[NEED ADVICE] What is the ballpark price range for getting a map designed?

[Azélor]

I'd rather see a general warning on prices rather than a specific price.
The prices range is too large to go in the specifics.
Setting the price too high might discourage potential clients with smaller budget and those with smaller projects too.

More like something in the lines of this: http://lcproofblog.co.za/wp-content/...6/Picture1.jpg

Maybe give a small explanation on how we calculate the price.
For example: this map took 20 hours to complete. To estimate how much the artist will charge, multiply the number of hours by an "acceptable" hourly rate. (I agree that acceptable can be difficult to describe)

In my case, the minimum wage is 11,25 CAN$, we have to find some way to tell the client that anything below 225 $ is likely to insult the artist.
But if I was living in another country where to cost of living is lower, 225$ might be a lot of money.
If I lived in Toronto, I'd charge double

[ThomasR]

I agree on the no price range policy. And I agree with Voolf about the tediousness of setting the prices at each new client opportunity. The more I think about it, the more I tell myself I'll do like Francesca Baerald and put my prices on a DA post.

[Voolf]

Yes Azelor a warnig is what i am after, but i am trying to find a better word for it. Warning is not good word to start off with a client

Would be nice to create some paragraph about pricing with some "avarage" price examples or explanations how we charge, so the client could understand pricing better and start his/her commission with more than 30$ in the pocket.... and not be shocked when someone asks for 300$ instead.

[Mouse]

Ummmm....

A warning that's not a warning, but is a kind of warning, but doesn't want to come across like that....

How about:



"Welcome to the Mapping Requests forum. We are all very friendly people here, if a little busy at times. A lot of us make our living or at least a significant part of it by drawing maps for other people, and to do so we usually require to be paid a fair rate for the work we do.

Every map is an individual work of art. Each is different and unique in its own way. Some are relatively simple, while others are impressively large and take a very long time to do.

All the requests submitted to this forum are considered very carefully by a range of artists looking for work, all of whom have a great deal of experience when it comes to estimating the time and effort that will be required to make your map. We do not profit overmuch from this work, since anyone quoting too much above the rest usually falls behind by losing potential clients, so please understand that if we cannot afford to do your map for the price you are offering, there is a small chance that you might be disappointed.

We hope that you find your ideal artist soon, and that you will be happy with your map when it is completed"



That's a bit.... rough and ready, but is that the kind of thing?

EDIT: Rats! Forgot to add a price range - but you could add it in a new paragraph?

[Voolf]

That is really nice Mouse thanks for your great input.

Still from clients perspective they wont have any clue about the price, so i guess it would be nice to put some examples for them to have an idea what they get into

[Wingshaw]

I'm glad that this idea has gained traction, but I think it may be getting over-complicated and over-analysed (imo, that is). Below is my proposal, which tries to include all of the ideas that have been floating around this thread:

--A new sticky thread in the map-making requests forum called "Price guide and mappers for hire" or something like that. I think that any potential clients who are looking in the requests forum will be attracted to a thread that states 'price guide' in the name.

--The first post could contain some introductory text, very similar to what Mouse wrote, with perhaps a general warning on prices and an additional line stating that some professional cartographers prefer not to publicly disclose their rates, but will provide quotes if contacted/interested in a project.

--After the first post, the thread is reserved for artists interested in finding commissions. The artist could then provide links to samples of work, contact information, types of maps they'll work on, price guide (if they choose), whatever other information they consider useful to include about the service/services that they offer.

How does this idea sound? I personally would like to have something like this, and I have no objections to posting my price range - I think I should actually amend my prices, based on what some of you have said above...

Poor hasdaddy's thread has been completely hijacked!! Should this be moved to a new thread, perhaps?...

Wingshaw

[Mouse]

Yes! Sorry hasdaddy!

@ Voolf and Wingshaw - glad you like it. I'm not precious about my text stuff, so edit at will. I can already see a missing paragraph break, and a comma that should be a semi-colon, but if I start messing around with it I will invariably make it worse.

So go head and modify it till its right...

EDIT: All entirely provisional, of course - dependent on what the general consensus of opinion turns out to be.

[Voolf]

Hmm, sorry Wingshaw, but i feel that you make it way too complicated.

I was thinking about adding one more paragraph to to existing thread, and you want to create a new one and then everyone would post there more advertising themselfs.
I mean i am not against it, but all i wanted to do is to give the clinets some actual informations about prices so they know what to expect. This will stop commission requests with 10-50$ budget and also some questions like "how much should i pay/charge for a map".

[DanielHasenbos]

The only reason why I would object to giving estimates for prices is that there may be people that charge way more, and maybe even what they are worth (in my mind that would be people like J.Edward, Sapiento, - Max -, etc, though that is just a gut feeling, and not based on actual knowledge). By giving an estimate for say $300 as reasonable, we may actually be taking down the big boys. That is something that should be considered too, I think.

[ThomasR]

Maybe just a mention of the fact that cartography is a time consuming activity, hence the price ?

Once again, I'm not a partisan of the idea of displaying prices as everybody is entitled to it's own pricing, depending on lots of different personal, regional ... parameters. Were the hourly rate even in all the countries, this would not be that much of a problem but economic geopolitics being what they are ... It doesn't seem fair. Setting a price in stone (and I know it would not be the case per se) would be a bit ... I dunno, "first-worldy" ? (tough subject, sorry if my thoughts are expressed so badly)