? for Graphic Designers...

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Do you calculate your effective hourly rate?

i.e. If you charge $147 for mini-site design, etc. do you track how long the average project takes and use that to calculate an effective hourly rate? Of course, I realize that this wouldn't include overhead, etc.

I'd appreciate any feedback, because I'm trying to help a relative get started as a freelance service provider. If you're not comfortable posting it in public, feel free to PM me.
#website design #designers #graphic
  • I don't charge per hr rates.I fix a flat rate for design depending on the clients requirement and charge him that only.
    • [1] reply
    • That's what I mean by effective hourly rate. Most designers are on a per project basis. But if you track the time it takes you to complete each type of project on average, you can determine your effective hourly rate for each project type. Then based on how many hours you spend on each one, you can figure up your overall average EHR.

      You could then use this information to focus on your most profitable project type (if there's enough to keep you busy) or adjust the prices of your least profitable type.

      Anyway, thanks for the replies so far.

      P.S.
      I'm not looking to do any price fixing.
  • Careful discussing pricing. Any discussion of pricing by a group of people within the same industry is illegal. It's classed as price fixing.

    It's important to track your time for many more reasons than just calculating your hourly rate.

    Once you're up and running as a freelancer people always ask how long it's going to take to do a project. If you have a record of all your previous projects it is much easier to give a realistic estimation.
  • It is important to keep track of your time.
    Without getting too involved in actual dollar figures It is good to break down your jobs into hourly or daily blocks. For example We tend to look at a job and work out roughly how long it will take us then if we just say we need to be making x dollars an hour we will make sure our quote more than covers our estimated time line.
    Having said this we also believe that there is an element of knowledge and expertise that is just as valuable as time, If you hire a plumber to fix your toilet you may pay him $100 for what may take him 10 mins however there was no way you were going to have the expertise to fix it yourself! so you are paying for the knowledge as well as time.

    I hope this makes a bit of sense but it is something important to consider and applies to all professional services
    • [1] reply
    • Thanks for the reply.

      I'm not asking about what people (and their expertise) are worth. I'm asking about an "effective" hourly rate. After the fact, reverse engineering style. So the value of the expertise is already accounted for and paid.
  • The Graphic Artists Guild has a handbook that is very helpful for figuring out rates. Visit them at gag.org
  • I always track my time on every 4 th of project of a specific kind i.e banners, headers, logos, layouts ect as giving myself a decent representation of more profitable or less profitable projects for me to undertake and try to plan my time to be most profitable.. Then I go back and calculate my EHR based on how long it took.
  • I don't really calculate how much I am worth/hour. I think it's easier to calculate by project, analyzing all the details and stuff.
  • Hi There
    I dont charge per hour either, I have found flat rates for packages works well. BUT just recently have started tracking the hours it takes per project, just for time management and rate adjustments. I use yaTimer its a great tool and has a free trial.
    for my hourly I factor in my living expenses, taxes, fees from licensing,payment processing fees. If a client needs a lot of phone or Instant Messaging time, I add that (they know it).
    I'd recommend he or she do a project for themselves if they don't have a client yet, time it and go from there.
    I'm happy to help, I've been doing this for 10yrs as a freelancer and have loads of tools and things. If I have time I can chat or email.
    I'm on yahoo: codes52
    Linda
  • hello,

    want to join

    i think designer almost the same with artist.
    I think "art" can not be combined with the price. "art" stand on its own. and "price" stand on its own. all people need price. but when you work, Remove first thought about price, and focus on your job. if you discuss about the price, please focus

    I still need to learn more

    thanks
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    ? for Graphic Designers...

    Do you calculate your effective hourly rate? i.e. If you charge $147 for mini-site design, etc. do you track how long the average project takes and use that to calculate an effective hourly rate? Of course, I realize that this wouldn't include overhead, etc.