how much to charge - Page 2 - SBB Digital Scrapbooking Forums | Scrapbook-Bytes

Brenners · #9 (**permalink**) 12-30-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksbalint

I guess part of it would depend on how long it takes you to make a layout. I think $20 to $35 an hour for your labor is pretty reasonable. If you charge on the higher end of the scale, it might be nice to throw in one 12 by 12 or 8 by 10 print at no extra charge. For extra prints, above and beyond the first one, I'd probably charge whatever it would cost you to have the print professionally done, probably around $4 or $5.

Basically, $25 or $30 for a custom layout is pretty reasonable, I think, considering the amount of work that goes into it. If they ordered, say, 10 layouts, I'd probably give a discount on the labor.

Your customers have gotten the bargain of the century up until now. I agree that you're shortchanging yourself.

I hope this has helped.

Wow! That's a lot to think about. I'll have to consult my higly intelligent husband, and see what we come up with.

ksbalint · #10 (**permalink**) 12-30-2005

Well, whatever you decide to charge in the future, I think most of us would agree that $3 for a layout is way underpriced. Don't undervalue your talent!!! By the way, don't forget to factor in that if you don't make your own kits, you'll have to probably pay extra for kits with a commercial license, or at the very least, contact the kit designers for their permissin to use the kit commercially if necessarily.

Brenners · #11 (**permalink**) 12-30-2005

Thank you for your advice. Most of my customers are out of the "scrapping world", and are simply ordering nice layouts for framed pictures. That being the case, I don't think I can get away with charging $20 - $35, but yes, I do need to consider the time I put into it. I don't use kits, so I can avoid all the hassel of using them commercially.

frankcassiesmom · #12 (**permalink**) 12-31-2005

$3 a page?!!! LOL. Whoa. I'd be making like a dollar or so an hour. Really your time is worth more than that. Especially if you are making your own kits. Now I would have a hard time charging $20 cuz I am a wimp, but $3? Hmm...

Brenners · #13 (**permalink**) 12-31-2005

<Big Grin> I know. I know. It sorta just started out as a favor. Then other people saw it and said, "Oh, I want something done." Then I felt bad for charging those people more... Now it's becoming a bigger thing than I had planned.

I think what I will do is keep my current rate as a printing cost and just add on a design charge. Like so much per hour to design the layout. Then they pay like $3 per print out of that layout.

ksbalint · #14 (**permalink**) 12-31-2005

That sounds like a good idea. $3 per print is reasonable, along with your labor charge. There's no question that you offer a great product, one that most other people either can't make for themselves or don't have the time to make. I think that you'll continue to get customers, even at a higher price.

zeelv · #15 (**permalink**) 01-02-2006

During the month or so before Christmas, I do custom Christmas cards for the people at work. Last year I ran into a little problem with one of my cheapskate customers who said he could get them printed out for cheaper than I was charging (I charged $2.00 per 5x7 photo which included the envelope as well as the custom design.) This year I got smart and said the cost was still $2.00 per 5x7 w/ envelope BUT if they preferred to print them out themselves, I would only charge them $25.00 for the design fee.

Also, whenever I have other graphic design projects, I charge $25.00 an hour for my services. I designed a DVD label and DVD box cover for one of the guys at work who had been hired to do a video montage. I finished the project in three and a half hours and he had no problem paying me the $88.00. I still sometimes think that $25/hr is pricey, but you know what? People are paying it and it definitely is closer to the value of the work I produce. Hope that helps!

meant2bemommie · #16 (**permalink**) 01-07-2006

This is a great topic as I have been wondering myself. Looks like it really is "up to the person". How much do you think it is worth? How much do you value your time kind of thing? I though of doing it like this: figure out your printing cost and double it for labor. And that is what I would end up charging...