hourly or flat rate?

Question

i have been drawing designs for this guys low budget t-shirt company. i draw them by hand, not on the computer. he tells me the idea he has and i render it. i am doing this on my freetime, and it takes me a little while. he always wants me to change them up and do different things to them after i finish them. i have been charging a flat rate of 100 dollars. four designs that i have done for him i have had to redo them more than once. i feel like i am bein used. should i start charging him hourly? and how much is a rate thats good for me and him? i am almost to the point i am over it and dont want to work for him anymore, i feel like my time drawing is a waste and am reluctant to drawing for people that are like this.

Answer 1

He's scamming you. For computer art I would understand, but hand drawn images? You should be getting ten times that amount.

And you charge for changes or corrections. Every change he wants is another 100$.

Also, always get things in writing. Draw up a contact first and get them to sign it, agreeing to set rates so there aren't any nasty surprises.

Answer 2

Well, at least you know that your "feeler nerves are operating right"....you should feel like you're being used,.....I been doin this same crap for 33 year now,....I've done alot of work with western music and the Austin music scene, all they want to do, is get their eides done and get the art and move on,.....Stoppppppppppppppppppppp! done even go there,..Tell yourr "buddy" and "close friend" that you can no longer do things on such a low budget and then go back in and redo things for him, then suggest he call a professional advertising company to get contacts for their artist's numbers so he can pay them $100,00 for some design and then have them redo thing at all,.........it dont work that way at the top, it shouldnt work that way at the middle or bottom..besides that, If he's a screen printer, he's making plenty of profit just from the blank shirts alone.........my suggestion is that you go find another person to sell to or design for and then do a few and let your "buddy" know what's goin on,........he'll change his toon or he wont last long. I bet I've seen 75 or more t-shirt pritnters come and go over the past 300 or more years. those guys always do better selling used cars in some other little town later on in life.......If I wor4k on an hourly deal I charge $75.00 an hour and I take off 15 minutes each hour to smoke a cigarette or go to the bathroom. If you truely have talent, people will crawl to you if you make them understand that you're not a pushover. You gotta make them understand, it's your responsibiility to do that...then another good idea is to go out and apply for art positions, you probably wont get them but ikt looks really good on yor part.

Answer 3

You have pointed out the very reason I do almost all my freelance assignment on an hourly rate. That way, the client can have all the reworks he wants, as long as he is willing to pay for it. (it is also the reason more than 75% of my work is done digitally, since I almost never have to completely redraw the entire design.

Rule of thumb: Figure as accurately as possible the time it may take for the project. (including client approval stages and rework time. Double it. (because something ALWAYS goes wrong) Multiply by the hourly rate, and that is the estimate I present to the client. If the project comes in under budget, the client is pleased. If it comes in OVER the estimate, it is often the clients fault for not paying attention to the specs he has given me, or to the approval steps, CAUSING repeated reworks. I make sure to carefully track each and every minute spent on a client's project, and HOW the time is spent.

Typical conversation:
"I wanted the illustration on the LEFT side of the page!"

"You told me you wanted it on the RIGHT, and, besides, YOU signed off on the rough sketch Monday afternoon, and you had no problem at that time."

"I STILL want it on the left."

"Fine, no problem. It will only take me another hour to change it."

"Am I going to be charged for that hour?"

"Yes, and make sure you check out the layout I will send to you tomorrow. And don't sign off on it until you've actually looked at it."

Answer 4

I used to have a similar situation with a woman for whom I was designing some simple ads so I understand your pain. You need to let him know what to expect for his $100 (artwork per his original specifications, plus maybe one simple modification). Additional modifications should be billed at an hourly rate. $35 - $50/hr would be reasonable. And unless you're able to draw these up in 2 hours or less, he's getting off dirt cheap at $100 per design. And that all depends on where you live. These amounts would be good where I am, but some larger markets would command a much higher price.

Answer 5

You can agree to a flat rate for the first rendering and an hourly rate for anything after that. It's pretty common practice. Plus it usually encourages your clients to work on their communication skills so that things are done right the first time. Be gentle when you propose this new arrangement, but if he doesn't like the idea - you said yourself that you're ready to move on - so don't back down. But you may have to negotiate the actual hourly rate. Good luck.

Answer 6

I'd continue charging your fee per project, however, I'd establish a guideline for future projects. Each t-shirt design $100, which includes one draft based on client's concept/direction for design. If client requires more design samples/drafts, or changes, estimate cost may be re-estimated or billed additionally $25/hour.

$25.00 is an example, you add your hourly rate for additional edits/changes, or out-of-pocket expensives.

By doing this, the client is informed for the next projects, and has a choice if to continue. You can even explain that each design has taken more time to product, and you've not charged more. Although, in the future if more edits need to be made, it additional hours must be billed. Most of the time, the client will ask for less changes if he/she is paying. If client wants changes, than he/she will get what they pay for and you will earn what you deserve for the additional time spent on it. Fair for everyone.

Answer 7

I don't know about switching to hourly. I might suggest the fee, and then perhaps a one time change - any additional changes charge more ($25) for.

It seems hourly would be kind of hard to track, unless you are doing it full time. It may be more aggravating to keep track of a little time here and a little time there.

Answer 8

Vince M. has it absolutely right. Flat rates are a dreadful idea for freelancing for every reason he's mentioned. The last thing you want is to put more time into a project than it's worth.