


Hi Ingeborg,

there are two ways to approach this - The quick & dirty way is to
check out what other people charge for similar work and copy their
pricing structure, on the basis that then at least you won't be
undercutting them and hopefully these are professional people who are
earning a living at that rate...

Or figure out how much you need to earn a day to live on, work out how
many days it will take you to complete the project and then add
materials and firing fee on top, plus extra if they want you to
install it.

In assessing the project, you can guage during the discussion whether
this is a similar job to ones you have done before or whether this
will require you to do extra research, drafting work, research & site
visits etc and add these on accordingly.

The biggest issue is whether you are prepared to stick to a price once
you have worked it all out and it is more than the customer wants to
pay...

I do sympathise as working on a bespoke project is more difficult to
guage than your standard usual tilework, but remember if you are
working for individuals or small businesses you will have to ask for a
non-returnable deposit that at least covers your materials and firing
costs, in case they change their minds or go bust before you get the
final bill to them.

I have just gone through this learning curve myself and it is a bit of
a wake up call...

____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org

You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/

Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.

Chris Schafale on tue 11 oct 05


Ingeborg,

Have you tried the archives? There was a fairly exhaustive discussion of
this topic some time in the last year, I vaguely recall.....

Chris

At 10:05 PM 10/10/2005, you wrote:
>Hi Kate,
>
>Thanks very much for taking the time to reply to my question. I appreciate
>the input. Have received some replies but not nearly as much as I thought I
>would. Either there aren't that many tile makers or they want to keep a low
>profile. I am doing the detective work. Funny, if you underprice anyone,
>they get really worked up but don't seem to help out in the pricing matter.
>Oh well, I shall figure it out. Again, thanks.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>
>Ingeborg
>the Potter's Workshop & Gallery
>P.O. Box 510
>3058 Stringfellow Road
>St. James City, Florida 33956
>
>239-283-2775
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "katetiler"
>To:
>Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2005 4:19 AM
>Subject: Re: Tile Pricing Help Please!
>
>
>Hi Ingeborg,
>
>there are two ways to approach this - The quick & dirty way is to
>check out what other people charge for similar work and copy their
>pricing structure, on the basis that then at least you won't be
>undercutting them and hopefully these are professional people who are
>earning a living at that rate...
>
>Or figure out how much you need to earn a day to live on, work out how
>many days it will take you to complete the project and then add
>materials and firing fee on top, plus extra if they want you to
>install it.
>
>In assessing the project, you can guage during the discussion whether
>this is a similar job to ones you have done before or whether this
>will require you to do extra research, drafting work, research & site
>visits etc and add these on accordingly.
>
>The biggest issue is whether you are prepared to stick to a price once
>you have worked it all out and it is more than the customer wants to
>pay...
>
>I do sympathise as working on a bespoke project is more difficult to
>guage than your standard usual tilework, but remember if you are
>working for individuals or small businesses you will have to ask for a
>non-returnable deposit that at least covers your materials and firing
>costs, in case they change their minds or go bust before you get the
>final bill to them.
>
>I have just gone through this learning curve myself and it is a bit of
>a wake up call...
>
>____________________________________________________________________________
>__
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>melpots@pclink.com.
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>melpots@pclink.com.