skogskalle

Hi all!

Ive seen some threads lately about how to get work and how much to charge and so on... so following them, heres another one :

If you guys get hired for illustrating a project for an architectural competition, do you charge your standard fee or something else?

The reason Im asking is, in competitions often only the winning architect gets any cash from it, all others loose all hours theyve spent working on it. Therefore theyre often not intrested in spending lots and lots of money on illustrations cause theyre really gambling with that money.

So... do you make some kind of deal with the architect, like : you work for allmost no money at all, but if your project wins you get [insert big number here] $ , or are you just charging by the hour as usual?

sorry if my english is hard to understand.... ("its good spelling, but i wobbles")

//Kalle

kingeldar

well never had to deal with such situation

but i guess it depends on hwo u like/consider da client

if it's an architect u want to go on working with
then do something like minimum fee and % on it's prize if he wins
so he will consider u more as a Partner and u'll have a long working together
but might be dangerous for you....

otherwise just hours charge

anyway i think dealing with each different architect is really a matter of persons not only business
i mean
with each different client i have prices and terms are different
considering each client's economic power and money disponibility
there's also architects i want to go on working with cause i like their work (i'm also architecte and some were my teachers...)
so i very accomodant with charges and fees.... accepting huge delay before getting paid
with some others i don't give work if they don't give me checks that cover the whole fee
(even if i can accept to put a check at end of month, another next month... the imortant is that i got the checks in my pockets with very hard laws concerning unpaid checks... so it's secured....)
hope this could help

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Dibbers

You offer a service to the architects. That service is no different if they use it for a competition or not. The risk is theirs, not yours.

__________________
Hard boiled eggs and nuts....Mm!
www.idenby.co.uk

Craig Ramsay

Totally agree!

John Dollus

I agree with Dibbers and Craig.

skogskalle

kingeldar - thanks for your reply! I havent really been in that situation either, I was just curious.
I also charge some clients less than others, cause if I didnt I wouldnt get jobs from them... I guess its better to come up with a prize that fits your needs/skills and stick to that, but its hard when youre new in the business and dont have many clients....

dibbers - youre absolutely right. However - since Im new and dont have a massive portfolio, I really need to land some cool jobs. And I find that the projects in competitions generally are alot nicer/more special than the jobs I usually work with. SO - I think that if I accepted to illustrate a project for some cool competition for less money than I usually charge - even if I/we didnt win - I would get a nice piece for the portfolio; and if we won I could get some cash too....
this might seem a bit stupid to you, but I guess its easier when youve been in the business a while and people know who you are. My biggest problem right now isnt on the skill-side (imo), its to get known, to get people to see my work.
even if its not a huge competition the images often gets published in some architectural magazine/website or similar - and I could really use some exposure.
so I think you could see the money I would risk to loose (not earn) as an investment.....

is this just nonsense or do I actually make some sense here? =)

kingeldar

yes it's like betting for starter like us
if the architect becomes a star architect (little out of proprtions i know....) it's good advertising for you...
if he loose we loose but that's life
cant' win all games you play (until you're not someone working for somebody else that gives u a poor part part of the money he makes slaving you... lol but gives you money each month... i'm not sure to get mo,ney each month... but life ain't so hard...lol)

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blaz

for me it depends on the client, some time i deal with 1/2 or 1/3 of my price with some one man show architect, cause they really don't have a budget for this, and some of them can't even draw a freehand perspective and just to get an income and to help the architect impress the client so i bet on architect side, if he get the job then i will get the balance, as full price.
because sometimes i also do some jobs for contractor for small jobs, and there are a lot of this kind of jobs here which you can finish in 1 or 2 days is the most. ex. toilet renovation, just to put tiles selection and fixtures inside.

but if I get the jobs from developer or architect firm, I will charge a full price, cause i agree with Dibbers, they should prepare a budget for that...

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Beyond your Imagination
:: www.geocities.com/wimpy_l ::

Dibbers

If you want to be involved with this architect so much, you could consider this: say OK, I'll do it for half the normal cost, but if you win, I want double the difference.

Or, I'll do it for free, but if you win, you pay me 3 times!

Of course you would need a written contract before you start.

__________________
Hard boiled eggs and nuts....Mm!
www.idenby.co.uk

gnuhong

I tell you what ...
Those two statements quoted above are what my clients always tell me before they pass me projects. It happens all the time ... clients will always say that they have no budget coz it's for competition bla bla bla .... or else, it's good for your portfolio if you can work it out.

My advice is, just be extra careful when you're dealing with clients. You decide ... If it's really useful for your portfolio, then take it and charge them a reasonable price.


I strongly agree with this.


Sometimes, in certain condition, we don't even know whether they win the project or not.